Leave of Absence or Withdrawal

DocuSign for Leave of Absence or Withdrawal from the University*

We adopted DocuSign to streamline the process of collecting signatures from academic advisors and Woody Hall offices for either a leave of absence (LOA) or withdrawal from the university.  This process applies to traditional undergraduates.  Woody Hall offices include the University Registrar, Office of Financial Aid, and Student Accounts.

CAPA/ROC or graduate students should consult with their respective program directors or regional campuses to file a LOA or withdrawal; the PDF “Form Only” is also available for download: Form Only.

DocuSign Instructions (Traditional Undergraduates Only)

Traditional undergraduate, you will need to have an active email, but you do not need a DocuSign account.

The Office of Academic Advising will initiate the process by accepting your notification (intent) to file a LOA or withdrawal (read the section(s) below that apply to you).   To initiate the process, select one of the following options:

  • Email us at advising@laverne.edu, or
  • Call us at (909) 448-4510, or
  • Visit us in Abraham Campus Center, 2nd Floor.

Staff will speak with you, the student, about your decision to withdraw or take a leave of absence.  If you decide to proceed with a leave of absence or withdrawal, we will email you a DocuSign-generated email.  When you receive the email, follow the “student instructions” and complete the marked portions and digitally sign the form. Your digital signature initiates the process of collecting all the Woody Hall office signatures one office at a time, including your academic advisor or dean.  You will get a copy of the completed form with all the signatures.  Advising staff will record the LOA or withdrawal on the student record.

Leave of Absence from the University

All continuing traditional undergraduates who desires to interrupt their studies and desire to return to La Verne at a later date may apply for a LOA.  Submitting an LOA helps the university to know when you intend to leave, for what reason, and for how long.  Knowing this information helps us to facilitate referrals as needed if financial, academic, or personal hardships are affecting continuous enrollment.  Also, filing an LOA secures your active status, facilitating the resumption of studies at the conclusion of the LOA.  You should read the Handbook for important details about leaving campus on a temporary basis:

See the DocuSign* section to initiate the intent to file a leave of absence.

The timing of a Leave of Absence (LOA) is important. An LOA should be considered a future-focused temporary absence. Here are some guidelines:

  • Before the Term Starts: If the academic term you intend to take an LOA for has not yet started, it is appropriate to file an LOA.
  • During the Term: If the academic term you intend to take an LOA for has already started, and your return is planned for the upcoming academic term, an LOA is likely not needed for such a short absence.
  • Two Consecutive Terms: If the LOA is for two consecutive academic terms, filing an LOA is appropriate whether the academic term has not started or the first term of the two-term leave has already begun.
  • No LOA Filed for Current Term: If you did not file an LOA for the current term but do not intend to return in the upcoming academic term, then submitting an LOA for one year is appropriate (and should include the current term that already started).

NEWLY ADMITTED FRESHMEN OR TRANSFERS

If you were admitted for either the fall or spring semester and cannot start classes due to personal or other reasons, a leave of absence is not the appropriate option. Instead, you should contact the Office of Admissions by phone or email to request a deferment of your admission to the next semester. For example, if you were expected to start in the fall semester, the deferment would be for the spring. Similarly, if you were admitted to start in the spring and deferred your application, it would be deferred to the following fall semester. Admissions can be reached at admission@laverne.edu or (909) 448-4026.

However, if the academic term has already started and you are enrolled past the add/drop period and find it necessary to withdraw from classes, but do not intend to withdraw from the university, then a leave of absence would be appropriate (see the timing of a leave of absence section above).

Withdrawal from the University

A traditional undergraduate who wishes to withdraw from the University permanently must file an intent to withdraw.  See the DocuSign* section above to initiate the intent to withdraw.

Graduate or CAPA/ROC students should contact their academic advisors or CAPA/ROC offices to initiate the process to withdraw.

NEWLY ADMITTED FRESHMEN OR TRANSFERS

If you were admitted for either the fall or spring semester and wish to withdraw your application, and the academic term has not yet started, then a leave of absence is not the appropriate option. Instead, you should contact the Office of Admissions by phone or email to notify them of your intent to withdraw your application for admission. In other words, you are requesting to rescind your admission offer. Admissions can be reached at admission@laverne.edu or (909) 448-4026.

However, if you remained enrolled past the add/drop period and find it necessary to withdraw from classes and withdraw from the university, then filing a withdrawal intent (on the LOA/WD form) is appropriate. If you feel that a drop from classes is merited, you can appeal to the Undergraduate Academic Appeals Committee, here (as a separate process).

Withdrawing or Dropping Courses  (All LOA and Withdrawn Students)

If you fail to officially drop or withdraw from classes and abandon your courses, you risk receiving failing grades. La Verne does not automatically drop or withdraw you from courses you are not attending.

  • The withdrawal effective date is determined by the academic calendar deadline for the “withdrawal period” of the academic term. If you abandon your courses and do not formally withdraw, you are subject to earning F or WF final grades, which affect your academic standing, grade point average, and financial aid eligibility. Additionally, you might be subject to administrative termination of your “active student” status after two consecutive semesters and may be required to reapply for admission.
  • A drop occurs prior to the start of the academic term or session through the add/drop deadline. Appeals for late drops are usually successful with instructor confirmation that you never attended classes or did not attend classes beyond the first week.

If you drop or withdraw from classes, you may be asked to vacate university housing.

Clearing All Holds (All LOA and Withdrawn Students)

If you leave the University on a LOA or permanently through withdrawal, you should ensure that all financial balances are cleared, all library books are returned, and all holds are removed.  Failure to clear your account of all these items may result in restrictions to some academic records or the right to registration in courses in future academic terms.  Also, if you fail to clear financial balances, you may be subject to collection proceedings.

Financial Aid Recipients (All LOA and Withdrawn Students)

Avoid delays in finalizing your LOA or withdrawal.  The Office of Financial Aid will not sign the LOA/withdrawal document until you have completed your financial aid exit counseling online.

If you received (accepted) any federal loans, you must complete financial aid exit counseling.  Visit the exit counseling website (https://studentaid.gov/exit-counseling/) to complete the process.

Make sure you select the current loan/academic year for exit counseling to avoid further delays.  Also, it takes up to 72-hours for proof of completion to transfer from the StudentAid servers to the ULV Financial Aid records.  If you have urgency to complete the LOA or withdrawal process, send proof of completion (screenshot or attached document) to finaid@laverne.edu.