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Return Guidelines

Effective: January 2, 2024

Guidelines: Returning from Time Away for Medical Reasons (TAMR)

The Time Away for Medical Reasons (“TAMR”) policy is intended to give students time to focus on their health and wellbeing so that they can return to campus and be successful in their academic and co-curricular pursuits. Dartmouth has designed these guidelines to review requests to return, and to allow for the development of appropriate supports and resources for returning students. The following guidelines apply to all Dartmouth students. 

We encourage students to take sufficient time to address the health-related concerns that led them to take time away. The length of the time away takes into consideration each student’s individual circumstances and is intended to allow each student sufficient time away from their academic program to address their medical needs and prepare for a smooth transition back into their academic program. Students may request to return at any time; students should consult with the Time Away Director for information about deadlines that may affect their desired term to return. Students who are not granted permission to return for their requested term may submit a request for another term and/or appeal. Any student whose request to return from TAMR is denied will receive a detailed written explanation of Dartmouth’s decision.

Dartmouth administers its TAMR policy in accordance with Dartmouth’s Nondiscrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy and Resolution Procedures. The TAMR process requires an individualized assessment based on current medical knowledge and the best available objective evidence. When warranted, Dartmouth will provide reasonable accommodations to Dartmouth’s policies, practices, and procedures that are necessary to prevent discrimination unless the reasonable accommodations would fundamentally alter the nature of Dartmouth’s academic standards, course requirements, goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations (“reasonable accommodations”). Students with disabilities may request reasonable accommodations to TAMR policies, practices, and procedures by contacting their Dartmouth Disability Access Professional. 

The Time Away Director will facilitate a student’s exploration of their academic plan upon return and their path to graduation in coordination with their advising dean.

REQUESTING TO RETURN FROM TAMR

These Guidelines seek to confirm, in consultation with the student and their licensed clinicians, that the student will be able to function effectively in the autonomous student environment at Dartmouth. In addition, Dartmouth, in conjunction with the student, will determine whether ongoing supports may be needed for a student (e.g., reasonable accommodations).

Deadlines

Dartmouth’s Time Away Committee reviews requests to return on a rolling basis. The Time Away Committee meets at least weekly, as well as on a need-to-meet basis. Students should consult with the Time Away Director for information about deadlines that may affect their desired term to return. The request to return will not be reviewed by the Time Away Committee until all documents are received and complete. 

While the process for reviewing requests to return occurs on a rolling basis, the timing of a student’s submission of their request to return will impact other important deadlines related to the student experience (e.g., Financial Aid, Residential Life, pre-registration for the next quarter, and the Office of Visa and Immigration Services). 

Each school will post its school-specific deadlines on its website. 

Materials may be sent via email, U.S. postal service, or commercial carrier (e.g., FedEx):

Email: [INSERT]

Mail: Time Away Office | Attn: Time Away Committee | [INSERT] | Hanover, NH 03755

In order for a student’s request to return materials to be considered by the Time Away Committee, Dartmouth must receive all required documents by 5:00 pm EST on the deadline date for the term that the student seeks to return.

Materials to Include in a Request to Return

Each student should refer to the customized TAMR letter that they received at the time they took TAMR, which outlines what is needed for the return process. If a student needs another copy of this letter, they may contact the Time Away Office. 

As part of the return process, students will be asked to contact Campus Billing to inquire about their financial hold status. Outstanding financial obligations may delay re-enrollment.

Please note, the Time Away Director and/or advising dean are available to answer questions about the requested materials or any aspect of the process.

  1. Completion of the Request to Return Form: The form will include:
    • The student’s name, current email, and physical address. The email and physical address listed will be the addresses at which the student will receive a decision letter.
    • The term for which the student is requesting to return from TAMR.
    • Discussion of the factors that led to taking TAMR.
    • An overview of the care and treatment received to address the health issue that led to TAMR.
    • Other activities in which the student has engaged while taking time away (for example: work, taking courses, volunteering, pursuing other interests) that may both contribute to the student’s well-being and readiness to return.
    • Reflection on the student’s ability to return to the academic study and life at Dartmouth.
    • An overview of the plans for how the student will manage their studies at Dartmouth once they have returned (e.g., continued treatment, building a support network, accessing resources) and any reasonable accommodations they may need to return successfully.
  1. Letter(s) From Treating Clinician(s): Students may submit more than one letter from treating licensed clinicians (e.g., a therapist and psychiatrist, or a primary care clinician and a therapist). 

The treating licensed clinician’s letter should include the following information:

  • Dates for which treatment started and ended, including the number of times the treating clinician met with the student.
  • A statement of the treating licensed clinician’s opinion on whether the student will be ready to return to the academic demands of full-time enrollment at Dartmouth by the beginning of the term for which the student is requesting to return from TAMR. Reasonable accommodations upon return are a frequent part of the return process. The statement should include the basis for their opinion about the student’s readiness to return.
  • If there are concerns about the student’s readiness to return to full-time enrollment, the treating licensed clinician should explain. The treating licensed clinician should include any recommendations that would mitigate those concerns, including any reasonable accommodations that would enable the student to successfully participate in Dartmouth’s programs.
  • The letter(s) must be on professional letterhead that includes their name, professional degree, professional license number, business phone number, and address.
  • Release of Information Form: Since the letter from the treating licensed clinician is maintained as part of a student’s medical record, Dartmouth asks students to sign a limited Release of Information Form in order for Dartmouth clinicians to participate fully with the Time Away Committee. Signing the release allows Dartmouth’s clinicians to share some information included in the documentation provided to Dartmouth. The form is Dartmouth’s standard release and has been pre-completed to indicate that the student gives the Dartmouth College Health Service (“DCHS”) staff who review the treating licensed clinician’s submission permission to share relevant information with the Time Away Committee. This release does not give permission to share the contents of the submission or specific medical details with the Time Away Committee, but will permit the DCHS representative on the Time Away Committee to describe health challenges similar to the student’s for the Time Away Committee in general terms. The form can be found on the DCHS website.

The Time Away Director can assist students with contacting either the Counseling Center or Primary Care if students need guidance, or have questions, about completing the release of information.  

RETURN REVIEW PROCESS

Timeline & Process

To carefully consider each request to return and the individual situation of each student, the review process involves the following.

  • The Time Away Director will compile all materials, follow up with the student on any missing materials. The Time Away Director will distribute letters from treating licensed clinicians to DCHS to review and notify the advising dean of the student’s request to return.
  • Dartmouth may reach out to students and/or treating licensed clinicians to request additional information that may not be contained in the letters, but which may help them to understand the student’s readiness to return. However, any requests for additional information will be narrowly tailored to information that is reasonably needed to resolve individualized and objective questions or concerns regarding the student’s fitness to return to Dartmouth. 
  • The Time Away Committee meets to review each request to return. The advising dean for the student and the Time Away Director present the request. (Note: Advising deans do not have access to letters from a student’s treating licensed clinician.) Following the meeting, the Time Away Director may communicate to a student questions that the committee has about their treatment and activities while taking TAMR or plans for care once they have returned to Dartmouth. Any information that the Time Away Director seeks will be narrowly tailored to information that is reasonably needed to resolve individualized and objective questions or concerns regarding the student’s readiness to return to Dartmouth.
  • The Time Away Director prepares and distributes decision letters in collaboration with the student’s advising dean. 

Time Away Committee & Return Criteria

The Time Away Committee is comprised of the Time Away Director, a representative from DCHS, a representative from the ADA/504 Coordinator’s Office, and other campus stakeholders who have information or knowledge to contribute regarding a particular student’s individualized assessment (e.g., advising deans, Disability Access Professionals, case managers, a representative from the Office of Visa and Immigration Services). Both the health of the student and the student’s demonstrated ability to resume participation in all aspects of undergraduate, graduate, or professional school academic and campus life are central to the decision of whether the request to return will be granted (with or without reasonable accommodations). Clinical improvement and the support of the student’s treating licensed      clinician(s) will weigh heavily in the consideration of a student’s request to return. 

The committee makes an individualized assessment of each student’s submitted materials.

Decision Letter & Transition

Once the review is complete, the Time Away Committee communicates a recommendation to the student’s advising dean. After the advising dean makes the final decision about the student’s request to return, the time away director will notify the student by letter and email. 

Students who are not granted permission to return for the term in which they requested, may submit a request for another term and/or appeal. Any student whose request to return from TAMR is denied will receive a detailed written explanation of Dartmouth’s decision.

Students who are granted permission to return will receive recommendations for support resources on campus that may be useful, and the Time Away Office will begin the process of notifying other offices on campus. The Time Away Office will contact any returning students who still have financial holds in place, directing them to contact Campus Billing and fulfill any financial obligations; these holds must be resolved before a student may return. Students may contact DCHS or their advising deans at any point with questions about the transition back to their Dartmouth academic program. The Time Away Office will also reach out to the student shortly after their return to check in.

APPEAL PROCESS

Section IV of the TAMR policy outlines the appeal process for any student who would like to appeal the denial of their request to return from TAMR.

The Time Away Director and advising deans are available at any time to answer questions about the requested materials or any other aspect of the process.