Reinstatement

Contact the Dean of Students (540-458-8752) to have a hard copy of the application mailed to you, or download an application from the University website. Instruct all recommenders writing on your behalf to address their materials to the Dean of Student Life / Elrod Commons, Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA 24450. Letters or supporting documentation sent to other departments on campus may not reach the proper office until the deadline has passed.

Reinstatement applications are due May 15 or August 1 for fall term, November 15 for winter term, or March 1 for spring term. (NOTE, however, that you can only apply for spring term reinstatement if you were enrolled full time during fall or winter term of the same academic year). While applications for reinstatement are accepted for spring term, it is not always the best time to return. Consult with the Dean of Students if you need more information about determining the appropriate timing for your application.

Any former degree-seeking undergraduate (anyone who has matriculated in the past) who has withdrawn from the University for any reason must apply for reinstatement via the Committee on the Automatic Rule and Reinstatement.

Because health and academic issues may affect one another, all requests for reinstatement are reviewed according to the same criteria, involving both academic and social readiness to return to W&L.

While a dean or health-care provider may be helping you prepare to return, only the Committee, through its official action, can approve the reinstatement of any former undergraduate student. The Committee reviews a complete application, along with relevant professional feedback (e.g. from a faculty member, dean, or doctor) and the academic record at W&L, before determining whether the timing of a student’s return seems appropriate. Because the Committee’s decision is based on a wide variety of factors, it may differ from the opinion of an individual with whom you’ve spoken.

The Dean of Students chairs the Committee, and s/he can answer your questions at 540-458-8752. See also the text of the reinstatement policy in the Catalog which will contain the most up-to-date information.

The chances of returning sooner (rather than later) are enhanced if a student withdraws before emotional problems result in severe academic or social difficulties for the student or for others in the W&L community. Even if a student leaves under extremely adverse circumstances, the chances of eventual return are high, although it is not guaranteed. The Committee may recommend a longer period of time away from W&L to establish a record of emotional stability and/or academic focus prior to return.

The Committee is concerned only with a student’s eligibility to return to W&L. If reinstated, a student would return to face any pending charges that were unresolved at the time of withdrawal (e.g. a student who withdraws voluntarily to avoid facing a judicial hearing would face the hearing upon return). The Dean of Students (540-458-8752) can usually answer additional questions on this topic either before or after a student withdraws.

The best strategy is to consult with a physician or counselor at W&L as soon as health problems (or emotional health problems) emerge. Students who withdraw to seek more intensive treatment or therapy, or to get healthy away from the stresses of a rigorous academic environment, are far more likely to recover quickly and to return to W&L after a shorter absence.

Yes. The Committee tries to assess the likelihood that you will be successful at W&L at a given point in time. In most cases where the Committee denies reinstatement, the Committee’s concerns can be addressed within a few months to a year. Just because the Committee denies an application in August does not necessarily mean it will do so again in December.

An appeal is a request to review the procedure that the Committee followed in its review of a particular case. If there is reason to think that the Committee did not act with internal consistency in its review of your particular case, you can bring that concern to the attention of the Dean of Students, who will decide whether an appeal of procedure is warranted. Because providing additional information after a denial will not result in reconsideration, you should include everything germane to your application when you submit it originally. Unless otherwise advised by the chair of the Committee, all applicants may reapply for reinstatement at a later date.

You should give careful consideration to the role that a housing environment can play in supporting or detracting from a successful college experience. The Dean of Students can advise you regarding housing options and relevant considerations, and ought to be consulted on this matter before you return to Lexington. On occasion, the Committee may recommend that you change your housing situation upon return.

You may be reinstated contingent upon agreement to follow up on requirements imposed by the Committee. Such contingencies will be described in the reinstatement letter that the Dean of Students sends after the Committee has acted. Your return and matriculation constitute your agreement to the terms of the readmission letter, including all contingencies. Failure to adhere to the terms specified in the letter will subject you to required administrative withdrawal from the University. Questions about contingencies should be directed to the Dean of Students.

The answer will depend on each student’s unique circumstances at the time of withdrawal. The best way to answer this question is to speak directly with the Dean of Students, who chairs the Committee.

Once a student withdraws, they lose University card access to University buildings, as well as e-mail account access and privileges associated with other University resources (e.g. health and counseling services). Students who have unique needs immediately after withdrawing (for a very limited time period) must speak with the Dean of Students (540-458-8752) to make arrangements.

Complete applications must be received in the Student Affairs Office by the deadline noted on the application for reinstatement. It is the applicant’s responsibility to verify that all materials have been received (not merely postmarked) by the deadline. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed by the Committee.

No. A rigorous, highly competitive college setting is not the best place to finish recovering from health-related difficulties. The Committee tends to reinstate students only when there is a very good chance of the student’s being successful here. In recent years, the rate of failure has been higher for those students returning during the spring term than it has been for students returning for the fall term. The Committee has increasingly recommended that students apply for fall term reinstatement instead of spring.

No. W&L accepts only full-time students, and will interpret a request for an academic under-load as a sign that the applicant is not yet ready to return and succeed here.

The Committee looks for evidence that a student who was ill at the time of withdrawal is healthy, or has improved to the extent that any remaining health condition does not affect the student’s ability to succeed in academic and social programs at W&L, and that the student’s health has been stable for some period of time. In many cases, the Committee will also ask formerly ill students to show that they can remain stable and healthy even when full-time academic course work is added back to their lives (supporting documentation from physicians, therapists, and/or counselors is a necessity). Those who withdrew while facing academic difficulties (e.g. low GPA, failure to complete a full course load, academic probation, or Automatic Rule) should demonstrate their readiness to return by completing college-level course work at another four-year institution during their absence. Since the Committee reviews each request on its own merits, students are encouraged to discuss their specific situation with the Dean of Students as soon as possible after leaving W&L.

The Committee expects full disclosure of these issues. Just saying, “I’ve thought about my problems,” won’t be viewed by the Committee as very forthcoming. The essay that you as an applicant write offers the chance to show that you have taken responsibility for any difficult circumstances that may have existed at the time of your withdrawal. In addition, this is an opportunity to reflect on the reasons for withdrawal and the progress you have made during your time away from W&L. The essay is critically important in the Committee’s evaluation of your readiness to return and to be successful at W&L.

Confidential information is removed from the application packet and filed separately from the academic record that is used throughout the year by deans and faculty members. However, the information is maintained in a separate file constituting the Committee’s official record. Access to the confidential record is strictly limited according to federal law and University policies. The Dean of Students can answer additional questions.