Introduction

These guidelines formalize a set of expectations, strongly encouraged by the Graduate School, to be used by academic and administrative units at Ohio State to support graduate associates (GAAs, GRAs, and GTAs, collectively referred to hereafter as GAs), fellows and trainees during instances of personal and/or family illness, bereavement, childbirth and adoption as well as other instances that may require time-off. The specific details of these expectations are found in  Section 11.2.

It is impossible to list every life circumstance and every academic situation that an individual graduate student might face. It is also impossible to list every situation that a faculty or administrative supervisor might face in a teaching, research, or administrative setting. These guidelines recognize that it is important for faculty and administrative supervisors to retain flexibility in working with individual students to determine the most fitting response to a particular student’s situation. At the same time, Section 11.2 sets out guidelines that are intended to provide more consistency across the university in managing leaves of absence for funded graduate students. Nothing in these guidelines should be read to require the alteration or diminution of policies presently in place in programs that go beyond what is presented here.

Whenever possible and academically appropriate, these guidelines aim to preserve student status and the student’s means of financial support (including stipend, fee authorization, health care subsidy, and other appointment benefits). 

Leaves of absence for GAs, fellows, and trainees should be less than one semester in duration.