Harvard has finally put into writing policies on leaves-of-absence it has followed informally all along--it's hard to get a leave-of-absence after Reading Period begins, and if you're told to leave, you must stay away two years.

The Faculty voted at its May 16 meeting to amend the paragraph about student voluntary withdrawals that now appears in the Regulations for Students at Harvard College.

What once said that a student could "discontinue his studies in Harvard College at any time" will now read "ordinarily, no student will be allowed to withdraw in any term after the Reading Period begins."

No Change

According to Dean Monro, this is no change in the College's practices.

"It has been a policy to get stricter once Reading Period begins," he said, "because a withdrawal then amounts to a late decision to run out on exams."

The addition to the rule book was made to give all students knowledge of the College's position. The amendments concerning required withdrawal--which is a result of an unsatisfactory scholastic record or a violation of discipline--have an identical function.

Any student required to withdraw from the College must stay away for a minimum of two terms, the additional paragraph explains. During the absence, the student "must show an acceptable record of performance during a substantial period (at least six months) of regular employment."

To get back in, the student must submit a petition to the Administrative Board (the senior tutors and various Deans) which will pass on his "readiness to resume his studies." Any student who has twice been separated from the college will not be reinstated.

Monro said that before the war in Vietnam produced stepped-up draft calls, about 300 people withdrew each year--half voluntary and half required. But this year he anticipates that the College will ask less than 100 to drop out, because the pressures of the draft have produced an improvement in grades. The number of voluntary withdrawals will probably also fall, he added.

"This is not a good situation," Monro stated. "A significant number of people are being deprived of the opportunity to make a free decision."