Administrative Policies

Interruption or Temporary Suspension of University Services or Programs

Certain events that are beyond the University’s control may cause or require the interruption or temporary suspension of some or all services and programs customarily furnished by the University. These events include, but are not limited to, epidemics or other public health emergencies; storms, floods, earthquakes, or other natural disasters; war, terrorism, rioting, or other acts of violence; loss of power, water, or other utility services; and strikes, work stoppages, or job actions. In the face of such events, the University may, at its sole discretion, provide substitute services and programs, suspend services and programs, or issue appropriate refunds. Such decisions shall be made at the sole discretion of the University.

Personal Conduct Standards

The Jackson School specifically prohibits the following forms of behavior by graduate students:

Assault, Coercion, Harassment

Physical restriction, assault, or any other act of violence or use of physical force against any member of the community, or any act that threatens the use of violence or physical force.

Violation of Yale University Rules/Functions

Disruption of a legitimate function or activity of the University community, including disruption of classes and meetings, blocking entrances and exits to University buildings, unauthorized occupation of any space on the Yale campus, or preventing the free expression or dissemination of ideas.
Refusal to comply with the direction of University Police Officers or other University officials, including members of faculty, acting in the performance of their duties.
Misuse, alteration, or fabrication of University credentials or documents, such as an identification card, academic transcript, including grade list submitted by teaching fellows.
Misrepresentation in applying for admission or financial aid.
Misrepresentation or lying during a formal or informal inquiry by School or University officials. If the Jackson School Regulations and Disciplinary Review Committee has found that the student purposefully misled the committee during its deliberations, the committee may consider that factor as grounds for imposing a more severe penalty.
Recording course lectures without explicit permission of the instructor, or selling or distributing for commercial purposes notes, transcriptions, or outlines of class lectures, or any course materials, in any course of instruction.
Violation of University rules for using information technology services and facilities, including computers, the University network, software systems, and electronic mail.
Unauthorized use of University services, equipment, or facilities, such as telephones and photocopying equipment, or letterhead.
Misuse of the materials or facilities of the University libraries.
Theft or misuse of funds, or willful damage to University property.
Interference with the proper operation of safety or security devices, including fire alarms, electronic gates, or sprinkler systems.
Use of tobacco products on any location on campus, including outdoor spaces. Yale is a tobacco-free institution.
Violation of University policies for the safeguarding of children and youth on campus whereby minors are put at risk due to action or inaction.
Presence in University buildings or on University property at times or places where such presence is prohibited, as, for example, when a building, facility, or room is locked and permission to enter has not been given.
Possession or use of explosives or weapons on University property.
Unlawful manufacture, possession, use, or distribution of drugs or alcohol, including serving underage minors, on University property or as part of any University activity. Yale is a drug-free campus.

Disciplinary Policies and Procedures

Emergency Suspension

The dean of the Jackson School of Global Affairs, or a delegate of the dean, may place a student on an emergency suspension from residence or academic status when (1) the student has been arrested for or charged with serious criminal behavior by law enforcement authorities; or (2) the student allegedly violated a disciplinary rule of the Jackson School of Global Affairs and the student’s presence on campus poses a significant risk to the safety or security of members of the community.

Following an individualized risk and safety analysis, the student will be notified in writing of the emergency suspension. A student who is notified of an emergency suspension will have twenty-four hours to respond to the notice. The emergency suspension will not be imposed prior to an opportunity for the student to respond unless circumstances warrant immediate action for the safety and security of members of the community. In such cases, the student will have an opportunity to respond after the emergency suspension has been imposed.

When a student in the Jackson School of Global Affairs is placed on an emergency suspension, the matter will be referred for disciplinary action in accordance with school policy. Such a suspension may remain in effect until disciplinary action has been taken with regard to the student; however, it may be lifted earlier by action of the dean or dean’s delegate, or by the disciplinary committee after a preliminary review.

Penalties

Jackson School Regulations and Disciplinary Review Committee considers instances of academic infractions and other serious violations by Jackson graduate students against the School and University communities. Alleged violations of any of the above Personal Conduct and Academic Integrity Standards will be referred to Jackson School Regulations and Disciplinary Review Committee. Procedures of the Committee may be obtained on the Jackson School website: https://jackson.yale.edu.

A separate process and procedures apply to reports pertaining to sexual misconduct and violations of the Teacher-Student Consensual Relations Policy (please see Resources on Sexual Misconduct in the chapter Yale University Resources and Services). Another policy also applies to reports pertaining to discrimination and/or harassment, as defined on the Yale University website (https://student-dhr.yale.edu/policies-definitions). In some cases, conduct reported as discrimination and harassment may violate the Personal Conduct Standards, and students may be referred to the Jackson School Regulations and Disciplinary Review Committee. Students found responsible for violating the Personal Conduct and Academic Integrity Standards may be subject to penalties, including, but not limited to, one or more of the following:

Reprimand
Probation
Suspension
Dismissal
Fines
Restitution
Restriction

A student who has petitioned for a degree will not receive the degree while charges are pending or while serving a suspension. A student dismissed for academic misconduct will not receive a degree from the Jackson School regardless of requirements fulfilled before the infraction occurred. The Jackson School reserves the right to impose fines as appropriate, in addition to requiring payment for costs resulting from or associated with the offenses. In addition to imposing these penalties for offenses subject to disciplinary action, the University may refer students for prosecution, and students found guilty of unlawful possession, use, or distribution of illicit drugs or alcohol on University property or as part of any University activity may be required to complete an appropriate rehabilitation program.

Complaints

Complaints of discrimination and harassment (https://student-dhr.yale.edu/ policies-definitions) should be brought to either the discrimination and harassment resource coordinators (https://student-dhr.yale.edu/deans-designees) or the Office of Institutional Equity and Access (https://oiea.yale.edu) for support, investigation, and resolution (https://student-dhr.yale.edu/complaint-resolution).

Office of Institutional Equity and Access

Students who believe that a student, faculty member, or staff member has engaged in discrimination or harassment other than gender discrimination or sexual misconduct may report their concerns to the Office of Institutional Equity and Access, a University-wide office that assists with dispute resolution and investigates reports of discrimination and harassment. For additional information, see https://studentdhr.yale.edu/complaint-resolution. Complaints of sexual misconduct, which includes sexual harassment and sexual assault, may be brought to a Title IX coordinator or to the University-Wide Committee on Sexual Misconduct (UWC). For more information on the University’s Title IX coordinators or the UWC, please see Resources on Sexual Misconduct under Yale University Resources and Services.

Freedom of Expression

The Yale Jackson School is committed to the protection of free inquiry and expression in the classroom and throughout the School community. In this, the School reflects the University’s commitment to and policy on freedom of expression as stated in the Woodward Report (Report of the Committee on Freedom of Expression at Yale, 1974) in part:

The primary function of a university is to discover and disseminate knowledge by means of research and teaching. To fulfill this function a free interchange of ideas is necessary not only within its walls but with the world beyond as well. It follows that the university must do everything possible to ensure within it the fullest degree of intellectual freedom. The history of intellectual growth and discovery clearly demonstrates the need for unfettered freedom, the right to think the unthinkable, discuss the unmentionable, and challenge the unchallengeable. To curtail free expression strikes twice at intellectual freedom, for whoever deprives another of the right to state unpopular views necessarily also deprives others of the right to listen to those views.

We take a chance, as the First Amendment takes a chance, when we commit ourselves to the idea that the results of free expression are to the general benefit in the long nm, however unpleasant they may appear at the time. The validity of such a belief cannot be demonstrated conclusively. It is a belief of recent historical development, even within universities, one embodied in American constitutional doctrine but not widely shared outside the academic world, and denied in theory and in practice by much of the world most of the time.

Because few other institutions in our society have the same central function, few assign such high priority to freedom of expression. Few are expected to. Because no other kind of institution combines the discovery and dissemination of basic knowledge with teaching, none confronts quite the same problems as a university.

For if a university is a place for knowledge, it is also a special kind of small society. Yet it is not primarily a fellowship, a club, a circle of friends, a replica of the civil society outside it. Without sacrificing its central purpose, it cannot make its primary and dominant value the fostering of friendship, solidarity, harmony, civility, or mutual respect. To be sure, these are important values; other institutions may properly assign them the highest, and not merely a subordinate, priority; and a good university will seek and may in some significant measure attain these ends. But it will never let these values, important as they are, override its central purpose. We value freedom of expression precisely because it provides a forum for the new, the provocative, the disturbing, and the unorthodox. Free speech is a barrier to the tyranny of authoritarian or even majority opinion as to the rightness or wrongness of particular doctrines or thoughts.

If the priority assigned to free expression by the nature of a university is to be maintained in practice, clearly the responsibility for maintaining that priority rests with its members. By voluntarily taking up membership in a university and thereby asserting a claim to its rights and privileges, members also acknowledge the existence of certain obligations upon themselves and their fellows. Above all, every member of the university has an obligation to permit free expression in the university. No member has a right to prevent such expression. Every official of the university, moreover, has a special obligation to foster free expression and to ensure that it is not obstructed.

The strength of these obligations, and the willingness to respect and comply with them, probably depend less on the expectation of punishment for violation than they do on the presence of a widely shared belief in the primacy of free expression. Nonetheless, we believe that the positive obligation to protect and respect free expression shared by all members of the university should be enforced by appropriate formal sanctions, because obstruction of such expression threatens the central function of the university. We further believe that such sanctions should be made explicit, so that potential violators will be aware of the consequences of their intended acts.

In addition to the university’s primary obligation to protect free expression there are also ethical responsibilities assumed by each member of the university community, along with the right to enjoy free expression. Though these are much more difficult to state clearly, they are of great importance. If freedom of expression is to serve its purpose and thus the purpose of the university, it should seek to enhance understanding. Shock, hurt, and anger are not consequences to be weighed lightly. No member of the community with a decent respect for others should use, or encourage others to use, slurs and epithets intended to discredit another’s race, ethnic group, religion, or sex. It may sometimes be necessary in a university for civility and mutual respect to be superseded by the need to guarantee free expression. The values superseded are nevertheless important, and every member of the university community should consider them in exercising the fundamental right to free expression.

We have considered the opposing argument that behavior which violates these social and ethical considerations should be made subject to formal sanctions, and the argument that such behavior entitles others to prevent speech they might regard as offensive. Our conviction that the central purpose of the university is to foster the free access of knowledge compels us to reject both of these arguments. They assert a right to prevent free expression. They rest upon the assumption that speech can be suppressed by anyone who deems it false or offensive. They deny what Justice Holmes termed “freedom for the thought that we hate.” They make the majority, or any willful minority, the arbiters of truth for all. If expression may be prevented, censored, or punished, because of its content or because of the motives attributed to those who promote it, then it is no longer free. It will be subordinated to other values that we believe to be of lower priority in a university.

The conclusions we draw, then, are these: even when some members of the university community fail to meet their social and ethical responsibilities, the paramount obligation of the university is to protect their right to free expression. This obligation can and should be enforced by appropriate formal sanctions.

If the university’s overriding commitment to free expression is to be sustained, secondary social and ethical responsibilities must be left to the informal processes of suasion, example, and argument.

For the full report, see https://studentlife.yale.edu/guidance-regarding-free-expression-and-peaceable-assembly-students-yale.

Firearms and Weapons

No illegal weapons, toxic substances, or illegal substances are allowed on Jackson School property or at school events.

Leaves of Absence

Students are expected to complete the M.P.P. program in two consecutive academic years and the M.A.S. program in one academic year. Students who wish or need to interrupt their study temporarily may request a leave of absence. There are three types of leave—personal, medical, and parental—all of which are described below. Request for a leave of absence for the purpose of employment (e.g., to continue a summer internship full-time during the following year) is discouraged.

All leaves of absence must be approved by the assistant dean for graduate education. Students who wish to take a leave of absence must petition in writing no later than the last day of classes in the term in question. Medical leaves also require the recommendation of a physician, as detailed below.

The normal duration of a leave of absence is either one term or one year; with the approval of the assistant dean for graduate education, extension of a leave may be approved for one additional term or year. A student who has been on leave for a total of four terms or two years must return to resume their degree program in the subsequent term or be dismissed from that program. Students who are dismissed from a degree program for failure to return after exhausting the maximum leave time must reapply to that program should they wish to return to complete their degree at a later date.

International students who apply for a leave of absence must consult with OISS concerning their visa status.

Students on leave of absence are not eligible for financial aid, including loans. Students who have received loans or other financial aid must notify the financial aid office about the leave of absence, as loans are only available to enrolled students. They should also consult the University Student Loan Office (246 Church Street) so that they have a full understanding of the grace period and repayment provisions for federal loans. In most cases, students must begin repaying loans during a leave of absence. Upon re-enrolling, students will be eligible to defer loan repayment until they graduate or leave school.

Students on leave of absence are not eligible for the use of any University facilities normally available to enrolled students.

Students on leave of absence may continue to be enrolled in Yale Health by purchasing coverage through the Student Affiliate Coverage plan. In order to secure continuous coverage from Yale Health, enrollment in this plan must be requested prior to the beginning of the term in which the student will be on leave or, if the leave commences during the term, within thirty days of the date the registrar was informed of the leave. Coverage is not automatic; enrollment forms are available from the Member Services department of Yale Health, 203.432.0246.

Students on leave of absence do not have to file a formal application for readmission, except under the conditions stated above. However, they must notify the Jackson School registrar in writing of their intention to return. Such notification should be given at least six weeks prior to the end of the approved leave.

Students who fail to register for the term following the end of the approved leave will be considered to have withdrawn from the program thus it is essential that students complete the required LOA/Withdrawal form to ensure their change of status has been formally processed.

Personal Leave of Absence

A student who wishes or needs to interrupt study temporarily because of personal exigencies may request a personal leave of absence. The general policies governing leaves of absence are described above. A student who is current with degree requirements is eligible for a personal leave after satisfactory completion of at least one term of study. Personal leaves cannot be granted retroactively and normally will not be approved after the tenth day of a term.

To request a personal leave of absence, the student must request a leave by submitting an online form, available on the Jackson School website, before the beginning of the term for which the leave is requested, explaining the reasons for the proposed leave and stating both the proposed start and end dates of the leave and the address where the student can be reached during the period of the leave. If the assistant dean for graduate education and assistant dean for student affairs find the student to be eligible, the leave will be granted. In any case, the student will be informed in writing of the action taken. Students who do not apply for a leave of absence, or who apply for a leave but are not granted one, and who do not register for any term, will be considered to have withdrawn from the program.

Medical Leave of Absence

A student who must interrupt study temporarily because of illness or injury may be granted a medical leave of absence with the approval of the assistant dean for graduate education and assistant dean for student affairs and on the written recommendation of a physician on the staff of Yale Health. The general policies governing all leaves of absence are described above. A student who is making satisfactory progress toward degree requirements is eligible for a medical leave any time after matriculation. Forms for requesting a medical leave of absence are available on the Jackson School of Global Affairs website. Final decisions concerning requests for medical leaves will be communicated to students in writing.

The Jackson School of Global Affairs reserves the right to place a student on a mandatory medical leave of absence when, on recommendation of the director of Yale Health or the chief of the Mental Health and Counseling department, the dean of the School determines that, because of a medical condition, the student is a danger to self or others, the student has seriously disrupted others in the student’s residential or academic communities, or the student has refused to cooperate with efforts deemed necessary by Yale Health and the dean to make such determinations. Each case will be assessed individually based on all relevant factors, including, but not limited to, the level of risk presented and the availability of reasonable modifications. Reasonable modifications do not include fundamental alterations to the student’s academic, residential, or other relevant communities or programs; in addition, reasonable modifications do not include those that unduly burden University resources.

An appeal of such a leave must be made in writing to the dean of the Jackson School no later than seven days from the effective date of the leave.

An incident that gives rise to voluntary or mandatory leave of absence may also result in subsequent disciplinary action.

Students who are placed on a medical leave during any term will have their tuition adjusted according to the same schedule used for withdrawals (please see Tuition Rebate and Refund Policy in the chapter Tuition and Fees). Before re-registering, a student on medical leave must secure written permission to return from a Yale Health physician.

Leave of Absence for Parental Responsibilities

A student who wishes or needs to interrupt study temporarily for reasons of pregnancy or child care may be granted a leave of absence for parental responsibilities. Any student planning to have, adopt, or care for a child is encouraged to meet with the assistant dean for graduate education or assistant dean for student affairs to discuss a leave of absence and other possibilities such as short-term arrangements not requiring a leave. For many students, short-term arrangements rather than a leave of absence are possible. The general policies governing all leaves of absence are described above. A student who is making satisfactory progress toward degree requirements is eligible for a parental leave of absence any time after matriculation.

Students living in University housing units are encouraged to review their housing contract and the related policies of Yale Housing before applying to the School for a parental leave of absence. Students granted parental leave may continue to reside in University housing to the end of the academic term for which the leave was first granted, but no longer.

Students who wish to suspend their academic responsibilities because of the birth or adoption of a child should meet with the administrative director, who will help accommodate the students’ program responsibilities when the birth or adoption occurs.

Withdrawal and Readmission

Students who wish to withdraw from their program should confer with the assistant dean for graduate education regarding withdrawal. They will determine the effective date of the withdrawal. The University identification card must be submitted with the approved withdrawal form for withdrawal in good standing to be recorded.

Students who do not register for any fall or spring term, and for whom a leave of absence has not been approved, are considered to have withdrawn from the School.

Students who discontinue their program of study during the academic year without submitting an approved withdrawal form and the University identification card will be liable for the tuition charge. Health service policies related to withdrawal and readmission are described under Health Services: Eligibility Changes.

A student who has voluntarily withdrawn from in good standing and who wishes to restart study at a later date must apply for readmission. Neither readmission nor financial aid is guaranteed to students who withdraw.

U.S. Military Leave Readmissions Policy

Students who wish or need to interrupt their studies to perform U.S. military service are subject to a separate U.S. military leave readmissions policy. In the event a student withdraws or takes a leave of absence from The Jackson School of Global Affairs to serve in the U.S. military, the student will be entitled to guaranteed readmission under the following conditions:

The student must have served in the U.S. Armed Forces for a period of more than thirty consecutive days;
The student must give advance written or oral notice of such service to the assistant dean for graduate education. In providing the advance notice the student does not need to indicate an intent to return. This advance notice need not come directly from the student, but rather, can be made by an appropriate officer of the U.S. Armed Forces or official of the U.S. Department of Defense. Notice is not required if precluded by military necessity. In all cases, this notice requirement can be fulfilled at the time the student seeks readmission, by submitting an attestation that the student performed the service.
The student must not be away from the Jackson School of Global Affairs to perform U.S. military service for a period exceeding five years (this includes all previous absences to perform U.S. military service but does not include any initial period of obligated service). If a student’s time away from the School to perform U.S. military service exceeds five years because the student is unable to obtain release orders through no fault of the student or the student was ordered to or retained on active duty, the student should contact the administrative director to determine if the student remains eligible for guaranteed readmission.
The student must notify the Jackson School of Global Affairs within three years of the end of the U.S. military service of the intention to return. However, a student who is hospitalized or recovering from an illness or injury incurred in or aggravated during the U.S. military service has up until two years after recovering from the illness or injury to notify the School of the intent to return.
The student cannot have received a dishonorable or bad conduct discharge or have been sentenced in a court-martial.

A student who meets all of these conditions will be readmitted for the next term, unless the student requests a later date of readmission. Any student who fails to meet one of these requirements may still be readmitted under the general readmission policy but is not guaranteed readmission.

Upon returning to the Jackson School of Global Affairs, the student will resume education without repeating completed course work for courses interrupted by U.S. military service. The student will have the same enrolled status last held and with the same academic standing. For the first academic year in which the student returns, the student will be charged the tuition and fees that would have been assessed for the academic year in which the student left the institution. The Jackson School of Global Affairs may charge up to the amount of tuition and fees other students are assessed, however, if veteran’s education benefits will cover the difference between the amounts currently charged other students and the amount charged for the academic year in which the student left.

In the case of a student who is not prepared to resume studies with the same academic status at the same point at which the student left or who will not be able to complete the program of study, the Jackson School of Global Affairs will undertake reasonable efforts to help the student become prepared. If after reasonable efforts, the School determines that the student remains unprepared or will be unable to complete the program or after the School determines that there are no reasonable efforts it can take, the School may deny the student readmission.

University and School Names and Logos

The Yale University and Jackson School of Global Affairs names, logotypes, and seals (in all formats) are protected by copyright law. Faculty, students, and staff representing the Jackson School must use the School’s established graphic standards. Any use of the name or logotype in the title or caption of a publication or organization, any use of the above-mentioned on stationery or business cards, or their use on any item or product to be distributed or sold by an individual or an organization must be approved by the Jackson School Office of Communications and is subject to the requirements and restrictions of the Yale Trademark Licensing Program. For further information contact Jackson’s Office of Communications.

Policy on Use of Photos and Videos and Audio Recordings

Photographs may be taken, and video or audiotapes made by Jackson School staff or other authorized members of the Jackson School or University community during Jackson School and Yale University events and activities (including during alumni events). By attending or participating in classes and in other Jackson School and University activities, those in attendance agree to the University’s use and distribution of their image and/or voice in photographs, audio, and video capture, or in electronic reproductions of such classes and activities. These images, recordings, or excerpts may be included, for example, in Jackson School and Yale University websites, publications, and online courses, and otherwise used to support the University’s mission, subject to University policies and procedures.