The graduate student body government approved a resolution on Wednesday, calling on university administrators to reverse changes to the recently revised leave of absence policy for graduate students.
Before fall 2012, UCLA’s leave of absence policy allowed graduate students to take time off for writing dissertations and theses as well as family, medical or employment reasons.
Alterations to the policy in fall 2012 cut the number of quarters a graduate student could remain on leave from six to three quarters. Changes also eliminated dissertation, thesis and exam preparation from the list of reasons valid for applying for a leave of absence.
Administrators have said UCLA adopted the changes partially to encourage continuous enrollment, as sometimes it can take graduate students longer to finish their program if they take a leave of absence.
The GSA resolution, which was drafted by a subcommittee of the Graduate Students Association and was approved by a 16-2 vote, addresses the change that limited the reasons that justify a leave of absence and the shortening of the total time allowed for a leave of absence. The resolution asks administrators to immediately reinstate the six quarters of leave provided to students and to collaborate with graduate students to create a policy that advances graduate student interests.
GSA said in the statement that the policy changes degrade the graduate student quality of life and burden graduate students with unnecessary financial hardship.
“I think this is an important enough issue that it is necessary to put it to the entire graduate student body,” said Nicole Robinson, GSA vice president of academic affairs.
The two graduate student representatives who voted against the GSA resolution were from the UCLA Anderson School of Management.
“We put our trust in the university administration to set this policy and we don’t think GSA should be intervening in this decision,” said Patrick Smith, vice president of financial development for the Anderson Student Association who voted against the resolution.
GSA plans to bring the resolution to the UCLA Graduate Division for further discussion. Members plan to continue considering the placement of an advisory referendum on the spring GSA ballot, Robinson said.
The revision of the leave of absence policy resulted from the UC-wide in absentia policy implemented in 2009, which conflicted with UCLA’s leave of absence policy.
GSA chose to only address the changes to the leave of absence policy because the in absentia policy changes are UC-wide and would require all UCs to protest the changes, Robinson said.
“The leave of absence policy is still relatively in UCLA’s control to hash out,” she said.
Compiled by Amanda Schallert, Bruin contributor, and Stephen Stewart, Bruin senior staff.