The Culinary Institute of America may require a student to complete an assessment, educational intervention, or other appropriate requirement when the student exhibits conduct or behavior that raises significant concerns regarding the student’s safety, the safety of others, or the student’s ability to meet the academic, professional, behavioral, or community expectations of the College. Any assessment required under this provision must be completed by an appropriately qualified professional identified or approved by the College.
When a student has separated from the CIA and the circumstances leading to the separation raise individualized concerns regarding the student’s ability to safely and effectively resume participation in the College’s academic, residential, or community environment, the College may require the student to complete the Readiness to Return process before re-enrollment.
The Readiness to Return process may require the student to submit a petition for return, a personal reflection, a Readiness to Return—Health Provider Assessment Form completed by a qualified licensed healthcare or mental health professional with direct knowledge of the student, an authorization permitting limited communication with the provider, and any other information reasonably necessary to evaluate the student’s readiness to return.
The purpose of the process is not to obtain comprehensive clinical records or to make decisions based solely on a diagnosis. The College will conduct an individualized assessment based on current and reasonably available information concerning the student’s functional readiness, including, as applicable:
- current stability and risk to self or others;
- insight into and accountability for the circumstances leading to separation;
- engagement with assessment, treatment, education, or other appropriate support;
- evidence of behavioral change or readiness for change;
- ability to meet the academic, professional, behavioral, residential, and community expectations of the CIA, with or without reasonable accommodations or modifications; and
- the feasibility of the student’s plan for continued care, support, and successful participation after returning.
Following its review, the College may approve the student’s return, approve the return with individualized conditions, request limited additional information reasonably necessary to complete the review, or determine that the student is not ready to return at that time. Conditions of return will be related to the circumstances that led to separation and may include participation in appropriate support, educational interventions, case-management meetings, or other measures reasonably designed to support the student’s return and the effective operation of the College’s programs.
Readiness to Return decisions will be made on an individualized basis and will not be based on stereotypes, generalizations, or the mere existence of a medical or mental health condition. Students may request reasonable accommodations or modifications through the College’s established accessibility process.