The Graduate School approves temporary suspension of admissions for graduate degree programs, graduate certificates, and graduate degree options that offer direct admissions.
[Process details are available at Guidelines for Suspending Admissions.]
1.9.1 Purpose
Suspension of admissions must be used to address program needs.
Suspension of admissions must not be used as a substitute for formal program termination. Any consideration of permanent program or option termination must adhere to the Guidelines for Terminating a Graduate Program or Program Option.
Programs offering regular admission at intervals longer than a year (i.e., every other year or longer) do not need to suspend admissions for non-admission years.
1.9.2 Duration
Admissions may be suspended for one or two academic years.
1.9.3 Authorization of Suspension of Admissions
In most cases, suspension of admissions is initiated when the graduate faculty of the academic unit offering the graduate program votes to suspend admissions to a graduate program or program option. After a vote of the faculty, the unit must communicate outcomes with the college/school dean or EVCAA and must follow any authorization process required by the college/school or campus, prior to submitting a request to Graduate School.
In exceptional cases, the dean or EVCAA of the school, college, or campus where a program is located may petition the Dean of the Graduate School to authorize suspension of admissions to a graduate program or program option without a faculty vote. The Dean of the Graduate School will consider this request in consultation with the Graduate School Council.
1.9.4 Student Support
Any suspension of admissions must be designed to fully accommodate the curriculum, advising, and support for currently enrolled and admitted students and include communication and fee reimbursement plan for any students who have been granted deferred admission.
Suspension of admissions requests for graduate certificates and stacked degree programs must also include a communication plan that is inclusive of all non-graduated students enrolled in the program (regardless of current enrollment status) within the previous six years.
If approved, the graduate program is responsible for placing a notice of suspended admissions on its website and in any other program materials.
1.9.5 Process Timeline Requirements
A suspension of admissions request should be initiated far enough in advance for the Graduate School and other administrative units to act early in the application cycle (approximately 6-8 weeks before the application opening date).
If applications to a program have been received, admissions to that program will not be suspended for that admissions cycle.
1.9.6 Resolution of Suspension
The program must notify the Graduate School of its intent to reopen admissions and describe changes that have been implemented to allow for sustained delivery of a quality graduate program. This notification must arrive two months before the application is set to be opened.
If after requesting a one-year suspension, the program is not prepared to resume admissions, it may request a second year of suspension following the same rules described in the sections above.
If the program is not prepared to resume admissions after two years of suspension, it must consult with the Graduate School to determine whether to extend the suspension with a reevaluation plan or to initiate program termination through an RCEP.
Policy 1.9 created: May 2022
revised: April 2026