Academic Probation and Dismissal

A 2.00 minimum cumulative grade average for undergraduates and graduates and a 3.00 minimum cumulative grade average for master’s degree candidates is required to maintain “good academic standing.”  The Academic Standards Committee reviews the record of each student not meeting the minimum standards.  Non-matriculated students are subject to the same policies.

Academic Warning
A student whose cumulative grade average is 2.00 or higher but whose term average is below 2.00 by one or more quality points receives an academic warning letter.  Academic warning is not a part of the student’s permanent academic record.

(Note: “quality points” are the grade points earned by each grade.  For example, a “C” grade produces 2 quality points, a “B+” grade produces 3.33 quality points, and an “F” grade produces zero quality points.  A listing of the number of quality points earned by each grade is contained in the section of this Academic Handbook entitled “Grade Information and Policy.”  A student taking four graded classes worth one unit each needs a total of eight (8) quality points in order to have a 2.00 GPA for that term.

Example: Consider a hypothetical student who finishes three semesters with a cumulative GPA of 2.33.  Because the cumulative GPA is above 2.00, the student is technically in good academic standing.  But this third semester the student earns three “C” grades and one “D” grade,  yielding seven quality points (2.00 + 2.00 + 2.00 + 1.00) = 7).  The student’s term GPA is equal to the seven quality points divided by four graded units = 1.75.  Because the student needed to earn eight quality points in order to have a 2.00 term GPA, the student’s GPA is deficient by one quality point.  The student receives a warning letter.)

When placed on academic warning, a student is expected to develop a plan for academic improvement with a counselor from the Academic Advising Office or with the student’s academic advisor.  Compliance with this plan will be considered by the Academic Standards Committee in deciding whether to continue a student who is placed on academic warning for a second term (and is therefore eligible for suspension).

Academic Suspension
A student subject to academic warning for two consecutive terms receives an academic suspension for the next term.  Suspension is imposed whether or not the second term results place the student on academic probation; in such a case, both suspension and policy provisions outlined under “Academic Probation” are applied.  A student may petition for removal of the suspension and continue the next term or reinstatement is granted at the end of that term if a reasonable plan for academic improvement is presented to the Academic Standards Committee.  The petition for reinstatement must include an Academic Performance Agreement that has been completed with an academic advisor, or the Office of Academic Advising (Howarth 114).  Academic suspension does not become a part of the student’s permanent record (transcript).

(Example: Let’s say that our hypothetical student above who received an academic warning letter last semester now has a cumulative GPA of 2.16, so that the student is still technically in good academic standing.  But this semester the student earned these grades: “B,” “C,” “C-,” and “F.”  The student has earned 6.67 more quality points (3.00 + 2.00 + 1.67 + 0.00) = 6.67).  The student’s term GPA is equal to the 6.67 quality points divided by four graded units = 1.67.  Because the student needed to earn eight quality points in order to have a 2.00 term GPA, the student’s GPA is deficient by 1.33 quality points (8.00 - 6.67).  Because the student’s term GPA is below 2.00 by one or more quality points for a second consecutive semester, the student is academically suspended for one semester.)

Academic Probation
A student whose cumulative grade average is below 2.00 for the first term by any number of quality points is placed on academic probation. A student whose cumulative grade average is below 2.00 by less than one quality point in subsequent consecutive terms remains on academic probation.

(Example:  Consider a new hypothetical student who begins the sophomore year in good standing with a GPA of 2.13, being the grade average obtained by dividing 17.01 quality points by the eight graded units the student took the freshman year.  The 17.01 quality points come from these grades the student earned the freshman year:

Grade	Quality Points
B	3.00
B-	2.67
C+	2.33
C	2.00
C	2.00
C-	1.67
C-	1.67
C-	1.67
Total	17.01

The student’s GPA = 17.01 divided by eight graded units = 2.13

This semester, the first semester of the sophomore year, the student earns four more grades: C, C-, D, and F.  These four grades yield another 4.67 quality points (2.00 + 1.67 + 1.00 + 0.00).  The student now has a total of 17.01 + 4.67 =  21.68 quality points.  The cumulative grade average is computed by dividing 21.68 by the twelve graded units the student has taken (21.68 divided by 12 = 1.81).  Because the student’s cumulative grade average is below 2.00, the student goes on academic probation.)

When placed on academic probation, a student is expected to develop a plan for academic improvement with a counselor from the Academic Advising Office or with the student’s academic advisor.  Compliance with this plan will be considered by the Academic Standards Committee in deciding whether to continue the student who remains on probation for a second term.

Academic Dismissal
A student whose cumulative grade average remains below 2.00 by one or more quality points the second consecutive term is dismissed from the university.

1. If the quality point deficiency is from 1.00 to 2.99, the student is dismissed for one term.  The student may petition for immediate readmission.  Readmission will be granted at the end of the term away if a petition containing a reasonable plan for academic improvement is presented to the Academic Standards Committee. The petition for readmission must include an Academic Performance Agreement which has been completed with an academic advisor, or the Office of Academic Advising (Howarth 114).
   
2. If the quality point deficiency is 3.00 or more, the student is dismissed for one year (two regular terms).  The student may petition for readmission after one term away.  Readmission will be granted at the end of the year away if a petition containing a reasonable plan for academic improvement is presented to the Academic Standards Committee.  The petition for readmission must include an Academic Performance Agreement which has been completed with an academic advisor, or the Office of Academic Advising (Howarth 114).

(Example:  Assume that the hypothetical student above who went on academic probation with a cumulative grade average of 1.81 earns the following four grades during the second semester of the sophomore year: “C,” “C-,” “D,” and “D.”  The student earned an additional 5.67 quality points (2.00 + 1.67 + 1.00 + 1.00).  The student has a total of 21.68 + 5.67 = 27.35 quality points.  Dividing the 27.35 quality points by the sixteen graded units the student has taken the freshman and sophomore years yields a cumulative grade average of  1.71.  The student’s cumulative grade average is below 2.00 for a second consecutive semester and the student is academically dismissed.  Whether the student is dismissed for one semester or one year depends on how many quality points the student’s cumulative grade average is deficient.  In order to have a 2.00 grade average a student with sixteen graded units would need 32.00 quality points (16 x 2.00 = 32.00).  But our student has only 27.35 quality points.  The student’s grade average is therefore deficient by 4.65 quality points (32.00 - 27.35), and the student is dismissed for one year.   Quality points are a better indicator of the seriousness of academic trouble than the GPA.  Deficient quality points can be made up in one of two ways: (1) by earning new grades higher than “C,” and (2) by repeating courses in which low grades were previously earned.)

Academic Expulsion
A student may be dismissed and precluded from returning to the university ever again.  Expulsion may result from action taken by a Hearing Board or the Academic Standards Committee.  Expulsion could occur, for example, in a severe case of academic dishonesty.