ROWAN UNIVERSITY POLICY

Title: Undergraduate Academic Standing
Subject: Academic Affairs 
Policy No: AA: 2017: 02
Applies: University-Wide 
Issuing Authority: Sr. Vice President and Provost
Responsible Officer: Deans and Vice President for Enrollment & Student Success
Adopted: 
Last Revision:  05/25/2021
Last Reviewed:  05/25/2021

I.    PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to outline the standards for academic standing which apply to all matriculated undergraduate students.

II.   ACCOUNTABILITY 

Under direction of the Provost, the Vice President for Student Affairs and all Deans and Department Chairs shall implement this policy and all faculty shall ensure compliance with the policy.

III.   APPLICABILITY

 This policy applies to all matriculated undergraduate students of Rowan University.

IV.  POLICY

1. Rowan University has established standards for academic standing which apply to all matriculated undergraduate students as follows: Students who have attempted 12 or more semester hour credits and have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 are considered to be in good academic standing.
2. Academic Warning (for cumulative GPA falling below 2.0 after a fall semester)
   1. At the end of each fall semester, matriculated undergraduate students who are not already on academic probation, who have attempted 12 credits or more, and who have a cumulative GPA below 2.0 are placed on academic warning for the following spring semester.  Those who have not attained a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 by the end of the spring semester will be placed on academic probation. Those who achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher after the spring semester will return to good academic standing.
   2. Students on academic warning will be enrolled in a zero-credit course in Canvas for the spring semester supporting academic remediation. Details of the academic remediation program can be found on the Student Success website.
   3. The Vice President for Student Affairs or designee will notify students when they are placed on academic warning. Such notices will include the requirement for the academic remediation activities as described above. The Registrar's Office will note the academic warning status on the student's academic record.
   4. Students will meet with their academic advisors each semester to develop appropriate plans for achieving satisfactory academic performance.
3. Academic Probation (for cumulative GPA falling below 2.0 after a spring semester)
   1. At the end of each spring semester, matriculated undergraduate students who have attempted 12 credits or more and have a cumulative GPA below 2.0 are placed on academic probation. This probationary period begins with the fall semester. Students have one academic year in which to achieve a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0. Those who have not attained a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 by this time will be dismissed from the university.
   2. In addition, students on academic probation will be enrolled in a zero-credit course in Canvas supporting academic remediation for the fall semester. Details of the academic remediation program can be found on the Student Success website.
      1. Full-time students must attempt 12 or more credits each semester of probation.  An attempted credit is defined as credit for any courses in which a student receives a grade of A, B, C, D, F, P, S, W, WP, or WF, or IN.
      2. Students will be considered on probation until they attain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 or move to Academic Dismissal status the following spring.
      3. Summer courses may be taken to help students reach the 2.0 cumulative GPA.
   3. College Deans will notify students when they are placed on academic probation. Such notices will include a requirement that students consult an academic advisor in their college early in the first probationary semester and in no event later than the end of that semester. The Registrar's Office will notify the colleges of students who are placed on academic probation and will note the academic probationary status on the student's academic record.
   4. Students will meet with their academic advisors each semester to develop appropriate plans for achieving satisfactory academic performance.
4. Academic Dismissal
   1. Academic dismissal takes place under the following circumstances:
      1. Undergraduate students who have attempted at least 12 credits and have been on probation for the academic year (fall/spring) will be dismissed from the University.  Their dismissal is in effect as of the upcoming fall semester.
   2. The Registrar's Office will notify the appropriate University officers when students are academically dismissed and will note the dismissal on the student's academic record.
   3. The College Deans will notify students in writing when they are dismissed.  The notices will include a statement that registration for the next semester will be canceled.
   4. Students so dismissed cannot register in either academic year or summer terms, as full- or part- time students, nor as non-matriculated students.
   5. Students who have been academically dismissed from the university may apply for re-enrollment through the Office of Academic Transition and Support Programs after one academic year following dismissal.
5. Academic Standing Appeal Process
   1. The Office of the Provost serves as the focal point for the academic probation and dismissal.  The Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs is responsible for the implementation of this process.
      1. Written notification of the appeal process and dates will be sent to the student.
      2. Student contacts the Dean's Office in the College of their major to make an appointment with the appeal committee.
      3. Student completes and returns the Request an Appeal Hearing form with any supported material.
      4. Students who do not appeal and students whose appeal is denied will be dismissed from the University.
   2. Decisions concerning academic dismissal are made independently of decisions governing financial aid awards. Appeals regarding the discontinuance of financial aid must be made to the Director of Financial Aid.
6. Interim addendum for the spring 2021 academic standing computation and process:
   1. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the academic standing process was not conducted following spring 2020. During the terms spring 2020, fall 2020, winter 2020-2021, and spring 2021, undergraduate students had the option to replace letter grades in any undergraduate course with a Pass (P) for letter grades of D- or higher, or No Credit (NC) for letter grades of F. Pass and No Credit grades do not factor into the GPA. Therefore, the use of cumulative GPA alone for computing Academic Standing is insufficient for this cycle.
   2. For the spring 2021 academic standing process, the following process and criteria will be used:
      1. Two GPAs will be computed for each student:
         1. Actual Cumulative GPA: The actual cumulative GPA as shown on the official transcript, which may have been affected by the student’s selection of the Pass or No Credit option for one or more courses
         2. Letter Grade Cumulative GPA: The cumulative GPA that would have resulted from the student’s letter grades if the expanded Pass or No Credit option has not been selected. That is, this GPA is based on the original letter grades as entered by instructors for each course on the student record. For students who did not elect any P/NC grades, Actual and Letter Grade cumulative GPAs would be identical.
      2. Each student will have a Pace value computed. Pace is the proportion of credits earned from among courses that the student completed with a grade of A-F, P, and NC. Pace does not include courses for which the student withdrew.
      3. Academic standing will be determined by the two types of GPA and Pace as follows:
         1. Criteria for Good Standing: Student meets either condition below:
            • Letter Grade Cumulative GPA is 2.0 or higher OR
            • Actual Cumulative GPA is 2.0 or above AND Letter Grade Cumulative GPA is below 2.0 AND Pace is 67% or higher
         2. Criteria for Probation/Dismissal: Student meets either condition below:
            • Actual Cumulative GPA is below 2.0 OR
            • Actual Cumulative GPA is 2.0 or above AND Letter Grade Cumulative GPA is below 2.0 AND Pace is below 67%
         3. Dismissal would occur only if the student was already on probation from spring 2019 and continues to meet criteria in either 2a or 2b.
         4. Review of unique student situations may result in manual adjustment of academic standing to ensure alignment with the intent of the interim criteria.