Academic Program Standing

Students must meet the requirements for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to continue enrollment and eligibility for financial aid. Some academic majors/programs have additional requirements and a higher SAP threshold than the institutional standard for academic progress due to professional accreditation. These programs and divisions regularly meet to assess student progress and academic standing using their program or division’s policies.

If a student is not meeting program or divisional degree requirements, the Division Chair and/or faculty of the division may take any of the following actions: issue an academic warning, place the student on divisional probation, or dismiss the student from the program.   Students who have been dismissed but are appealing their program dismissal should not attend class unless advised to do so by their Division Chair or the Provost’s Office.

As a program dismissal is not a dismissal from the College, students dismissed from their academic program may choose to seek a program change or withdraw from the College.  This decision must be made and related action must be taken prior to the following add/drop period of the next required term, otherwise the student will be administratively withdrawn from the College.

Program Dismissal Appeal Process

Within ten (10) business days following receipt of the notification of dismissal, a student may appeal the decision by writing to the appropriate Division Chair or designee. Students must provide evidence to support their appeal and must include plans for academic improvement. The letter of appeal must contain the following elements:

• Those internal and external factors that contributed to the student's inability to meet the program's conditions for remaining in good standing.
• The specific action(s) the student will take to prevent a recurrence of the difficulties that led to the program faculty's decision.

The student will receive a written decision from the Division Chair generally within fifteen (15) business days of the submission of the appeal. If the appeal decision from the Division Chair does not resolve the issue, the student may appeal again to the Provost or designee. The matter will be reviewed by the Provost or designee until a decision is rendered. The appeal decision from the Provost is considered final. If the appeal is not granted, the student will be dismissed from the program.

If an appeal is granted, the student will remain actively enrolled. Students who have been granted an appeal may be given an academic performance contract for the next semester. Failure to agree to the terms of the academic contract will lead to immediate dismissal from the program. Any changes to the academic performance contract must be pre-approved by the Division Chair or designee. If the student does not fulfill the contract, the division's faculty may vote to immediately dismiss the student from the program.