Year in Review

The Academic Standing Committee reviewed 95 petitions for Exception to Reinstatement Regulations between June 23, 1999 and June 30, 2000. Fourteen (14) of these petitions were denied; 81 were approved. Two denied petitions were approved on appeal to the Director of Undergraduate Academic Programs.

Criteria Used

The Committee on Academic Standing considers requests for exceptions to the Reinstatement Rules only in those situations in which all four of the following conditions are met:

a) The poor academic performance was the result of extraordinary circumstances that have been demonstrably corrected or substantially addressed, and should no longer adversely influence the student's academic performance. Documentation of these circumstances should be provided.

b) The Head Advisor of the student's college, or the student's academic advisor, in consultation with the Head Advisor, is willing and able to argue convincingly that the student has a strong probability of completing the degree program to which the student would be reinstated.

c) In addition to the poor academic performance, there is also evidence in the academic record of an ability to make timely progress toward completion of a degree program.

d) The student provides a proposed schedule and a detail to foster academic improvement, which have been reviewed and endorsed by the Head Advisor.

Procedures Followed

The student (and advisor) come before the committee to explain the extraordinary circumstances that have resulted in their suspension. The committee interviews the student (& advisor) to determine eligibility for exceptions and likelihood of success. In recent years we have also come to advise students on strategies for success.

Other Business

This year the committee developed a recommendation form for students who appear before the committee. It provides a checklist of possible recommendations including: limiting the number of credit hours per term; taking background prerequisite work; repeating courses to improve GPA; visiting an advisor regularly; formulating and following time management schedules: requesting tutorial assistance; taking classes offered by ALS and UCPS; and using other services available on campus. If a student is subsequently suspended after reinstatement, we will be able to assess whether recommendations were followed.

The chair of the committee attended an Academic Advising Council meeting in the Spring and will again in the fall. In addition, the chair is part of an Academic Success Workgroup looking to design a process for earlier intervention for students on Academic Warning and Academic Probation. Successful intervention before suspension should reduce the numbers of students suspended and appearing before the committee.

Respectfully Submitted,

Nancy J. Wendt, Chair, Academic Standing Committee