Standards of Academic Progress

Standards of Academic Progress

Students are required to achieve a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average each semester, which becomes progressively higher according to the number of total credit hours attempted.

Total
Hours Attempted

Probation (1)
Cumulative GPA Below

Suspension (2)
Cumulative GPA Below

1 – 18 1.75 1.00 or below
18.5 – 30 1.75 1.50
30.5 – 39.5 1.90 1.75
40 – 59.5 2.00 1.90
60 +   2.00
  1. Students on probation will be required to participate in the Academic Recovery Program and to develop an academic plan with assistance of a designated advocate. The plan may include services from, but not limited to, the Academic Success Center, Student Counseling Center and/or Center for Accommodative Services, and may also stipulate other restrictions.
  2. Students may formally appeal an academic suspension in writing to the Academic Standards Committee for re-admission in the subsequent semester/session. See Appeals below.

Probation
Students who achieve a cumulative grade point average that places them in the probation category (see table above) will be required to adhere to the conditions set by the Academic Standards Committee for continued enrollment and to the conditions set by the student’s Academic Recovery Program Contract and Plan, including the Advocate Agreement. While formal checkpoints for reviewing a student’s progress are included in his/her notification letter of the conditions for continued enrollment from the Academic Standards Committee, students not adhering to the requirements may be suspended at any time.

Student athletes on Probation may retain their membership on an intercollegiate or club team and will be eligible to practice with the team but will be ineligible to travel or compete as a representative of the college. This prohibition will continue until the first day of classes of the semester the student is no longer on Probation.

Students re-instated from Suspension will be subject to the conditions established for their Probation by the Academic Standards Committee.

Continued Probation
Students on probation whose cumulative grade point average places them in the probation category for the second consecutive semester/session will be suspended from the College unless they achieve a semester grade point average which is at or above the standard of academic progress for their total hours attempted (see chart below). In this case, the student will be granted one semester in continued probation status. Students whose cumulative grade point average at the end of the continued probation semester is still below the standard of academic progress will be suspended.

Total
Hours Attempted

Continued Probation*
Semester GPA at or above
1 – 30 1.75
30.5 – 39.5 1.90
40 – 59.5 2.00
60+ 2.00
*granted for one semester only

Suspension
Suspension Students placing below the suspension minimum grade point average (see table above) will be suspended from the College.

Students with 1-18 credit hours attempted and a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 1.0 or below will be automatically suspended.

All students under suspension may appeal their suspended status.

Appeals
A student wishing to appeal his/her suspension must submit a letter to the Academic Standards Committee. The letter should detail the specific reasons and/or circumstances that warrant the appeal (a statement simply requesting reinstatement is insufficient). Letters and documents supporting the student’s appeal are welcome.

The Academic Standards Committee reviews the entire record and has the authority to approve the appeal, to approve the appeal with conditions, to deny the appeal and/or to impose conditions for re-admission. Reinstatement conditions set by the Academic Standards Committee may include target grade point averages, or other conditions that otherwise supersede general guidelines for academic standards. While formal checkpoints for reviewing a student’s progress are included in his/her notification letter of the conditions for continued enrollment from the Academic Standards Committee, students not adhering to the requirements may be suspended at any time.

Standards of Progress for Veterans
Paul Smith’s College cooperates with the Department of Veterans Affairs to report unsatisfactory progress of students receiving VA benefits. The Department of Veterans Affairs is notified when students withdraw from school or drop to less than full-time status, when veteran students are not making satisfactory progress, or when those students are suspended or dismissed.

Degrees & Certificates
Course Descriptions