University Procedure #205
Section 1. Purpose
The purpose of this Procedure is provide for the implementation of Policy 2050 Undergraduate Academic Standing by articulating the process and standards for reviewing the academic standing of undergraduate degree-seeking students consistent with MnSCU Board Policy 2.9 and Board Procedure 2.9.1, which mandate that the university’s academic standing policy must be consistent with its financial aid satisfactory academic progress requirements in certain ways.
Section 2. Authority
This procedure is issued pursuant to the authority granted under the Rules and Regulations of the Minnesota State College and University System.
Section 3. Effective Date
This university procedure becomes effective immediately upon the signature of the Provost and President and remains in effect until modified or expressly revoked. This procedure may be changed without notice to comply with federal and MnSCU mandated changes in policy and procedures. As required by MnSCU Policy 2.9, the first review of student academic standing under this procedure will be conducted at the end of fall semester 2011 (20123).
In order to hold harmless students placed on Academic Probation under previous versions of Policy 2050, students placed on Academic Probation in the past will be reviewed under the Academic Probation standards under this procedure.
Section 4. Responsibility
The responsibility for implementing this procedure is assigned to the Provost. All deans, faculty and professional advisors in the colleges/schools have the responsibility for monitoring academic progress of students in their colleges/schools and for supporting retention efforts for those students. The Registrar and Information Technology staff are responsible for implementing administrative procedures to review students’ academic standing and for maintaining student records and to track and enforce this policy.
Section 5. Terminology
A. Good Academic Standing: A student is in Good Academic Standing when the student’s cumulative Metropolitan State GPA is 2.0 or better and the cumulative completion rate is 67% or better. These standards may change without notice if required by changes in Financial Aid Academic Progress policy.
- The cumulative Metropolitan State GPA: The Metropolitan State GPA is calculated based on courses taught by Metropolitan State and also includes Consortium Agreement courses from other MnSCU schools posted to the Metropolitan State transcript. The GPA is calculated for courses with grades of A-F. Grades of S, NC, W, AU, IP and missing grades (“Z”) are not included in the GPA calculation. Developmental courses completed at Metropolitan State or posted on the Metropolitan State transcript through Consortium Agreements with other MnSCU schools are included in the calculation of GPA. Transfer credits other than Consortium Agreement credits posted to the Metropolitan State transcript are not included in calculation of the cumulative Metropolitan State GPA. This definition may be changed as required to comply with MnSCU Board Policy 2.9 and Board Procedure 2.9.1.
C. Cumulative Completion rate: This rate is computed by dividing the number of credits successfully completed) by the number of credits attempted. The cumulative completion rate is computed as:
Credits Completed (defined in D)
X 100
Credits Attempted (defined in E)
- definition may be changed as required to comply with MnSCU Board Policy 2.9 and Board Procedure 2.9.1.
- Credits successfully completed: For the purposes of calculating the Cumulative Completion rate, courses included will be courses graded A through D and S that were taken at Metropolitan State and courses taken at other MnSCU schools and posted to the Metropolitan State transcript through a Financial Aid Consortium Agreement, plus transfer credits accepted as applicable to the degree program. Metropolitan State courses in which a D was earned that have subsequently been repeated with grade of D or S or higher will be included in credits attempted, but not in credits successfully completed.
- Credits attempted: For the purposes of calculating Cumulative Completion rate, courses included will be courses at Metropolitan State and courses posted to the Metropolitan State transcript through Financial Aid Consortium Agreement with grades of A-F, S, NC, I, W, IP and missing (or “Z”), plus the number of transfer credits accepted as applicable to the degree program.
- Developmental courses: Developmental courses completed at Metropolitan State or posted on the Metropolitan State transcript through Consortium Agreements with other MnSCU schools are included in the calculation of Cumulative Completion rate and in the cumulative Metropolitan State GPA.
- Transfer credits applicable to the degree: Credits accepted in transfer by the University are included as both attempted and completed in calculating the cumulative successful completion rate.
- attempted or completed at previous institutions that are not accepted in transfer and therefore are not included in the “Transfer credits” field in ISRS are not included in calculation of the Cumulative Completion rate, as mandated by MnSCU Procedure 2.9.1 Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress.
- Financial Aid Consortium Courses are courses taken from another host school that are covered by an approved Financial Aid Consortium Agreement and posted to the Metropolitan State transcript.
- Dean’s academic standing representative: A professional academic advisor or faculty member designated by the Dean or Executive Director to act on his or her behalf in making certain corrections or changes in students’ academic standing.
- Academic Standing Committee: This committee is charged by the Provost with overseeing implementation of the Academic Standing Policy and Academic Standing Review Procedure, advising the deans and Provost on issues related to undergraduate student academic standing policy and procedure, and making recommendations to the Deans/Executive Directors regarding Academic Suspension appeals The Academic Standing Committee is chaired by the Vice President for Academic Affairs or a designated representative of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and is made up of the Dean/Executive Director of each college and school or the Dean’s academic standing representative, and a representative of the Dean of Students.
Section 6. Notification of Progress
After the deadline for posting grades at the end of each fall, spring, and summer semester, the university will review the academic standing of each student registered for that semester. As a matter of courtesy, all students whose academic standing has changed as a result of the review will be notified in writing of their status.
Students are responsible for monitoring their academic standing, and assertions of lack of notice or ignorance of the policy or their academic standing will not be grounds for exceptions to the academic standing standards and requirements.
Section 7. Academic Standing Review Process
The following review procedure applies to all undergraduate students admitted to degree-seeking status at Metropolitan State University.
A. Academic Warning
Students previously in good standing who are found, upon review, to have a Cumulative GPA below 2.0 or a Cumulative Completion rate below 67% will be placed on Academic Warning status.
Students placed on Academic Warning will be notified in writing of their status and provided with an explanation of the Academic Standing Policy #2050, the standards they must meet to return to good standing and the action that will be taken if they do not meet the standards for good academic standing at the end of their next semester of registration. The notice will also refer them to sources of academic assistance and inform them of steps they must take to be permitted to register for future courses. These steps must include meeting in an individual appointment with their assigned academic advisor prior to their next registration.
A notice will be placed on the student’s internal academic record, and a hold will prevent registration for succeeding courses without an approved override from the assigned advisor. An advisor may deny approval to a student who does not schedule and keep an advising appointment by five working days prior to the first day of the academic semester.
Students placed on Academic Warning will remain on Academic Warning until they are returned to Good Academic Standing, are subject to Academic Suspension, or are awarded a Metropolitan State University bachelor’s degree.
- Academic Suspension
Students previously on Academic Warning who are found to have a Cumulative GPA below 2.0 or a Cumulative Completion rate less than 67% after their next semester of registration will, upon review, be suspended for academic reasons.
An Academic Suspension hold will be placed on the student’s record to prevent registration or release of financial aid. Suspended students may not register for classes at Metropolitan State and may not register as visiting students at other MnSCU schools without permission of the other MnSCU institution. Notice of the Academic Suspension will also appear on students’ official university transcript. Consistent with MnSCU procedure, this notification will remain on students’ transcript until they are awarded a Metropolitan State bachelor’s degree. Students suspended for academic reasons will be sent written notification of this action; however, suspension is based on the academic record and claimed failure to receive notice does not affect the Academic Suspension or any established deadlines for appealing the Academic Suspension.
The university will cancel the registration and refund any paid tuition and fees for succeeding semesters for students who are suspended and do not successfully appeal the Academic Suspension by the established deadline.
Academic Suspension, unless reversed on appeal, is in effect until the student is reinstated from Academic Suspension and for at least one full academic year (i.e., one full academic year includes the fall, spring, and summer semesters). Reinstatement from Academic Suspension is not automatic.
C. Appeal of Academic Suspension
Suspended students have the right to appeal the Academic Suspension, following procedures and deadlines approved by the Provost. The decision of the Dean of the college housing the student’s primary academic program in denying or approving the appeal will be final.
A student whose Academic Suspension appeal is approved and who meets the standards for Good Academic Standing will be returned to Good Academic Standing. A student whose Academic Suspension appeal is approved, but who does not meet the standards for Good Academic Standing, will be placed on Academic Probation.
D. Academic Probation:
Students who successfully appeal their Academic Suspension and students who are reinstated from Academic Suspension, but do not meet the standards for Good Academic Standing, will be placed on Academic Probation. A hold will be placed on their record to prevent registration until they meet with their assigned academic advisor and complete any other steps approved by the Provost or required by the Dean of their college as a condition for approval of their appeal or request for reinstatement.
Students on Academic Probation who meet the standards for Good Academic Standing at the time of the next review will be returned to Good Academic Standing.
Students on Academic Probation who do not meet the standards for good academic standing at the time of the next review, but who have earned a semester Metropolitan State GPA of 2.25 or better and a semester Metropolitan State completion rate of 75% or better and have met any additional requirements imposed as a condition of approval of their appeal or reinstatement, will continue on Academic Probation. Students who do not meet the cumulative standards to return to Good Academic Standing and also fail to meet either the semester GPA or semester completion rate standards above will be suspended for academic reasons. Students who meet the semester GPA and semester completion rate standards above, but do not meet other conditions imposed as a condition of approval of their appeal or request for reinstatement, will also be suspended.
- Return to Good Academic Standing
Students previously on Academic Warning or Academic Probation who, upon review, are determined to have a cumulative Metropolitan State GPA of 2.0 or higher and a Cumulative Completion rate of 67% or higher will be returned to Good Academic Standing and notified of this change in their status. Students who have completed all degree requirements and have been awarded a Metropolitan State bachelor’s degree will also be returned to Good Academic Standing.
Section 8. Return from Academic Suspension
Return from Academic Suspension
A student who wishes to return from Academic Suspension after not registering for Metropolitan State courses for at least three semesters, but fewer than nine consecutive semesters (and therefore retains an active undergraduate admission status as per Policy 2000 and Policy 2020), may request reinstatement by submitting a letter to the Dean of the student’s previous college This reinstatement request must be received in the office of the Dean at least 60 days prior to the beginning of the semester for which the student requests to return. The letter must explain the student’s reasons for return and the actions he or she has taken to address the factors that led to academic difficulty. It must also include an official transcript from each higher education institution attended since the student’s academic suspension.
Requests for reinstatement may be approved only if, in the judgment of the Dean or Dean’s academic standing representative, the student can reasonably be expected to improve his or her Cumulative GPA and Cumulative Completion rate to meet the standards for Good Academic Standing within a reasonable period of time, and if the student adequately addresses how the factors leading to past difficulty have been corrected and how he or she will reasonably be able to complete the requirements of his or her academic program. Students suspended more than once are unlikely to be approved for reinstatement.
Students requesting reinstatement who have attempted college courses at other institutions during the period of Academic Suspension must provide a transcript for that coursework as part of their request for reinstatement or readmission. Successful grades in those courses will represent evidence of potential for academic success. Unsuccessful courses will represent evidence that the student is not prepared to succeed if reinstated.
The decision of the Dean of the college whether to approve reinstatement is final.
Students approved to return from Academic Suspension who do not meet the standards to be in Good Academic Standing will be placed on Academic Probation and must complete all actions required for students on Academic Probation prior to registering for their next semester
Students who wish to return from Academic Suspension who have not taken courses at Metropolitan State for more than nine consecutive semesters must reapply to the University through the Admissions Office as specified in Policy 2000. Prior to making an admission decision, the Admissions Office will consult with the representative designated by the Dean or program Executive Director of the college or program which the student wishes to enter if readmitted. The student may be readmitted to the University with the approval of the Dean or program Executive Director of the college or program to which they apply to return, only if they meet the criteria for reinstatement from Academic Suspension stated above and meet all other criteria for readmission to the university. If readmitted, they will return on Academic Probation and must complete the degree and program requirements in place at the time of their return.
Students approved to return from Academic Suspension will have the Academic Suspension notice removed from their university transcript upon the award of their Metropolitan State bachelor’s degree.
Section 9: Changes in academic status
A. End-dating: Changes in a student’s academic standing (i.e., removal or end-dating of any Academic Warning, Academic Probation, or Academic Suspension) other than through the established review procedure at the end of the semester, will occur only at the direction of the university official(s) designated by the Provost, the Dean of the student’s college, or the Dean’s designated academic standing representative. Changes to an academic standing action taken at the end of one semester (e.g., based on repeating courses or change in grades) will not be made after the academic standing review for the following semester has been completed, except to correct university error.
B. Repeat courses: Students placed on Academic Warning or Academic Probation may repeat a course and thereby have a course removed from their GPA, consistent with university Grading Policy #2080. That change will affect the student's Cumulative GPA, which will be reflected in the succeeding semester's academic standing review. When a course is repeated, the course removed from the GPA will be considered attempted, but not completed, in calculating the Cumulative Completion rate. However, removing a grade from a student’s GPA will not retroactively affect any academic standing action taken in a previous semester based on the grade posted at the time.
C. Changes in a student’s academic record: A student whose academic record has changed, e.g., through a change in grade or approved registration appeal, may contact their assigned academic advisor to request review of their academic standing. The academic standing representative of the Dean or Executive Director will review the student’s record at the request of the academic advisor and will direct the Registrar’s Office to make any appropriate change to the student’s academic standing.
D. Students returning after an absence: Students who wish to return to the university after an absence of more than nine consecutive semesters must apply for readmission through the Admissions office. The Admissions office will review applications for readmission and approve readmission in a manner that is consistent with Policy 2000 and Academic Standing Policy 2050 and Academic Standing Review Procedure #205. Students who were on Academic Warning or Academic Probation when they left the university will return, if readmitted, on the same status.
Section 10: Admission on Academic Warning
- Students who fail to meet the standards for admission to undergraduate degree-seeking status as specified in Policy 2000 may, on appeal, be admitted on Academic Warning status. Students will be admitted on Academic Warning only if there is substantial reason to expect the student to succeed in their Metropolitan State academic program.
- Students admitted on Academic Warning must complete an in-person new student Orientation program, meet with the assigned academic advisor in their college, and complete other requirements established for students on Academic Warning prior to their initial registration as a degree-seeking undergraduate student.
- Students admitted on Academic Warning must meet the same standards as other students on Academic Warning in order to gain Good Academic Standing and avoid Academic Suspension the end of their first semester of registration.
Section 11: Students suspended for academic reasons from other institutions
- Students suspended for academic reasons from other institutions may be admitted to Metropolitan State as degree-seeking students only as specified in Policy 2000.
- Students suspended for academic reasons from other institutions may register as non-degree-seeking students. Grades earned in any courses taken at Metropolitan State as non-degree seeking students will be considered in reviewing any subsequent application for admission to Metropolitan State
Section 12. Review
This procedure will be reviewed by the deans, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs after two years or when required by changes in Financial Aid academic progress requirements and MnSCU policy.
Section 13. Signatures
Issued on this day, November 30, 2011
Gary Seiler, Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Sue K. Hammersmith, President