Full-time student records are reviewed by the Committee on Admission, Academic Standards, and Retention (CAAR) at the end of each fall and spring semester to determine if students are making good progress and likely to meet graduation requirements in a timely manner.* Part-time student records will be reviewed at the end of the semester after students have attempted 12 new credits. Students with a semester GPA or cumulative GPA below a 2.000 will receive a Letter of Academic Action, as appropriate, from the faculty Chair of the Committee.
*The academic decision of CAAR each term is separate from Financial Aid policies. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid directly, [email protected], regarding your current and future financial aid status.
Restorative Academic Action Plan
Students on academic probation or semester probation will have the option to participate in the Restorative Academic Action Plan (RAAP). RAAP is a program offered in fall and spring to help students achieve academic success. Students may participate in the RAAP program for a maximum of two semesters, with the possibility of a third semester if the student demonstrates significant extenuating circumstances as determined by CAAR. If CAAR determines that the student has successfully completed RAAP, CAAR will request the Registrar remove the notation of “Probation” from their permanent transcript. Contact [email protected] for more information.
Academic Actions
Students who earn a semester or cumulative GPA below a 2.000, and thus are at risk for not meeting graduation requirements in the future, are subject to the following academic actions upon review by the Academic Standards Committee at the end of each fall and spring term.
Note: decisions made by CAAR are separate from the Financial Aid Office decisions and policies.
Semester Probation
Indicates that a student has earned a semester GPA below a 2.000, while maintaining a cumulative GPA of 2.000 or higher. This constitutes a serious warning and is a signal that the student must reverse the present direction or face possible academic probation or suspension from the College in the future.
*Notation of “Semester Probation” for the semester will be placed on the permanent transcript.
Academic Probation
Indicates that the student’s cumulative GPA at the end of the fall or spring term is less than a 2.000, and thus the student is at risk for not meeting graduation requirements in the future. Probation constitutes a serious warning and is a signal to the student to reverse the present direction or face possible separation from the College. (This action is the minimum that will occur if the cumulative GPA is below 2.000.)
*Notation of “Academic Probation” for the semester will be placed on the permanent transcript.
Temporary Probation
Temporary Probation is given to a student when one or more incompletes (I grades) are a factor in determining whether or not the GPA (cumulative or semester) falls below a 2.000. The student on temporary probation must resolve the I grade(s) prior to the start of the subsequent semester; all I grades are due 8 weeks from the beginning of the following semester. It is the responsibility of the student to contact the Office of Student Services when the coursework has been completed to arrange to have the temporary probation removed from the record, if a 2.000 cumulative and/or semester GPA is attained with grades from newly-completed courses. CAAR will be notified by the Office of the Registrar if resolved I grades, and will subsequently review student academic records to determine if the notation of Temporary Probation should be removed or if the student should be placed on either semester of academic probation.
*Notation of “Temporary Academic Probation” for the semester will be placed on the permanent transcript, unless the student has resolved the matter.
Conditions of Probation
Because students who are placed on probation are at risk for not meeting graduation requirements, CAAR may require one or more of the following sanctions in the letter of academic action in an effort to direct students toward a successful subsequent academic experience in the semester following the probation term.
- Meet with faculty advisor and College personnel to develop an academic success plan.
- Restrict students to no more than 5 courses (16 credits) in the subsequent semester.
- Restrict students to no more than 4 courses (13 credits) in the subsequent semester.
- Restrict students to no more than 2 courses (7 credits) in the subsequent semester.
- Repeat courses in the subsequent semester that were not passed previously.
- Change academic program.
Note: a probation status may be placed retroactively on a student’s record whose academic standing could not be determined at the end of a semester due to Incomplete “I” or Research Pending “RP” grades. Since courses with “I” or “RP” grades are often completed in the subsequent semester, grades earned in those courses will be used in a subsequent review of the student’s record and may result in retroactive academic action.
Academic Suspension
Suspension is defined as a separation from the College for a stated period (one or more semesters). CAAR may impose a suspension under one or more of the following conditions:
- a student fails to attain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.000 after 2 or more semesters on Academic Probation or Semester Probation;
- a student earns 3 or more F grades in a single semester;
- a student earns a cumulative GPA of 1.250 or below;
- a student demonstrates poor academic performance which warrants action more severe than probation.
Appeal
Suspended students may appeal to CAAR within the period stipulated in the Letter of Academic Action. In cases where a student receives an incomplete “I” grade in one or more courses and is pending academic suspension from the College, they will have a final deadline for completion of work no later than five business days before the start of the next semester. If the remaining coursework is not completed or the final course grade does not improve the cumulative GPA, the student will be suspended. Students have the right to appeal to the Undergraduate Dean. The Undergraduate Dean is the final decision-making authority on appeals of academic suspension.
A student who has been suspended may not take courses at Sage until the completion of the suspension period. Students returning from academic suspension are permitted to enroll in classes under probationary conditions as specified in the original Letter of Academic Action. They must consult with the Director of Academic Advising and Dean of Students to confirm what return procedures and policies apply.
*Notation of “Academic Suspension” for the semester will be placed on the permanent transcript.
Academic Dismissal
Academic dismissal is defined as a complete and permanent severance for reasons of academic deficiency. The Committee may impose academic dismissal after one or more academic suspensions. A student who has been dismissed may not take classes at Sage. As with suspension, dismissed students may appeal to the Dean of the College within the period stipulated in the Letter of Academic Action. The Provost is the final decision-making authority on all academic matters.
*Notation of “Academic Dismissal” for the semester will be placed on the permanent transcript.
Notes
- The academic action/decision of CAAR each term is separate from policies of the Office of Financial Aid. Please contact Financial Aid staff directly, [email protected], regarding your current and future financial aid status and scholarship/college loan eligibility.
- To understand how grade point averages are calculated, see Catalog section, “Academic Policy-Grading”.
- Withdrawing or taking a leave of absence from the College does not exempt the student’s record from academic sanctions. Academic standing outcomes will be posted to the student’s official transcript as noted above.