Undergraduate

The Academic Deans determine the academic standing of all students at the end of each term. Academic standing is based on:

1. The student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA);
2. The total number of credits for which the student has attempted prior to the review. The Attempted Credits also include transfer credits, “Credit by Exam” credits, and credits for repeated courses. It does not include credits for audited courses.

Students with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 or higher are in satisfactory academic standing. Students with less than satisfactory academic standing are subject to academic warning, probation, suspension or dismissal.

The following procedure applies to all students who do not meet the required minimum cumulative GPA as specified:

Academic Standards

Attempted Credits (SRU, credit by exam, and transfer credits)	Cumulative GPA	Procedure
0.5 - 16.0	Below 2.000	Warning Letter
16.1 - 32.0	1.750 - 1.999	Warning Letter
16.1 - 32.0	Below 1.750	Probation Letter
32.1 or more	Below 2.000	Probation Letter
32.1 or more	Below 2.000	Suspension or Dismissal*

Academic Standards

*

Should a student earn 32.1 or more credits and be on probation from a previous term, action is suspension.

For purposes of suspension or dismissal, Fall and Spring are regular terms; Summer and Winter are not considered regular terms and thus will not result in immediate suspension or dismissal. Furthermore, a student cannot be suspended/dismissed at the end of any Fall or Spring semester in which the student has earned a 2.000 or greater semester GPA, even if the cumulative GPA remains less than 2.000.

ACADEMIC PROBATION

When subject to academic probation, the student will be placed on probation for a minimum of one semester and will stay on probation until either suspended or until the cumulative GPA increases to 2.000 or above.

ACADEMIC SUSPENSION

1. FIRST-TIME SUSPENSION: Student(s) on academic suspension for the first time are not eligible to take classes for one regular term (fall or spring) thereafter. Students are suspended at the end Fall or Spring, and their registration in any courses for the next regular term will automatically be cancelled. Students who are suspended may, however, enroll in Winter or Summer courses in an effort to raise their cumulative GPA.  If a student who has been suspended is enrolled in Summer or Winter classes, the student will be charged for those classes unless the student drops those course(s). Any suspended student who remains in Summer or Winter classes and sufficiently improves her/his/their cumulative GPA will have her/his/their academic standing re-evaluated for possible modification.
2. SECOND-TIME SUSPENSION: Student(s) on academic suspension for the second time will not be permitted to register for or attend classes for two regular terms. Summer and Winter terms do not count as a semester for suspension purposes, and undergraduate students who are suspended may enroll in Winter or Summer courses in an effort to raise their cumulative GPA. If a student who has been suspended is enrolled in Summer or Winter classes, the student will be charged for those classes unless the student drops those course(s).

READMISSION

Students who are placed on academic suspension for the first or second time and have an interest in returning to the University after sitting out for the one or two semester period will request readmission through the Office of Transfer Admissions. Students should allow adequate time to process readmission requests (two weeks minimum).

ACADEMIC DISMISSAL

Student(s) recommended for a third academic suspension shall be dismissed from the University. The student will be dismissed for at least three years. After that time, requests for readmission should be made to the Office of Academic Records, which will convene an Academic Dismissal Review Board (Assistants to the Dean of each College and Chair of the Exploratory Studies and Academic Progress Department). A decision of this Board’s recommendation will be made by the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs or a designee will make a decision informed by this board’s recommendation.

POST-BACCALAUREATE STUDENTS

The records of post-baccalaureate students with less than a 2.000 semester grade point average will be reviewed by their Dean for determination of an academic action of probation, suspension, or dismissal.

3/8/2023

Graduate

ACADEMIC PROGRESSION POLICY - PROBATION, SUSPENSION, AND DISMISSAL 

Graduate students are admitted to specific graduate programs. Probation, suspension, and dismissal actions are taken when a student has not satisfied the university policy for graduate program academic progression requirements for good standing.  The action is applied to the graduate program in which the student is enrolled.  

The university policy for graduate program academic progression is provided below. Some graduate programs may have different academic progression requirements for good standing, probation, suspension, and dismissal. Exceptions to the university policy for graduate program academic progression include the following programs: Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program, Physician Assistant Studies Program, Doctor of Education in Special Education, and the Master’s Certification Degree Programs. Information regarding the academic progression policies for these programs is provided at the end of this policy statement. Additionally, readmission policies for these programs may also be different.  A student enrolled in one of the graduate programs listed above should refer to the information provided to them through the academic department in which the program is offered.

UNIVERSITY GRADUATE PROGRAM ACADEMIC PROGRESSION REQUIREMENTS 

A graduate student is on academic probation whenever the cumulative grade point average for all Slippery Rock University graduate courses is less than a 3.00. Satisfactory academic standing requires a cumulative grade point average of 3.00.  

If the student’s cumulative GPA drops below 3.00, the student shall be placed on academic probation. A student on probation must raise the cumulative GPA to at least a 3.00 by the end of the next semester (or full summer term) of registration. A student whose academic standing is unsatisfactory (less than 3.00 cumulative GPA) for two successive terms of registration (summers are included as “terms”), shall be suspended from the graduate program by their academic dean. Academic suspension and dismissal decisions are not made during winter intersession, unless winter intersession is a requirement of the program. In some cases, the readmission term may be dependent on the academic program’s course sequencing structure. 

A student who is suspended from a graduate program and has met the term requirements of suspension (one or two terms) may petition the dean of the college for readmission to the graduate program in which they were enrolled by completing the Graduate Application for Readmission Form. The form is initially processed through the graduate admissions office (website) and forwarded to the appropriate dean for readmission consideration. 

A graduate student who is placed on academic probation, suspension, or dismissal from a graduate program may choose to apply to another graduate program at the University. 

SPECIFIC GRADUATE PROGRAM ACADEMIC PROGRESSION REQUIREMENTS 

Some programs (Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program, Physician Assistant Studies Program, Doctor of Education in Special Education, and the Master’s of Education Certification Programs) require different academic progression standards for probation, suspension, and dismissal than listed above due to the requirements of an accreditation agency (ex. the Pennsylvania Department of Education) or other specific academic program requirements.  Please refer to the resources listed below for the following programs: 

Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program – Student Handbook – Students receive a hardcopy of the DPT Handbook at orientation.  The DPT Handbook and the DPT Clinical Handbook are also listed in the student portal, Exxat. 

Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) Program – Student Handbook – Students receive a hardcopy of the OTD Handbook at orientation.  Students are also sent an electronic copy of the OTD Handbook, on or before May 1, prior to orientation. 

Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) – Student Handbook – Students receive a hardcopy of the PA Handbook at orientation.  A master copy of the PA Handbook is also located in the PA Office. 

Doctor of Education in Special Education (Ed.D.) – Students receive a hardcopy of the Ed.D. Handbook at the annual meeting in May, each year.  The Ed.D. Handbook is also available in the student D2L cohort shell.