Academic Standing
In addition to information regarding academic standing, this page also contains overviews pertaining to majors, concentrations, and independent studies.
Academic Progress
Students in danger of not passing a course at mid-semester may receive mid-semester warnings from the appropriate faculty member. Students are advised to seek assistance from their faculty advisor and/or the Director of Advising.
Academic Notice
Students who complete less than two-thirds of credits attempted in a semester are placed on academic notice and are advised of this status in a letter from the Director of Advising. Only courses in which the student receives a passing grade are considered completed. Grades of Withdrawn, Incomplete, No Credit, and F (Failure) designate courses that are not completed. Students are no longer on academic notice when they successfully complete two-thirds of the credits attempted the following semester.
Academic Probation
If students on academic notice fail to successfully complete two-thirds of the credits attempted in the next semester, they are placed on academic probation and advised of this status in a letter from the Director of Advising. Students should make an appointment with Advising before registration to discuss the process for recovery from probationary status. Students on academic probation must pass two-thirds of the credits attempted in the following semester.
Academic Dismissal
If students on probation fail to successfully complete two-thirds of the credits attempted in the next semester, they are subject to academic dismissal.
The academic records of students subject to dismissal will be reviewed by a panel comprised of the Vice-President of Academic Affairs, the Vice-President for Student Development, the Director of Advising, and the Dean of Students. They may decide to dismiss the student from the college. Alternatively, they may create a plan designed to give the student another chance at succeeding at the college. The plan may include changes in the student's choice of major, the number of credits the student may attempt, and the courses the student may take. It may also include a required leave of absence from the college before studies resume. Any decision the panel makes prevails over any other published academic progress policy.
The student may choose to meet with the Director of Advising to discuss the dismissal. A student who has been dismissed from the college for academic reasons may appeal the decision by presenting a well-reasoned letter to the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
Departmental Probation and Dismissal
All departments have internal standards for academic dismissal from a major/concentration. Each department provides a probationary period of at least one semester for students who have fallen below departmental standards.
Departmental Probation
Students are informed of departmental probation in a written notice presented during a meeting with appropriate faculty members and the department chair. At that time, the Director of Advising is notified of the student's probation and receives all pertinent information from the department.
Departmental Dismissal
Students on departmental probation are notified in writing by appropriate faculty and the department chair of either recommendation for departmental dismissal or lifting of departmental probation. This notice is given immediately following the student's end-of-semester review. The recommendation for departmental dismissal is forwarded to the Director of Advising, who reviews the evidence for dismissal and notifies the student of the decision in writing.
Students dismissed from a department have the right to appeal through the office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Students who have been dismissed from two departments are subject to academic dismissal from the college.
Art and Design Option
Students who have completed all their major requirements at least through the end of the junior year are eligible to complete their degree as an Art and Design major. The purpose of this option is to allow students who are unable to progress in their major the chance to complete their degree. Such students must be recommended for Art and Design by the chair of their major department.
Art and Design students complete the same liberal arts and history of art requirements as other pure studio majors (i.e. all programs except art education and art history). They must also complete the same number of studio credits as other pure studio majors, which is 78 credits. Studio courses for Art and Design students must be approved by the Director of Advising.
Students who are double majors are ineligible for this option if they are in good standing in either of their two majors. Such students will graduate with a single major.