revised 11/2020 – Albright College

revised 11/2020

Academic Standing

A student’s academic record is reviewed at the end of each semester to determine if the student is making satisfactory progress toward completing degree requirements. A student who is not making satisfactory progress will be subject to the sanctions described below. The Faculty Enrollment Development Committee, in consultation with the chief academic officer and the registrar, are responsible for reviewing students’ academic records and making decisions regarding their academic standing.

Academic Probation:

A student will be placed on academic probation for the next semester if the student did not attain the minimum cumulative GPA indicated in the following schedule:

  • 1st Semester, 1st Year: 1.500
  • 2nd Semester, 1st Year: 1.700
  • 1st Semester, Sophomore Year: 1.900
  • 2nd Semester, Sophomore Year: 2.000 (1.900 for students entering prior to Fall 2019)
  • 1st Semester, Junior Year and all later semesters: 2.000

A student on academic probation who did not attain the minimum cumulative GPA to be removed from probation but who is not subject to academic suspension or dismissal will be continued on academic probation for an additional semester.

A student may be placed on academic probation if the student failed or withdrew from all courses during a semester. Such a student is required to meet with a member of the chief academic officer’s staff before the beginning of the next semester. Failure to do so may result in the student not being permitted to attend classes during the next semester. A student on academic probation for this reason will continue to be on academic probation until he or she attains a 2.000 semester GPA.

A student who does not successfully complete six courses during an academic year may be placed on academic probation. A student on academic probation for this reason will continue to be on academic probation until he or she successfully completes six courses in a twelve-month period.

Academic Probation Conditions

A student on academic probation is expected to develop personal strategies to improve his or her academic performance. These strategies should include utilizing appropriate College resources such as the academic adviser, Academic Learning Center, Experiential Learning and Career Development Center, Counseling Center, workshops, tutoring programs and other support systems. The Enrollment Development Committee will require a student on academic probation to meet certain conditions designed to promote improved academic performance. Such conditions may include, but are not limited to, requiring the student to:

  • Repeat courses
  • Take a different or reduced course load
  • Change the major
  • Attend academic and/or career counseling sessions
  • Attain a minimum semester GPA

These conditions also may include declaring the student ineligible to participate in recognized student organizations and intercollegiate athletics.

Experience Probation

A student who did not complete the Experience requirement by the end of the sophomore year may be placed on probation. Such a student will remain on probation until the Experience requirement is completed.

ACADEMIC SUSPENSION
A first-year student who has not achieved a cumulative GPA of at least 0.500 after the student’s first semester will be suspended from the College. Likewise, a student who has been on academic probation for one semester and has neither regained good academic standing nor achieved a 2.000 semester GPA overall will be suspended from the College. If the student has already been suspended once, the student will be dismissed.  Suspended students are not permitted to enroll in Albright College classes, to live in College housing, or to participate in student activities. The suspension will last at least one semester and one summer.

Returning to the College after Suspension

Academic suspension is a period of time for a student to resolve some of the issues that may have prevented satisfactory academic progress, such as family stress, financial challenges, or health and wellness issues.   Readmission is not guaranteed.  To be considered for return, students must demonstrate that they have addressed the issues that hindered their progress and are able and prepared to do serious academic work at the College. This can happen through at least one of the following ways:

  • You may take at least 3 concurrent courses at an accredited institution and must obtain at least a B (3.00) average with no course less than a C-. The courses should be comparable to Albright College courses; approval from the Albright College registrar should be obtained before enrolling in the courses. A transcript and a letter describing your academic success should be forwarded to the Registrar.
  • You may work, do community service, and/or engage in volunteer activities that will demonstrate a seriousness of purpose. The level of engagement should be approximately full-time for a minimum of three months. There must be a direct connection between the experience and your readiness to return to the rigor of college. To document your achievement, include a letter of reference from your supervisor and a personal statement that explains how your experience has prepared you to return to campus. These materials should be forwarded to the Registrar.
  • If you believe that your academic struggles were significantly impacted by a mental health condition, you may participate in an extended treatment program.  This means that you will work with a licensed mental health professional (social worker, psychologist and /or psychiatrist) consistently for a minimum of 4 months and follow the treatment recommendations.  The treating professional will submit a detailed letter to the Director of Counseling Services documenting your compliance and progress in treatment and readiness to return and ability to function in a residential college environment including diagnosis and recommendations for future treatment.   The Director of Counseling Services will make a recommendation to the Enrollment Development Committee for their consideration.
  • You may address a physical ailment that you believe contributed to your academic struggles by providing documentation from a licensed medical professional.  The treating physician must attest to the fact that the physical ailment significantly impacted your ability to progress as a student during the defined semester.  The documentation should provide a detailed description of the treatment, any lingering physical concerns, and your ability to function in a residential college environment. The student should send this documentation to the Gable Health and Counseling Center.

To request to return to the college, the student must do the following at least six weeks prior to the beginning of the next semester:
A) Contact Admissions to indicate your intent to return
B) Submit the appropriate documentation (see above for full description):

    • If you took courses at an accredited college, send to the Registrar your transcript and a letter describing your academic success
    • If you did paid or voluntary work or community service, send to the Registrar your supervisor’s letter of recommendation and your personal statement
    • If you received extended treatment for a mental health condition, your treating professional must send to the Director of Counseling (Gable Health and Counseling Center) a letter documenting treatment and readiness to return
    • If you received treatment for a physical ailment, send the documentation to the Gable Health and Counseling Center

Documentation, including transcripts from other institutions, should demonstrate how the student has used the time away from Albright to prepare for academic success. The Enrollment Development Committee determines whether to grant or to deny requests for reinstatement and determines the conditions of reinstatement.  In certain circumstances, students must be cleared by the Albright Health Center or Student Accounts office before they are permitted to return to full-time study.

A student returning from suspension will be on probation.

Academic Dismissal

A student will be subject to academic dismissal for the following reasons:

  1. The student has returned from Academic Suspension but, after at least one semester, has neither regained good academic standing nor achieved a 2.000 semester GPA.
  2. The student’s cumulative GPA is below the minimum required for the student’s academic level and the Enrollment Development Committee believes the student is not making satisfactory academic progress. A student does not have to be on academic probation to be dismissed under this category.

A student who has been dismissed may apply for readmission to the College after three years.

Appeals

A student who has been academically suspended or dismissed may appeal to the Enrollment Development Committee. Appeals must document how the student has made academic progress during the past semester. The appeal must be filed in a timely manner (generally within one week of the official notification of dismissal by the College).

Special Conditions

The following apply to the policy on academic probation, suspension, and dismissal:

  1. An incomplete grade will be treated as an F in calculating the GPA.
  2. The academic level of a transfer student will be determined based on the number of courses attempted at Albright and the number of transfer units. The academic level of a student not on a regular four-year program (e.g. a student who has taken off for a semester) will be determined based on the number of courses attempted.
  3. Interim grades are not used in making the initial determination of academic probation and dismissal. If an Interim grade changes a student’s GPA so that it would change his or her academic warning or probation status, the appropriate change to the student’s status will be made. However, an interim grade will not change an academic dismissal decision.
  4. If a student’s GPA changes during the semester due to a grade change or removal of an incomplete so that it would change his or her academic warning or probation status, the appropriate change to the student’s status will be made.

A student, in attending Albright College, recognizes the right of the College to dismiss and suspend for academic reasons. In all matters pertaining to academic standing, the decisions of the Enrollment Development Committee are final.