SP 21-04 - Policy on Academic Notice & Disqualification

In the interest of continuing to improve the experience of students, particularly students of color and those from historically underrepresented groups, CI would like to join a number of other CSUs in abandoning the antiquated norm of adhering to a criminal justice lexicon in using the term “Academic Probation.” as a criteria designating academic success.  Recent research indicates that this term and its negative association with the criminal justice system is discouraging to students, particularly men of color who are disproportionately impacted by the criminal justice system. Indeed, at CSU Fullerton men placed on academic probation have less likelihood of graduating compared to women on academic probation.  The goal of academic probation is to flag students who are struggling and may need additional support and encouragement toward achieving academic success.  These negative associations with the word “probation” undermine these goals and stand in opposition to campus efforts to increase culturally proficient and equity-minded practices.

Updating the policy for academic notice and disqualification for graduate and postbaccalaureate students:

CSUCI is still operating on multiple policies for graduate students, including SP 02-04 for academic probation and SP 16-09 for disqualification, and current practice does not align with the outdated policies.  SP 02-04 requires postbaccalaureate students to attempt 12 or more graded units before becoming subject to academic probation; this updated policy seeks to revise that unit requirement.  This policy will also more clearly define that in addition to minimum campus GPA requirements for postbaccalaureates, graduate students may be placed on notice and/or disqualified as defined by the requirements and policies of individual programs. 

Accountability: Academic Affairs, Academic Advising

Applicability: All undergraduate and graduate students 

Definition(s):
Academic notice (formerly academic probation) - refers to a warning given to a student when the student’s academic performance falls below the standard set by the university

Administrative-Academic notice (formerly administrative-academic probation) - refers to a warning given to a student for reasons such as failing to progress in their degree objective or failing to comply with an academic requirement or regulation.      

Academic disqualification - students on academic notice whose academic performance falls below the standard set by the university are subject to academic disqualification.

Administrative-Academic disqualification - students previously placed on administrative-academic notice who do not meet the conditions for removal of administrative-academic notice, become subject to academic notice, or become subject to administrative-academic notice for a similar reason for which they had been placed on administrative-academic notice previously.

Policy:
Undergraduate Academic Notice

An undergraduate student is subject to academic notice if at any time either the student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA) in all college work attempted or the student’s cumulative GPA at CSU Channel Islands falls below 2.0. Students on notice will be advised of their status at the end of the semester. The communication will include conditions for removal from notice and the circumstances that would lead to disqualification. All students on notice are required to receive academic advising no later than the end of the third week of the following semester. Students shall be removed from academic notice once they have received such advising and both the cumulative GPA in all college work attempted and the cumulative GPA average at CSU Channel Islands are at least 2.0.

Undergraduate Academic Disqualification

An undergraduate student on academic notice during the current semester or any preceding semester at CSUCI will be subject to academic disqualification when the student’s GPA in all units attempted or in all units attempted at CSUCI falls below the following: as a freshman, 1.50; as a sophomore, 1.70; as a junior,1.85; as a senior, 1.95.  

All students’ records will be evaluated for disqualification at the end of each semester. Students cannot be placed on notice for the first time at CSUCI and be disqualified in the same semester. However, students who have previously been on notice at CSUCI and fall below the GPA listed above will be subject to academic disqualification, even if the notice and disqualification semesters are non-consecutive.  

A student may appeal disqualification no later than the Academic Appeals Board deadline before the start of the semester following the disqualification. Appeals should be made to the Office of the Provost or Designee. Appeals will be decided by the Academic Appeals Board. Typical grounds for a successful appeal include significant improvement towards meeting the GPA requirements and/or extraordinary circumstances beyond the student’s control, as determined by the Academic Appeals Board. A successful petition of appeal for disqualification will result in the student remaining on academic notice. Students who appeal unsuccessfully will need to apply for reinstatement as specified in the Policy on Reinstatement if they wish to continue at CSUCI.

Undergraduate Administrative -Academic Notice & Disqualification

A student may be placed on administrative-academic notice for any of the following reasons:

1. Withdrawal from all or a substantial portion of a program of studies in two successive terms or in any three terms. (Note: A student whose withdrawal is directly associated with a chronic or recurring medical condition or its treatment is not to be subject to Administrative-Academic notice for such withdrawal.)

2. Repeated failure to progress toward the stated degree objective or other program objective, including that resulting from assignment of 15 units of NC (No Credit), when such failure appears to be due to circumstances within the control of the student.

3. Failure to comply, after due notice, with an academic requirement or regulation, as defined by campus policy which is routine for all students or a defined group of students (examples: failure to complete a required CSU or campus examination, failure to complete a required practicum, failure to comply with professional standards appropriate to the field of study, failure to complete a specified number of units as a condition for receiving student financial aid or making satisfactory progress in the academic program).

A student who has been placed on administrative-academic notice may be administratively disqualified if any of the following occur:  

1. The conditions for removal of administrative-academic probation are not met within the period specified.  

2. The student becomes subject to academic probation while on administrative-academic notice.  

3. The student becomes subject to administrative-academic notice for the same or similar reason that the student has previously been placed on administrative-academic notice, although the student is not currently in such status. 

Special Cases of Administrative-Academic Disqualification

An appropriate campus administrator in consultation with academic department, dean, and/or other appropriate parties, may disqualify a student who at any time during enrollment in a program leading to professional licensure or credential, has demonstrated behavior so contrary to the established standards and criteria of the profession for which the student is preparing as to render the student unfit for the profession. In such cases, disqualification will occur immediately upon notice to the student, which shall include an explanation of the basis for the action, and the campus may require the student to discontinue enrollment as of the date of the notification.

Postbaccalaureate and Graduate Academic Notice & Disqualification

A student seeking a second baccalaureate will be subject to academic notice if their CSU Channel Islands GPA falls below a 2.50.  A student seeking a second baccalaureate will be subject to academic disqualification when the student’s CSU Channel Islands GPA falls below 2.0.  

A student seeking a Master’s degree or teaching credential will be subject to academic notice if their CSU Channel Islands GPA falls below a 3.0 after their first semester or after completing 6 graded units.  A graduate program may also place a student on academic notice for failure to maintain a GPA of 3.0 or better in all courses taken to satisfy the requirements of the degree.  Individual graduate programs may have additional policy requirements that if not met, may result in placement on academic notice.

Students seeking Master’s degrees, teaching credentials or post-graduate certificates may be placed on notice and/or disqualified for failure to make adequate progress in the program, as defined by the requirements and policies of individual programs.  

All students’ records will be evaluated for disqualification at the end of each semester. Students cannot be placed on notice for the first time at CSUCI and be disqualified in the same semester. However, students who have previously been on notice at CSUCI and fall below criteria listed above will be subject to academic disqualification, even if the notice and disqualification semesters are non-consecutive.  

Graduate and credential students may appeal disqualification through the Graduate Appeals Board no later than the deadline, before the start of the following semester.  The Graduate Appeals Board will review cases and make recommendations to the graduate program, who will make the final decision about whether a student should be reinstated.  Students who appeal unsuccessfully may be readmitted to the university given a positive recommendation from the graduate program.  

Graduate Student Administrative-Academic Notice & Disqualification 

All the reasons for administrative-academic notice and disqualification for undergraduate students shall apply to graduate students. In addition:

1. Students may be placed on administrative-academic notice by request from the program/department and consultation with other appropriate offices, for failure to comply, after due notice, with a requirement or regulation, as defined by campus or program policy which is routine for all students or a defined group of students (e.g., failure to comply with professional standards appropriate to the field of study, failure to advance to candidacy, failure to abide by standards set by approved external placements, etc.). The student on notice shall be informed in writing by the program.  

2. The program shall inform the Registrar’s Office when students have been placed on or removed from administrative-academic notice status so that student records can be updated. When a student is placed on academic or administrative-academic notice, the student must work with the program to develop a plan for remediation, including a timeline for completion. In the case of administrativeacademic notice, the remediation plan must be approved by the program, who will send a letter to the student documenting the plan. A student cannot be advanced to candidacy if the student is on either academic or administrative-academic notice.  

A student who has been placed on administrative-academic notice may be disqualified from further attendance by the program if any of the conditions for disqualification apply.  Students who are disqualified at the end of an enrollment period should be notified by the program before the beginning of the next consecutive regular enrollment period.

EXHIBIT(S):  Title 5, Section 41300 CSU EO 1038 

 

Exhibits:
Title 5, Section 41300 CSU EO 1038