Academic Resources and Programs

Probation/Intervention Program

When student performance falls below the standards set by the University, the student will be placed on probation. In Academic Resources, part of our mission is to help students return to academic good standing. We want to do everything we can to assist students in reaching their potential.

Below is a description of what happens if you are placed on Academic Probation.  There is also a description of the role of the Academic Standards Committee. The Committee decides whether a student is place on probation. Once a student has been put on probation, he or she will meet with member(s) of the Academic Resources staff. If you have questions about the Probation/Intervention Program, please contact the Center at advising@du.edu or call 303-871-2455.

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What Happens When You Are on Probation?

You will receive a letter from the Standards Committee (see below for more information on what the Committee does).  It tells you, among other things, that you will need to come in to Academic Resources and meet with your Probation Adviser, generally before the end of the third week of classes.

In that meeting, which generally takes about an hour, you and the Adviser will go over the Probation requirements.  The bulk of the meeting is spent exploring ways in which the University can help you get on track.  After all, when we admit you to the University, we believe that you can do well here, even when you are struggling.  The goal of the program is to help you build the skills you need to do well academically.

To foster that goal, we may work with you on time management, note taking skills, writing skills, or other study-related issues.  If it is appropriate, we may find a tutor to help you with material you are struggling.  We may also ask you to meet with your an Academic Adviser or Faculty Mentor on a regular basis, just to make sure you're on track throughout the quarter.  You might be surprised at how many students end up on Probation simply because they have developed the habit of not going to class on a regular basis.

Because students often struggle because of factors other than their academic skills, we also may refer you to other departments on campus for health-related issues, disability testing accommodations, or career counseling.  Essentially, if we're not in the best position to give you guidance and help, we'll help you find the people who are.

Below is a description of the Standards Committee process. 

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Academic Standards Committee

A. Committee Charge

The Academic Standards Committee is charged with overseeing the academic success of students and maintaining academic standards across the undergraduate curriculum. At the close of each quarter, the Committee will meet to review the academic performance of all students and determine whether students who are no longer in academic good standing should be place on academic probation, academic last quarter probation, suspended, or dismissed from the University.

B. Committee Configuration

The Committee is comprised of at least the following membership:

• Associate Provost Academic Advising (chair).
• Faculty representatives of Arts and Humanities; Natural Sciences and Mathematics; Social Sciences; Daniels College of Business; Women's College; and International Studies. Representatives are provided by the deans of the academic units.
• Faculty Senate representative.
• Academic Resources and Registrar representatives.

C. Academic Performance Review

At the end of each academic quarter the Committee will convene to review the academic records of all students who are not in academic good standing with the University. Academic good standing is defined as accumulating a minimum of twice the quality points as credit hours completed (i.e. a 2.000 GPA). The academic records of the students under review, as well as any additional pertinent information, will be made available at the performance review meeting. It is then the responsibility of the Committee to review all relevant information and render decisions concerning the academic status of the students as follows:

1. Academic Probation - Students who are not in academic good standing have the potential to return to good standing with increased performance. Students placed on academic probation are required to:

• earn grades of C or better on all future coursework.
• earn no grades of Incomplete without prior approval from Academic Advising.
• meet with an Academic Adviser in The Center prior to the end of the third week of the next quarter for which they enroll.

Students remain on academic probation until they return to academic good standing.

2. Last Quarter Academic Probation - Students already placed on academic probation whose performance continues to be unsatisfactory. Students in this category are required to:earn grades of C or better on all future coursework.

• earn no grades of Incomplete without prior approval from the Center for Academic Resources.
• meet with an adviser in the Center for Academic Resources prior to the end of the third week of the next quarter for which they enroll.

Students on Last Quarter Probation face suspension if their academic performance does not improve. In general, students either return to academic probation if their performance improves or face suspension the following quarter.

3. Deferred Suspension - Students who would normally be placed on academic suspension but are allowed to continue for one last quarter due to the inability of the University to notify the students of their suspension prior to the start of the next quarter. This occurs most commonly for students enrolled in spring quarter following the winter quarter performance review, or for students enrolled in summer quarter following the spring quarter performance review. Conditions of probation are the same as for Last Quarter Probation.

4. Academic Suspension - Students already placed on Probation or Last Quarter Probation whose academic performance continues to be unsatisfactory. Students are suspended from the University for a period of three academic quarters. Students under suspension are required to move out of the residence halls, and no academic credit completed at another institution during the period of suspension will be accepted by the University. Students may be readmitted on Last Quarter Probation on appeal if documentation of extenuating circumstances are presented that were unavailable to the committee when the suspension was imposed. A written appeal is required and is reviewed by the Chair of the Academic Standards Committee.

5. Dismissal - Students who have been previously suspended and their academic performance continues to be unsatisfactory may be expelled from the University and may not return for further academic study. In general, students who have been placed on academic suspension more than once are candidates for dismissal from the University. Dismissal is permanent and irrevocable.

Following the quarterly performance review, students will be notified by mail of the Committee's decisions and the conditions of their probation.

D. General Information

1. Deficiency points. Deficiency points are a quantitative indicator of the degree to which a student is having academic difficulty. Deficiency points are calculated as the difference between the total quality points earned and twice the credit hours attempted. For example, a student who earns a D in a five credit course accumulates five deficiency points for that course; a student who has earned a D in a five credit course and an F in a four credit course during a given quarter accumulates 13 deficiency points for the quarter (five points for the D plus eight points for the course with the F).

2. Students whose GPAs are approaching 2.0, but still above it, receive letters indicating their performance is marginal and encouraging them to make use of the various academic support services available.

3. Registration holds may be placed on students who are Academic Probation and Last Quarter Probation in order to ensure compliance with the intervention requirements of their probation. Registration holds are cleared once the students have met their intervention obligations.

4.Committee guidelines. It is important to consider each case individually as there are often extenuating circumstances which account for student performance in any given quarter. It is also important to consider trends in academic performance when rendering decisions concerning the level of academic probation.

5. The information reviewed by the Committee is confidential and is not to be discussed or disseminated beyond the confines of the Committee. Documentation provided to the Committee to facilitate the performance review should be destroyed at the close of the meeting.