Advising and Academic Policies

One of the most important components of advising is being aware of the academic policies of the institution. To maintain satisfactory academic standing, students must maintain a 2.0 average in all coursework. To graduate, students must have a cumulative QPA of 2.0 ("C") or better and a minimum 2.0 in their major.

Withdrawal from a class

A student may withdraw from a class up to 8 weeks into a semester if he or she feels circumstances warrant such an action. Withdrawing can be done for strategic reasons:

If a student is failing at mid-term and does not feel he or she can raise the grade; or
If a student determines that he or she has scheduled too many classes and wants to devote more time to studying for fewer classes.

Students may add or drop classes during schedule adjustment at the beginning of the semester without receiving a "W" on their transcripts. However, after schedule adjustment ends, students who choose to drop a class will receive a "W" on their official transcript. After the eighth week of classes, withdrawing from the class results in an "F" grade on the student's transcript.

Students are not permitted to withdraw from the following courses:

Basic Writing (ENG 050)
College Writing (ENG 101)
Advanced Placement English (ENG 110)
Basic Oral Communication (SPE 100)
*World History I (HIS 105)
*World History II (HIS 106)
Developmental Mathematics (MAT 050)
Developmental Reading and Study Skills (RDG 050)

* Exceptions can be made in history if students go to the department office (DHC 213) and sign a waiver indicating that they will take this course at a community college or during summer school at Shippensburg. They are not permitted then to take History 105 or 106 (which ever one they dropped) during the academic year.

Academic Probation/Academic Dismissal

Students whose cumulative grade point average falls below 2.0 are placed on academic probation. Students who do not meet the required QPA may be granted one additional probationary semester. This allows students to raise their average to reach the minimum requirement. However, first year students who earn below a 1.0 their first semester are academically dismissed.

First-year or transfer students who are placed on academic probation may be permitted an additional semester on probation if their QPA for the first probationary period exceeds 2.0. This means, for example, that if a student receives a 1.4 during the first semester and during the probationary period receives a 2.3, he or she will be granted another semester to raise the cumulative grade to a 2.0.

Students are subject to academic dismissal if their semester GPA falls below a 1.0. First-year students who fail to achieve at least 1.7 at the end of their second semester will be dismissed. Additionally, students who fail to meet the conditions of academic probation are subject to dismissal. The complete policy and procedure on academic probation and dismissal is located in the appendix.

Appeals

Students who are placed on academic probation or dismissal are notified in writing by the Registrar's Office. Dismissal letters are sent by certified mail. Students can appeal the dismissal by submitting a letter to their academic dean. This letter should indicate:

Reasons why the student felt he or she did not meet the necessary requirements;
Goals for improving academic standing;
Indication of a responsible attitude; and
Relevant documentation (medical records, obituaries, reports, etc.).

Incomplete Grades

Occasionally a student may need to request an "I" grade. This is generally the case due to an emergency or if the student becomes ill and cannot complete his or her coursework. An "I" grade indicates that the student did not complete the course but has committed to completing it. The student must negotiate this grade with his or her professor. Advise the student to meet with the professor and determine a suitable time frame for completion of the class. University policy states that the class must be completed by the end of the following semester or the "I" grade will be changed to an "F."

When a student agrees to accept an "I" grade, the student must understand that the following semester he or she will also have four or five new classes (depending upon what was scheduled) in addition to completing the class in which he or she received an "I." Therefore, this option should be reserved for extreme situations and with the knowledge that the student is capable of returning and completing the work. The advisor can help a student determine if a withdrawal may be more appropriate.

Taking a satisfactory/unsatisfactory (pass/fail) class

The satisfactory/unsatisfactory option is available for full-time students who have completed at least 30 credits at Shippensburg and who have earned at least a 2.5 GPA. Up to a maximum of three credits (or one four-credit course) per semester can be scheduled satisfactory/unsatisfactory. Students may schedule only a maximum of 10 credits using this option while at Shippensburg. Only courses outside of the student's major and/or minor may be scheduled with the satisfactory/unsatisfactory option.

To apply for this option, a copy of the student's class schedule must be presented to the Registrar's Office within the first two weeks of the semester. Students may adopt or rescind this option during the first two weeks. After two weeks, no changes may be made.

What is the benefit of taking a class satisfactory/unsatisfactory option?

Taking a satisfactory/unsatisfactory option enables academic risk-taking. Students who choose to take a class with this option may challenge themselves and take a course they would not normally consider. They are not pressured to earn a letter grade.

The satisfactory/unsatisfactory option also allows students to strategize academically. For example, a student may be concerned that a poor grade in a particular class could affect his or her GPA.