Probation and Suspension

Minimum Academic Standards. Students must meet minimum academic standards in work completed at SWT. Those who fail to do so are placed on academic probation or academic suspension, as appropriate. In determining whether a student is placed on probation or suspension, only grades earned at SWT will count.

Academic Probation. Academic probation is an emphatic warning that the quality of the student's work has not met the university's minimum academic standards and that the quality must improve during the probationary semester in order for the student to continue at SWT. A student will be placed on academic probation at the end of the fall or spring semester in which the SWT GPA is less than 2.00. A student will be removed from academic probation at the end of any long term or summer term if the SWT GPA is 2.00 or higher.

Students placed on academic probation must raise their SWT GPA during the first probationary semester, e.g., if a student is placed on academic probation because the SWT GPA has fallen to 1.85, at the end of the first probationary semester the SWT GPA must be 1.86 or higher, or the student will be placed on first academic suspension. If the student raises the SWT GPA at the end of the first probationary semester, but it is still less than 2.00, the student may continue for a second probationary semester. If the SWT GPA is still less than 2.00 at the end of the second probationary semester, the student will be placed on first academic suspension.

Policies Governing First Academic Suspension. A first academic suspension will be for the first long semester following placement on academic suspension. Appeals for reinstatement, based on extenuating circumstances, may be made prior to the Monday of registration week to the student's school dean, who will render a decision on the matter. A student suspended from one school of the university may not be reinstated by the dean of another undergraduate school. Deans may, at their discretion, impose conditions regarding course load limits, work load limits, counseling, etc. If the dean denies reinstatement, the student may then appeal to the Suspension Appeals Committee. If reinstatement is allowed, the suspension notation will remain on the student's transcript. The transcript will also show "Reinstated for ___ , Enters on Academic Probation."

Unless other special conditions are imposed by the dean or the Suspension Appeals Committee, students granted reinstatement and re-admitted on academic probation, must raise their SWT GPA at the end of the first probationary semester or be placed on academic suspension. If students raise their SWT GPA at the end of the first probationary semester, but it remains below 2.00, they may continue their studies for a second probationary semester. Students must raise their SWT GPA to at least 2.00 by the end of the second probationary semester, or they will be placed on second academic suspension.

In addition to any special conditions imposed by the dean or the Suspension Appeals Committee, students must meet the conditions under "Academic Probation" explained above. At the end of the second probationary semester, if the SWT GPA is less than 2.00, the student will be placed on second academic suspension.

Students who are placed on first academic suspension from SWT at the end of the spring semester will be reinstated by the registrar on first-semester probation for the following fall semester if they (1) attend both summer terms at SWT, (2) pass nine semester hours, and (3) earn a 2.00 GPA on all work attempted in both terms or the student will be removed from probation if the SWT GPA is 2.00 or greater at the end of the second summer term.

Readmission Following a First Academic Suspension. Students who re-enter the university following an academic suspension do so on academic probation. For specific regulations, refer to paragraph on "Academic Probation" on the previous page. If the SWT GPA is not raised at the end of the first probationary semester, or is less than 2.00 at the end of the second probationary semester, the student will be placed on second academic suspension.

Policies Governing Second Academic Suspension. Students who fail to meet the minimum academic standards defined above will be placed on academic suspension for a second time, for a period of two calendar years. If there are extenuating circumstances, students may appeal prior to the Monday of registration week to the appropriate school dean for reinstatement. If reinstatement is denied, students may then appeal to the Suspension Appeals Committee. If the appeal is approved, students may return to SWT on academic probation, subject to special conditions imposed by the dean or the Suspension Appeals Committee regarding course load limits, work load limits, counseling, etc. If reinstatement is allowed, the suspension notation will remain on the student's transcript, which will also show "Reinstated for ___, Enters on Academic Probation." In addition to any special conditions imposed by the dean or the Suspension Appeals Committee, students must meet the conditions under "Academic Probation" explained previously. At the end of the second probationary semester, if the SWT GPA is less than 2.00, the student will be placed on academic suspension.

Readmission Following a Second Academic Suspension. At the end of the two-year period for a second academic suspension, students may apply for re-admission to SWT.

Effect of Suspension on Correspondence or Extension Courses. While on suspension, students may complete a correspondence course in which they enrolled prior to suspension. Students may not enroll in an extension or correspondence course from the university while on suspension.

Registering at Another Institution During Suspension. Students who have been placed on academic suspension are not prohibited from registering at another institution; however, such academic work will not change the GPA used for calculating probation and suspension, since only those grades earned at SWT are calculated in determining probation-suspension status. Students who enroll for 30 or more semester hours at another institution while on suspension from SWT will be considered transfer students if they return and will be required to have a 2.25 GPA in that work for re-admission.

Exceptions. Cases in which the circumstances are not covered by the above regulations shall be handled at the discretion of the Director of Admission and the school dean.