Academic Warning, Suspension & Probation

SAP is a policy that was created to encourage students to advance steadily and successfully towards the completion of their degrees. By looking at your GPA and completion rate as indicators, SMSU identifies students who may be at risk. (https://catalog.smsu.edu/student-handbook/academic-information/satisfactory-academic-progress/)

Undergraduate students and graduate students must complete at least 66.67% of their cumulative attempted credits. Undergraduate students with 1-29 attempted credits need a 1.6 or higher cumulative GPA. Undergraduate students with 30-59 attempted credits need a 1.8 or higher cumulative GPA. Undergraduate students with 60+ attempted credits need a 2.0 or higher cumulative GPA. Graduate students need a 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA. *These cumulative standards are also the semester standards for students who are not on probation* (https://catalog.smsu.edu/student-handbook/academic-information/satisfactory-academic-progress/)

All degree-seeking, non-degree seeking, graduate, international, and PSEO students are held to SAP standards. For transfer students new to SMSU, your credit from your previous academic institution(s) will impact your completion rate but not your GPA. Calculation of SAP is not dependent on a declared major and will not change if you change your major. (https://catalog.smsu.edu/student-handbook/academic-information/satisfactory-academic-progress/)

You’ll need to use your transcript to check your SAP. You can get your unofficial transcript in E-Services. To calculate completion rate, take the number of total earned credits and divide it by the total number of attempted credits; note that completion rate includes transfer credits. Attempted credits are those which you receive a letter grade, or grade of I, IP, CR, NC, W, NA, or FQ. Use your last calculated cumulative GPA and compare that with the SAP GPA requirement based on the total number of credits attempted as of that same semester. Courses in which you receive a letter grade, NA, or FQ are used in calculating your GPA. If you choose to repeat a course, the best grade will be the one used for calculation in GPA, but each time you repeat the course it will count towards your attempted credits. If grades are not yet posted for the semester you are currently enrolled in, you can use the SMSU GPA calculator to estimate your semester GPA and factor that into your cumulative GPA. (https://www.smsu.edu/campuslife/registrationrecords/gpa-calculator.html)

SAP is calculated at the end of each semester. Students are notified via their SMSU email address if they are placed on academic warning or academic suspension and instructed on the next steps in the SAP process.

Academic warning means that you fell below one or both of the cumulative SAP standards. If you meet both, you will come off of academic warning and be back in good academic standing. During the semester in which you are on academic warning, you’ll work towards meeting both the semester and cumulative SAP criteria. If you meet the semester standards, but it doesn’t bring your cumulative GPA and/or completion rate above the cumulative criteria, you will continue on academic warning. If you don’t meet the semester standards, you will be put on academic suspension. If you are on academic warning, you can still register and enroll in classes, participate in activities/athletics, live in the dorms, and receive financial aid. You will work with the Assistant Director of Student Success in the Deeann Griebel Student Success Center to discuss your SAP criteria and create a success plan.

Academic suspension means that while you were on academic warning or probation, you didn’t meet both the semester and cumulative SAP standards. While you are suspended, you are not able to register for or be enrolled in classes, participate in activities/athletics, live in the dorms, or receive financial aid.

There are two ways for your academic suspension to end: you can sit out two full academic semesters (summer does count), or you can request an academic appeal for a chance to be reinstated.

The appeal process is outlined in the academic suspension letter that you receive through US mail. Appeals take place in January for the spring semester, May for the summer semester, June for the fall semester (for students who were suspended after spring), and August for the fall semester (for students who were suspended after summer). Students can choose to do an in-person, virtual, or written appeal; you are strongly encouraged to appeal in-person or virtually rather than in writing. This gives you a better chance to share your story and explain circumstances that caused your academic hardships. You will complete an academic appeals questionnaire that will be reviewed by the appeals committee prior to your meeting with the appeals committee; if you are doing a written appeal, this is the only document you will need to submit. The appeals committee will deliberate and vote to determine if you are reinstated. It is common for the appeals committee to make recommendations such as a credit limit for the next semester, courses to take to improve your completion rate and GPA, or resources on campus to utilize. If you are appealing in person or virtually, you will get the results of your appeal that day. If you are doing a written appeal, your results will be sent through US mail or you may elect to receive them via SMSU email.

https://www.smsu.edu/administration/academicdeans/academicappeals.html

If the appeals committee voted to reinstate you, that means you are able to return for the next academic semester under a probationary academic status. Students returning on academic probation must meet higher standards than the normal semester and cumulative SAP standards. Students on academic probation need a 2.1 or higher GPA each semester and need to achieve a 70% completion on attempted credits each semester. As long as you meet these criteria, you will stay on academic probation until your cumulative GPA and cumulative completion rate exceed the normal cumulative SAP standards. You will work with the Assistant Director of Student Success in the Deeann Griebel Student Success Center to discuss your SAP criteria and create a success plan. Your SMSU record will be updated, and you will then be able to meet with your academic advisor to register for classes. If you had been receiving financial aid and are hoping to continue using financial aid, you will need to contact the Financial Aid Office to appeal your financial aid suspension.

https://www.smsu.edu/resources/webspaces/campuslife/financialaid/fy24_sap-appeal-form_ada-1.pdf

If the appeals committee denied your appeal and you have waited two (or more) semesters, or if you chose not to appeal and waited out two (or more) semesters, you are eligible to be readmitted to SMSU. You can complete the digital Readmission Form. Your readmission application will be reviewed, and you will be reinstated on academic probation. This means that you will need to meet the 2.1 or higher semester GPA and 70% semester completion rate each semester until your cumulative GPA and cumulative completion rate exceed the cumulative SAP standards. You will work with the Assistant Director of Student Success in the Deeann Griebel Student Success Center to discuss your SAP criteria and create a success plan. Your SMSU record will be updated, and you will then be able to meet with your academic advisor to register for classes. This readmission pertains only to your academic suspension; if you are hoping to use financial aid, you will need to work with the Financial Aid Office to appeal your financial aid suspension.

• Re-Admit Form
• https://www.smsu.edu/resources/webspaces/campuslife/financialaid/fy24_sap-appeal-form_ada-1.pdf

You can get off of academic probation two ways: by surpassing the cumulative SAP requirements and going back into good academic standing, or by failing to meet the semester probation standards and being placed back on academic suspension. Students will continue on academic probation as long as they are meeting the semester probation standards but have not achieved the semester SAP standards.

Beginning fall 2021, developmental courses will still be used in SAP GPA calculations, but will no longer be used in SAP completion rate calculations.