Undergraduate Academic Eligibility Policy
In March 2019 the Undergraduate Council (UGC) received a proposal from the Office of Student Success & Retention Innovation (SSRI) to replace the Academic Standing, Progress, Probation & Disqualification Policy with an Academic Eligibility Policy focused on retention that would provide more academic support to undergraduates who exhibit signs of academic distress. In response to faculty and advisor feedback, the proposed terminology and delivery of academic interventions were reconsidered, and the policy proposal was revised. The revised version was approved by the UGC on April 9 and by the Faculty Senate on May 6. The new policy applies to all enrolled undergraduate students as of Fall 2019.
Approved Undergraduate Academic Eligibility Policy (replacing the Academic Standing, Progress, Probation & Disqualification Policy)
Academic eligibility is the ability to enroll in courses at the University of Arizona; it is automatically calculated at the end of each enrolled term and/or when course grades are posted. The policy is designed to help undergraduates stay on track for degree completion at the University of Arizona.
There are five (5) academic statuses related to a student's eligibility to enroll in courses.
Eligible
All new undergraduate students begin with a status of Eligible (i.e., good academic standing);
Students must earn and maintain a 2.00 or higher cumulative GPA to continue in Eligible status;
Students with a status of Eligible may enroll in courses.
Academic Warning
Warning status occurs when an undergraduate who was previously Eligible does not earn a 2.00 or higher cumulative GPA;
Students with a status of Academic Warning may enroll in courses; however, they will be contacted by their college or school and required to complete an intervention;
Students who begin a semester/term with a status of Academic Warning and earn a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or above at the end of the semester/term will return to Eligible status.
Academic Probation
Probation status occurs when a student who begins a semester/term on Academic Warning does not earn a 2.00 or higher cumulative GPA at the end of the semester/term;
Students with a status of Academic Probation may enroll in courses; however, they will be required to participate in an intervention developed in partnership with each college or school and the University's Student Success & Retention Innovation program;
Students who begin a semester/term with a status of Academic Probation and earn a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or above at the end of the semester/term will return to Eligible status.
Ineligible
Ineligible status occurs when an undergraduate student who begins a semester/term on Academic Probation does not earn a 2.00 or higher cumulative GPA at the end of the semester/term;
Students with a status of Ineligible may not enroll in courses; however, they may submit an appeal (usually for extenuating circumstances) requesting an additional semester/term of Academic Probation status;
If an appeal is granted, a student may enroll in courses but must complete requirements stipulated in the appeal decision, such as taking fewer units, using specific campus resources, and/or creating an academic action plan.
Academic Review
Review status occurs when a student earns a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or above (i.e., good academic standing), but has a semester GPA of less than a 2.00.
Students with a status of Academic Review will be contacted by their college or school to determine if they need assistance to improve their GPA the next semester/term.
These five academic statuses determine eligibility to enroll in courses at the University; however, they do not determine eligibility to enroll in specific programs, schools, or colleges.
Standards for specific programs, schools, and colleges are determined by each program, school, or college. After the second enrolled term, programs, schools, and colleges may require a Major Change or a School/College Change, if sufficient academic progress has not been made in the current major. Students with a Major Change will work with their school or college to determine a new academic program within their college. Students with a College Change will be directed to the Academic Advising Center in the Colleges of Letters, Arts & Sciences (CLAS) where academic advisors help students select courses, consider alternative degree programs (majors), or discuss the appeal process.
An undergraduate student’s eligibility to enroll in courses does not ensure satisfactory academic progress for financial aid purposes. Students who receive financial aid should consult directly with the Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid.
Justification for the New Policy:
A revised policy for academic eligibility will improve the student experience by providing more detailed information about academic performance expectations.
This policy acknowledges that many students face challenges in their first semester and could benefit from intensive, college-based support during an Academic Warning period before they find themselves on Academic Probation.
College-based interventions or those in partnership with the University's Student Success & Retention Innovation (SSRI) Program may be sufficient for a student to return to Eligible Status (i.e., good academic standing).
Implementation and Management of the Policy:
The communication and intervention responsibilities for Academic Probation will not change.
Colleges will be responsible for communicating with students on Academic Warning and Academic Review and will provide the communication and intervention they deem appropriate.
The appeal process (an option for students on Ineligible Status) will be developed over the next few months by a task force with representatives from colleges offering undergraduate programs. The task force will determine the best way to implement the appeal process. It could be a college-specific or a shared process, depending on recommendations of the task force.
A student's academic status will be posted in UAccess, but student notifications will come from the colleges, not from a centralized office.
The $100 academic recovery fee will be discontinued as of 2019-2020. There will be one more year of funds from this fee – those collected in 2018-2019.
Colleges may submit funding requests to the SSRI for a portion of the academic recovery fee in 2019-20, and for funds from another source thereafter. Even though the fee will be discontinued, SSRI will use another source of funds to cover college requests.
UITS and the Registrar’s Office have agreed to make the necessary UAccess system and process changes in keeping with the new policy, by the end of the Fall 2019 Semester.
Questions about the Academic Eligibility Policy should be addressed to Cynthia Demetriou, Associate Vice Provost, Student Success & Retention Innovation, at 621-4306, or cpd@email.arizona.edu.