Starting with the Fall 2013 semester, the new undergraduate student Academic Standing policy is in effect. Please see below for information about the policy. To read the policy as listed in the undergraduate catalog, please click here.
What factors impact academic standing?
Academic standing is not just about grade point average (GPA), but also includes a measure of your completion ratio for a semester.
What is a completion ratio?
The completion ratio is the percentage of classes that you successfully completed out of the classes that you were registered for in a given semester. Any course that has a W, X, I, F, or U grade is considered a non-completion. You must complete 67% or more of your courses.
Formula: Credit Hours Completed / Credit Hours Attempted = Completion Ratio
What is considered ‘good standing’?
At the undergraduate level, good academic standing means that the student has a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.
Academic Warning
What is Academic Warning?
You are placed on academic warning only once if either
- You are a first semester student and your GPA is below 2.0
- You have not completed 67% or more of your classes, and this is your first semester ever that you have not been in Good Academic Standing.
Will academic warning be on my transcript?
An academic warning notation will display in CampusNet on your unofficial transcript only. Official transcripts will not display a standing of academic warning.
Academic Probation
What is Academic Probation?
You are placed on academic probation when your Cumulative GPA is below 2.0 and/or you have not completed 67% or more of your classes. Please note that if this is your first semester, and are identified by GPA, then you are on warning, not probation.
How will I know I’m on probation?
At the end of a semester, the Registrar’s office will process academic standing to determine all student standings. If you are on probation, you will receive an email communication that you are on probation.
Will academic probation be on my transcript?
Yes, the probation notation will display on your unofficial and official transcripts.
Can you register for classes when you are on academic probation?
Yes. When you are on probation, you are still an active student and are eligible to register. You are encouraged to meet with your academic advisor to discuss your registration.
How long can I stay on academic probation?
Academic probation may be continued for one additional semester if the student earns a semester grade-point average of 3.00 but the cumulative grade point average remains below 2.00.
The student will return to good standing if he/she earns a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.0 and successfully completes 67% or more of the credits attempted.
How do I get off academic probation?
To get off probation, you must meet the minimum academic requirements set by the University, which is a 2.0 cumulative GPA and complete 67% or more of your courses.
How will being on academic probation affect my financial aid and scholarships?
Financial Aid Eligibility is based on Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), which closely resembles the academic standing criteria. If you are placed on academic probation, you should contact a Financial Aid specialist to discuss your aid and scholarship situation. See Financial Aid's Satisfactory Academic Progress policy for more information.
Does being placed on academic probation mean that I can’t participate in off-campus, extracurricular or co-curricular activities?
It may. Many of these programs do set minimum academic standards for participation. You will need to check with individual programs and organizations about your eligibility.
Academic Suspension
What is Academic Suspension?
You are academically suspended when your previous semester was academic probation and you remain below a cumulative GPA of 2.0 and/or you have not completed 67% or more of your classes. The only exception is if you achieve a semester GPA of above 3.0 and complete 67% or more of your classes, you are eligible for continued probation.
Once academically suspended, you are required to sit out for 2 consecutive semesters and must petition the College of your major to return. If you have earned below 60 hours, you may opt to petition to return to Exploratory.
How will I know I’m suspended?
At the end of a semester, the Registrar’s office will process academic standing to determine all student standings. If you are suspended, you will receive both an email communication and a letter indicating that you are suspended.
Will academic suspension be on my transcript?
Yes, the suspension notation will display on your unofficial and official transcripts.
What happens when you are academically suspended?
When you are suspended, you are removed from all future enrollment and your record is made inactive. You are required to sit out for 2 consecutive semesters before petitioning to return to the University.
How does the readmission process work?
Readmission is a lot like applying to college, though in this case information is sought about what the student has done to make him- or herself academically successful upon return. In general, students are encouraged to wait a year before they request readmission. Our experience has been that students who come back before they are ready often lapse into the same habits that got them into academic trouble in the first place. Because a readmitted student’s previous grades are still part of the transcript, he or she needs to return as a much better student, in order to make up for previous lapses.
If I’ve been placed on academic suspension, can I get into another university?
It is possible, but it is getting increasingly difficult. Many universities are becoming less willing to accept students who have been suspended from another university, even if they are only applying to be part-time students.
If you are thinking of applying to another university, be open about your situation at CSU. Other universities do understand these situations and may make arrangements for you to attend; however, they do not like to be surprised by discovering that a student they have accepted as a transfer has actually been suspended by another institution.
I’ve been on probation at CSU before; will I get suspended right away?
You may. If your previous semester placed you on probation, and you do not achieve the GPA or completion percentage to achieve good standing, you will be placed on Academic Suspension.
Academic Separation
What is Academic Separation?
You are academically separated when you are academically suspended for the second time. Academic separation is a permanent dismissal from the University.
How will I know I’m separated?
At the end of a semester, the Registrar’s office will process academic standing to determine all student standings. If you are separated, you will receive both an email communication and a letter indicating that you are separated.
Will academic separation be on my transcript?
Yes, the separation notation will display on your unofficial and official transcripts.
What happens when you are academically separated?
When you are separated, you are removed from all future enrollment and your record is made inactive. This is a permanent action as you are restricted from returning to the University.
General Questions
What’s the difference between academic probation, academic suspension and academic warning?
Students are placed on academic warning only once if either
- You are a first semester student and your GPA is below 2.0
- You have not completed 67% or more of your classes, and this is your first semester ever that you have not been in Good Academic Standing.
Students are placed on academic probation when their academic performance fails to meet standards set by the University. Consequently, the Committee on Academic Standing places these students on probation as a way of officially notifying them that their performance must improve. Usually, when the committee places a student on probation, it sets conditions, such as a specific minimum grade point average for the upcoming semester, which must be met in order to continue at Cleveland State University. If these conditions aren’t met, the student risks academic suspension.
Academic suspension is a more serious action the Committee on Academic Standing takes. Students who are suspended are no longer eligible to continue at Cleveland State University. They may only return to CSU by petitioning the college of their major after sitting out 2 consecutive semesters.
Can I appeal my standing?
No, academic standing is a point in time designation, and depicts how you completed the semester. Sitting out at least 2 semesters, prior to petitioning to return, is customary. In exceptional cases, a petition to return early may be submitted.
How does being placed on academic suspension or academic separation affect my financial aid and scholarships? Will I need to repay loans immediately?
Suspended students will, of course, stop receiving financial aid and they may need to contact organizations through which they have scholarships in order to stop receiving payments. Failure to do so might be considered fraud. There are various conditions for starting loan repayment. If you are suspended, you should discuss your financial situation with the Financial Aid Office. If you return to CSU through the readmission process, you may be able to resume your financial aid and scholarship, but this isn’t always guaranteed. Part of the readmission process involves reapplying for financial aid. Contact the Financial Aid Office for more information.