ACADEMIC SUSPENSION POLICY

Scholastic Progress Standard

In order to monitor students' progress toward the baccalaureate degree, The University of Alabama employs the Scholastic Progress Standard (SPS), a set of regulations governing the scholastic standing of students. Notations concerning the SPS are entered on students' permanent records as appropriate. Students are held responsible for understanding and remembering the Scholastic Progress Standard. If clarification is needed, the Office of Academic Records and University Registrar will provide assistance.

The Scholastic Progress Standard sets the minimum required grade point average (for all work attempted at The University of Alabama) for freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior students. Students are advised that these are minimum GPA requirements for continuing at the University; to meet divisional graduation requirements, higher grade point averages may be needed.

Required Minimum GPA for Academic Work Attempted at The University of Alabama

Credit Hours Earned*		Required University of Alabama GPA
0-32		1.50
33-64		1.70
65-96		1.90
97 or more		2.00

*Includes transferred credit

Sample Calculation of GPA

Quality hours   enrolled in1	Grade   received	Grade points   awarded2	Quality hours   earned1
3	A	12.00	3
4	B-	10.68	4
3	F	0	0
3	C	6.00	3
3	D+	3.99	3
------		------	------
16		32.67	13

Calculation

Grade points ÷ Quality hours enrolled in = Grade point average
32.67 ÷ 16 = 2.04 GPA

¹Quality hours do not include courses graded "Pass."

²Grade points are assigned as follows: A+=4.33, A=4.0, A-=3.67, B+= 3.33, B=3.0, B-=2.67, C+=2.33, C=2.0, C-=1.67, D+=1.33, D=1.0, D-=.67, F=0, WF=0. The cumulative grade point average will not exceed 4.0.

Academic Probation and Academic Suspensions

1. Any student earning a grade point average (GPA) of less than 2.00 during his or her initial regular semester of full-time enrollment (excluding summer terms) shall be placed on academic probation.
2. Any student enrolled initially on a part-time basis who has a cumulative GPA below 2.00 upon the completion of 16 quality hours at The University of Alabama shall be placed on academic probation at the end of the academic term in which this first occurs.
3. Any student placed on academic probation for the first time shall be required to attend a mandatory probation conference with the designated representative(s) of his or her academic college within the first three weeks of the student's next term of enrollment. If the student seeks to enroll during the summer, the conference shall be scheduled within the first five days of the summer term.
4. Any student placed on academic probation shall remain on academic probation until such time as he or she is placed on academic suspension or achieves a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher for work attempted at The University of Alabama.
5. Any student who is placed on academic probation for the first time whose cumulative GPA is not below the Scholastic Progress Standard (SPS) but whose grade point average for the immediate following regular academic term is lower than the grade average for the term resulting in the initial academic probation shall be required to attend a mandatory probation conference with the designated representative(s) of his or her college prior to the beginning of the student's next term of enrollment.
6. Any student on academic probation who has never been suspended and who has a cumulative GPA below the applicable Scholastic Progress Standard (SPS) shall be suspended for a period of one regular academic semester (fall or spring) at the end of the academic term in which this first occurs. A student initially suspended at the end of the spring semester shall not be eligible to enroll in the immediate following summer term without a specific waiver from the dean of his or her college.

Appeals/Reinstatement and Readmission Following Initial Suspension

1. A student suspended for the first time may appeal the suspension to the academic dean of his or her college, and the dean (or his or her designee) may, on the basis of demonstrable extenuating circumstances, waive the term of active suspension and reinstate the student to that college for the immediate following academic term. Such appeals and reinstatements must be initiated prior to the first day of classes for the new academic term and according to published appeal dates. A waiver of the term of active suspension does not alter the fact of the suspension; for purposes of the student's academic record and subsequent academic status, it constitutes a first suspension.
2. A student suspended for the first time is automatically eligible for reinstatement in the college from which he or she was initially suspended following the regular academic semester of the active suspension. To be reinstated, the suspended student must notify the Office of Undergraduate Admissions of his or her intent in writing according to the procedures and related deadlines noted below.
3. A student suspended for the first time seeking to enroll in a UA college other than the one from which he or she was initially suspended following the regular academic semester of the active suspension may do so with the permission of the dean (or his or her designee) of the college in which the returning student wishes to enroll. The suspended student also must notify the Office of Undergraduate Admissions of his or her intent in writing according to the procedures and related deadlines noted below.
4. Any student reinstated following an initial suspension, whether or not the actual term of the suspension was waived by the dean of the college, is automatically continued on academic probation and subject to the rules and standards for second suspensions.
5. A student readmitted to The University of Alabama following one suspension must achieve a term GPA equal to or above the Scholastic Progress Standard for that semester (see the table above) of readmission, or he or she will be suspended indefinitely. A student suspended a second or subsequent time may appeal such suspension(s) to the dean of his or her college or school (or his or her designee). Such appeals must be initiated prior to the first day of classes for the new academic term and according to published appeal dates.

Reinstatement Procedures

1. Any student returning for the first regular academic term immediately following the semester of active suspension who has not been enrolled in any other institution of higher education following the suspension from The University of Alabama must complete and submit an intent to re-enroll form according to published procedures and deadlines.
2. Any student returning for the first regular academic term immediately following the semester of active suspension who is or has been enrolled in any other institution of higher education following the suspension from The University of Alabama must complete and submit an application for readmission including official transcripts from each such institution.
3. Any student returning for any academic term after the first regular academic term immediately following the semester of active suspension must complete and submit an application for readmission whether or not he or she is or has been enrolled in any other institution of higher education following the suspension from The University of Alabama. If the student is or has been enrolled elsewhere, he or she must provide official transcripts from each such institution with the application for readmission.

Second and Subsequent Suspensions

1. Appeals for second and subsequent suspensions involve a wide variety of individual circumstances and thus should be imposed by the respective academic deans on a discretionary basis but only within established parameters to assure equitable treatment across colleges.
2. With the exception of students readmitted under the academic second opportunity policy, a third suspension should be considered as a final suspension with reinstatement only on the recommendation of the dean of the college to which the suspended student seeks readmission and the approval of the Office for Academic Affairs.
3. Second and subsequent suspensions are based on a student's term-by-term academic performance following his or her reinstatement. A reinstated student who earns a semester GPA of 2.0 or higher will be permitted to continue in good standing regardless of his or her cumulative GPA. A student who has been suspended once and then earns a semester GPA of less than 2.0 but not less than the applicable Scholastic Progress Standard will be continued on academic probation.
4. A student who has been suspended once may be suspended for a second time for a period of at least one regular academic semester but not more than one academic calendar year in the following circumstances:
   • The student is on academic probation and earns a semester GPA below the applicable scholastic progress standard.
   • The student earns a semester GPA of less than 2.0 for three consecutive academic terms.

   A third academic suspension may be imposed under the same circumstances with a minimum duration of at least one full year.