CREDIT AND GPA STANDARDS

STUDENT COURSE LOAD

A normal load is 16 hours per semester. A student must carry 12 semester hours to be full-time. Full-time tuition covers 12 through 19 semester hours. A student who wishes to carry more than 19 semester hours may request permission to overload by petitioning the Assistant Provost for Academic Services. The 20th semester hour triggers the first per-semester hour overload charge, with each additional semester hour generating the same per-semester hour fee.

MINIMUM CREDITS REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION

The unit of academic credit at Wittenberg is the semester hour. A candidate for a degree must, as part of the graduation requirements, pass a minimum of 130 semester hours depending upon the degree program and major. A normal academic program consists of 16 semester hours per semester.

STATUS OF STUDENTS: DEFINITION OF TERMS

Academic Dismissal

The permanent record of a student who has been dismissed from the University and who is not readmitted will be stamped Academic Dismissal. Notice of academic dismissal is printed on the permanent record and the details are specified in a letter from the University.

Disciplinary Probation

Students who because of personal conduct problems are permitted to continue only under specified conditions are designated as being on Disciplinary Probation. No entry is made on the permanent academic record. An appropriate notation is made in the students’ personal file.

Disciplinary Suspension

Students whose disciplinary problems warrant a Disciplinary Suspension are notified in writing, after a hearing and due process, by the Dean of Students. The letter specifies detail such as the minimum number of semesters of suspension from enrollment.

Good Academic Standing

See Standards of Academic Progress.

Satisfactory Progress

A student is identified as making satisfactory progress towards a Wittenberg degree when enrolled full time (at least 12 semester hours per semester), and continuing towards graduation within the context of a four-year undergraduate program. 

STANDARDS OF ACADEMIC PROGRESS
(By Faculty action, February 7, 1995)

Students are advised to complete 25 percent (32 to 33 semester hours) of the requirements in academic courses for the degree during each academic year. To meet acceptable academic standards, the student regularly enrolled as a degree candidate must accomplish the following:

• Achieve a minimum cumulative grade-point average of
  
  • 1.667 at the end of the first semester,
  • 1.750 at the end of the second semester,
  • 1.850 at the end of the third semester, and
  • 2.000 at the end of the fourth semester and thereafter.

Note: The Board of Academic Standards may send informal letters of warning or concern to students when the grade-point average or status shows signs of falling below acceptable levels.  

• At the end of the fourth semester and each semester thereafter, maintain a grade-point average of 2.000 or better.
• Earn at least:
  
  • 24 semester hours by the end of the second semester,
  • 52 semester hours by the end of the fourth semester, and
  • 80 semester hours by the end of the sixth semester.

Note: This rate of accumulating successfully completed semester hours is a minimum standard and, if followed, requires nine to 10 semesters of acceptable academic work to meet the expectations for graduation.   

DEAN’S LIST
(By Faculty action, February 7, 1995 - Amended to Summer Dean’s List - March 16, 1999)

At the end of each fall and spring semester, a Dean’s List announces the names of students who have earned a grade point average of at least 3.500 for a minimum of 12 graded semester hours. A traditional student is also eligible for the Dean’s List if, over the summer school sessions, he or she completes 12 or more graded semester hours with a GPA (greater or equal to ) 3.5. Further, students so honored may not have received a grade of F, NC (No Credit), or I for the semester and may not have been under disciplinary probation or suspension any time during the semester.

ACADEMIC PROBATION

A student is placed on academic probation when judged to be making less than satisfactory progress toward graduation:

• When the semester grade-point average or the cumulative grade point average falls below stated minimums.
• When the rate of course completion falls below stated minimums.

A student is removed from academic probation when the semester and cumulative grade-point averages and the rate of course completion reach stated minimums. A student on academic probation may not receive a letter of good academic standing from the university. 

Any student on academic probation must have the academic adviser’s approval prior to adding, changing, or withdrawing from a class. Further, the student is to meet at least twice (in addition to the pre-registration conference) with the academic adviser during the semester to discuss current academic work and related matters. The adviser reports the nature of the discussion and recommendations considered to the Board of Academic Standards using the appropriate form. The forms are initially sent to the student, who is to take them to the adviser.

ACADEMIC SUSPENSION

Academic suspension occurs at the end of an academic year (except in the case of disregard of academic standards and responsibilities and failing to meet stipulations set forth by the Board) and involves the involuntary and immediate withdrawal of the student from Wittenberg University for at least one full semester. A student is suspended as a result of any one of the following circumstances:

• A student fails to make sufficient progress toward meeting graduation requirements after being on probation for two or more consecutive semesters.
• Grave academic difficulty during the first year may not be known until the end of the second semester. In such cases, the Board of Academic Standards may decide to suspend a student when the extent of academic deficiency warrants this action.
• Failing to meet stipulations set by the Board. A suspension for a failure to meet stipulations may occur at the end of any semester.
• For  disregard of academic standards and responsibilities, defined here as earning a grade-point average below 1.000 for any semester, the Board of Academic Standards determines the status of the student after a review of the student’s grades for the current semester and previous semesters and of the reports of the student’s instructors. A suspension for gross academic disregard may occur at the end of any semester.

APPEAL OF THE ACADEMIC SUSPENSION

·        

The Board of Academic Standards does consider a timely letter of appeal from the academically suspended student but reverses its decision only when presented with new evidence of significant mitigating circumstances. The letter of appeal is to be typewritten and no more than two pages in length; it may include additional supportive information or give a corrective devised by the student. The Assistant Provost for Academic Services provides information regarding the appeal process. Should the appeal of academic suspension be granted, the Board of Academic Standards stipulates a course of action specific to the student for the successful completion of future academic work. Should it be denied, the student may appeal further, but only in writing, to the Provost.

·        

The communication to the Provost must demonstrate that the appeal did not receive a fair and an impartial hearing.

READMISSION AFTER ACADEMIC SUSPENSION

·     

A student suspended for academic reasons may be re-admitted on probationary status after being away for at least one full semester (excluding summer semester) by filing an application for re-admission with the Director of Admission. A student on academic suspension may not receive a letter of good standing. It is the responsibility of the student to determine the readiness to return and accomplish academic work. The re-admitted student must strive toward being removed from the status of academic probation and must meet with minimal expectation of completing at least 12 semester hours with a semester grade-point average of 2.0.

·     

To be readmitted a student must:

•  
  
  1. Submit a petition to the Board of Academic Standards, prior to the semester the student wishes to return, requesting that they be reinstated to Wittenberg and outlining their plan for successfully accomplishing academic work. Petitions may be submitted between October 1 and December 1 for spring reinstatement and between June 1 and August 1 for fall reinstatement.
  2. Provide information about how the student used their time during the period of suspension, i.e., job, volunteer work, course work, or a combination thereof. Students may transfer in a maximum of 8 semester hours taken during the suspension period. Students are encouraged to consult with the Registrar prior to registering for courses to be taken while suspended from Wittenberg.
  3. Provide supporting materials including:
            
     

     a)     

     a transcript for any coursework taken during the suspension period and/or
            

     b)     

     a reference letter from a supervisor (for work or volunteer experience undertaken during this time) and/or a faculty member.
            

     c)     

     documentation of the successful completion of any other stipulations placed on the student by the Board.

ACADEMIC DISMISSAL

If a student suspended by the Board of Academic Standards  is readmitted, continues to remain on academic probation and subsequently becomes liable for suspension a second time, academic dismissal results. Academic dismissal is a permanent separation from the University.