Policy and Procedure

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PURPOSE

The purpose of this Academic Operating Policy and Procedure (AOP) is to establish conditions for interrupting the pattern of unsatisfactory academic performance in undergraduate students who incur grade point deficiencies, thereby increasing the likelihood of their eventual academic success.

REVIEW

This AOP will be reviewed every four years (or whenever circumstances require an earlier review) by the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs (APAA) with recommendations for revision presented to the Provost and Executive Vice President.

POLICY/PROCEDURE

Students with a semester GPA of less than 2.0 who have attempted at least 24 hours of coursework at Mississippi State University AND who fail to meet the following MSU cumulative GPA requirements will be suspended.

This policy is effective Fall Semester 2004 for all first-time entering students with the notation below (i.e. students who have not established a Mississippi State University GPA prior to Fall 2004) and to all students who enroll thereafter. By Fall Semester 2008, this will apply to all students at Mississippi State University regardless of the semester they enrolled.

Up to Fall Semester 2008, all students with a GPA established at Mississippi State University prior to fall 2004 will be placed on suspension with the following GPA cutoffs: Seniors 1.9, Juniors 1.7, Sophomores 1.3, and Freshmen 1.0.

No student will be suspended for failing to achieve the required grade point average without first having had at least one semester of probationary notice (not necessarily the immediately preceding semester).

Academic suspension shall be for at least one regular (fall or spring) semester. For students suspended at the end of a spring semester, the suspension precludes enrollment in any summer school session as well as the following fall semester. The student will be readmitted on academic probation following the expiration of the first suspension.  A student who attends another university during a suspension from MSU must maintain a 2.0 GPA (calculated by MSU standards) on any transfer work. Students who fail to meet these criteria may be readmitted only on the recommendation of their dean and with the approval of the Provost. A student may continue in school during the second term of summer session, irrespective of his or her record during the first term.

A student who has already received an academic suspension who fails to earn a current GPA of 2.0 or higher, and who has less than the required MSU cumulative GPA, will be placed on academic dismissal. A student who receives an academic dismissal will not be automatically or routinely readmitted. In addition, readmission will not normally be considered until the student has been absent from the University for one calendar year. Based on a written petition by the student, the Executive Vice President or Provost for Academic Affairs may approve the readmission of an academically dismissed student only upon the recommendation of the academic dean of the college to which the student is seeking readmission. Application for readmission should be filed with the student’s Department Head no later than fifteen days prior to the first day of classes.

Appeal for a waiver of suspension or dismissal, because of unusual circumstances, should be made through the student’s academic dean to the Executive Vice President or Provost for Academic Affairs. No additional appeal beyond the Executive Vice President is possible.

*A level of 1.5 was applied for the Fall 2004, Spring 2005, and Summer 2005 semesters.

RESPONSIBILITIES

AOP 12.16
06/01/2010

For information about this policy, contact the responsible/reviewing department hyperlinked above.