Academic Progress Standards

Standards of Progress Policy

Students must comply with the Academic Standards of Progress in order to remain in good standing at the College. To graduate, the College requires the student to achieve a grade-point average (GPA) of 2.0 on all course work attempted. Since students entering the college may have different levels of academic preparedness, the Standards of Progress are graduated and based on the credit hours of course work attempted. The Standards of Academic Progress are summarized below:

Students who have attempted 12 to 21 credit hours must maintain a 1.50 cumulative GPA.
Students who have attempted 22 to 32 credit hours must maintain a 1.75 cumulative GPA.
Students who have attempted 33 or more credit hours must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA.

TABLE 1 - REQUIRED CUMULATIVE GPA LEVELS
Hours Attempted	GPA Required	Successful Status	UnSuccessful Status
12-21 Credit Hours	1.50	Clear	Probation
22-32 Credit Hours	1.75	Clear	Probation
33 or More Hours	2.00	Clear	Probation

Table 1: Required Cumulative GPA Levels, defines the consequence of failure to comply with the Standards of Academic Progress. Students who meet or exceed the Standards of Academic Progress are defined as having a Clear Academic Status.

Academic Probation

At the conclusion of any academic term, those students who have not met the minimum Academic Standards of Progress are placed on Academic Probation. Academic Probation is a warning that is intended to put the individual student on notice that his/her academic performance has fallen below the Academic Standards of Progress as summarized in Table 2. If the student wishes to continue and eventually graduate, the condition that caused the Academic Probation must be satisfied and the student must return to Clear Academic Status. Table 2, Academic Probation, defines what the student must accomplish in order to attain clear academic status. A transfer student admitted with less than a 2.0 overall GPA is automatically placed on Academic Probation for their first semester.

TABLE 2 - ACADEMIC PROBATION
Required GPA Not Achieved, but Current Semester GPA 2.0 or over	Required GPA Not Achieved, and Current Semester GPA under 2.0
Academic Probation Continues	Suspension for One Semester (May be Appealed)

Academic Suspension for One Semester

In order for a student on Academic Probation to clear probation, his/her cumulative GPA must meet the standard outlined in Table 2, Required Cumulative GPA Level. A student on academic probation whose academic performance during the next semester is 2.0 or higher but the cumulative GPA is not sufficient to allow that student to meet the Academic Standards of Progress is allowed to continue enrollment but will remain on academic probation. A student whose academic performance during the next semester is below 2.0 will be placed on suspension for one semester. After the one semester suspension, the student is allowed to return in Academic Probation status. A student who feels that extenuating circumstances resulted in his/her poor academic performance has the right to appeal the academic suspension. Table 3, Suspension for One Term, summarizes the appeal process.

TABLE 3 - SUSPENSION FOR ONE SEMESTER
Student Action	Student Status	Status Upon Readmission
No Appeal Filed	Serves Suspension	Academic Probation
Appeal Successful	Readmitted	Academic Probation

TABLE 4 - READMISSION AFTER HAVING BEEN SUSPENDED ONE SEMESTER
Required GPA for Hours Attempted Not Achieved, but Current term GPA 2.0	Required GPA for Hours Attempted Not Achieved, but Current Semester GPA 2.0
Student Remains on Academic Probation	Student Suspended for One Year. (This suspension may be appealed, and,if succesful, the student will be readmited on Academic Probation. If appeal is unsuccessful, student serves suspension and will be readmitted on academic probation.)

Academic Suspension for One Calendar Year

A student readmitted after having served a one-semester suspension, or whose period of suspension was successfully appealed, will be subject to a one calendar year suspension if their semester GPA falls
below 2.0. If the student's semester GPA is 2.0 or higher, but the cumulative GPA remains below 2.0, the student's enrollment status will remain Academic Probation. (see Table 4, Readmission After Having Been Suspended One Term). A student who feels that extenuating circumstances resulted in his/her poor academic performance has the right to appeal the academic suspension.

Appeal of Academic Suspension

A student who is suspended for one semester or one calendar year may request consideration for readmission by submitting a letter outlining extenuating circumstances resulting in poor academic performance. The letter must be submitted to the Campus Director of Student Services no later than the day of regular registration of the requested readmission term. Appeals submitted after registration day will not be considered until the next academic term. The Director of Student Services will immediately notify the Campus Dean of the request for readmission. The Campus Dean will convene an academic appeals committee consisting of three members (at least two faculty) on the day classes begin for the term to review the student's petition for readmission. The Campus Dean will attempt to notify the student by phone with the Committee's decision. An official letter stating the commmittee's decision will be mailed to the student. This letter, along with any supporting materials presented by the student, will be placed in the student's official record file.

If the student disagrees with the committee's decision, a written appeal may be submitted immediately to the Dean of Instruction. The Dean of Instruction will make the final decision, either confirming or reversing the committee's recommendation no later than noon on the last scheduled day of late registration. The Dean of Instruction will attempt to notify the student by phone of the final decision. An official letter stating the decision will also be mailed to the student. If the student's petition for readmission is denied at all levels, the student must serve the remainder of the suspension (one-term or one-year).

If the committee determines to allow the student readmission without serving the period of suspension, the transcript will read "Suspended One Semester (or One Calendar Year)/Readmitted Upon Appeal." The student is readmitted on Academic Probation.

NOTE: Title IV financial assistance recipients must meet additional academic progress requirements, which are outlined in the financial assistance brochure.

NOTE: Title IV financial assistance recipients who are readmitted upon appeal must also appeal to the Financial Assistance Committee for reinstatement of financiall awards.

Intervention for Student Success

When a student is placed on academic probation, one-term academic suspension, or one calendar-year academic suspension, College officials may provide intervention for the student by taking steps including, but not limited to, imposing maximum course load limits, recommending a study skills course, and/or prescribing other specific courses.

ACADEMIC BANKRUPTCY

A student must complete an Academic Bankruptcy request form and submit it to the Assistant to the Dean of Students-Admissions to declare Academic Bankruptcy under the following conditions (see Table 5, Academic Bankruptcy):

If fewer than three (3) calendar years have passed since the semester for which academic bankruptcy is requested, and the student has taken at least 18 semester hours at Bevill State since the bankruptcy semester, bankruptcy will apply to all course work completed during that one semester. All course work completed during that semester will be disregarded in calculating GPA.
If three (3) or more years have elapsed since the most recent semester for which bankruptcy is requested, and the student has taken at least 18 semester hours at Bevill State since the last bankruptcy semester, bankruptcy may apply to all course work taken in one to three semesters. All course work taken from semester(s) for which bankruptcy is declared will be disregarded in calculating the GPA.
Student will not be able to count any courses taken during the bankruptcy semester(s) toward graduation; however, courses completed may meet academic prerequisite requirements.
Courses completed during the bankruptcy semester(s) remain on the studentâ€™s transcript. Transcript will be stamped â€œAcademic Bankruptcy.â€
Other institutions may not honor the bankruptcy policy.
Academic bankruptcy may be declared only once.

TABLE 5 - ACADEMIC BANKRUPTCY
Circumstances	Fewer than 3 years have passed since bankruptcy term.	3 or more years have elapsed since most recent term for which bankruptcy is declared.
Action	Bankruptcy on all course work taken in that one term. All course work from that term disregarded in calculating GPA.	Bankruptcy on all course work taken in 1 to 3 terms. All course work from term(s) disregarded in calculationg GPA.
Provided That	Student has taken at least 30 quarter hours or 18 semester hours at Bevill State since the bankruptcy term.	Student has taken at least 30 quarter hours or 18 semester hours at Bevill State since the last bankruptcy term.
Cautions	Will not be able to count any courses in bankruptcy term toward graduation; senior colleges may not honor this policy.	Will not be able to count any courses in bankruptcy term(s) twoard graduation; senior colleges may not honor this policy.
Limitations	Academic Bankruptcy may be declared once. Courses remain on transcript. Transcript will be noted "Academic Bankruptcy."	Academic Bankruptcy may be declared once. Courses remain on transcript. Transcript will be noted "Academic Bankruptcy."

Definition of Terms

Grade Point Average (GPA)
The term GPA is calculated on all hours attempted during any one term at the institution and is based on a 4.0 grading scale.

Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA)
The grade point average based on all hours attempted at the institution based on a 4.0 grading scale.

Clear Academic Status
The status of a student whose Cumulative GPA is at or above the level required by the standards of progress policy for the number of credit hours attempted at the institution.

Academic Probation
Academic Probation is a warning that is intended to put the individual student on notice that his/her academic performance has fallen below the Academic Standards of Progress.