Senate Resolution 02/03-02:  Program to Assist Students in Academic Difficulty

 


WHEREAS:               The Faculty Senate h as established the Academic Action Thresholds for undergraduate students, and

 

WHEREAS:               The University is endeavoring to promote student success and student retention, and

 

WHEREAS:               Students who fall below the academic action thresholds need more guidance and advising than those students in good standing, and

 

WHEREAS:               Students in academic difficulty frequently underestimate their workloads, and capabilities, and

 

WHEREAS:                The Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies, the Registrar’s Office, and t he Professional Academic Advisors have developed a proposal for a program to enhance the success of students who fall below the academic action threshold.

 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

The following proposed program to assist students in academic difficulty be adopted by the university.


Program to Assist Students in Academic Difficulty

 


Objective:  To establish a more intrusive and preventive intervention for helping undergraduate students in academic difficulty improve their academic performance at UAH.

 

Problem:  Many lower level students at UAH experience one or more semesters in which they receive unsatisfactory mid-term and final grades in multiple courses.  After mid-term and final grades are posted, college advisors contact (telephone calls, letters, and e-mails) students who are in academic difficulty.  A major concern for advisors is that a majority of students with low mid/end semester grades fail to respond; thus, we need a more powerful intervention strategy. Another concern is that some students in academic difficulty with NC grades are not identified on the Academic Action Report (end-of-semester listing of students who are on academic warning, academic probation and academic dismissal).      

                                               

Proposal:  To develop a campus intervention program to better assist students in academic difficulty achieve educational success at UAH.

 

Administrative Policy:  When a student is classified in academic difficulty, the Registrar’s office will place a registration hold on the student’s record that will prevent the student from self-registration until the student’s college advisor removes the hold or the student returns to good standing.

 

Academic Action Thresholds:  In order to be in good academic standing, students must maintain a grade point average above the Academic Action Threshold (AAT) that varies according to classification.  For students with

 

                                      0 – 32 credit hours,      the AAT is 1.6

                                    33 – 64 credit hours,      the AAT is 1.8

                                    65 or more credit hours, the AAT is 2.0.

 

Mid-Term – Students who receive two or more unsatisfactory mid-term progress grades of (F or N) in 100 and 200 level courses will have a registration hold put in place.  They will not be permitted to register for courses until they discuss their academic problem with their advisor and, if recommended, attend a workshop on academic success offered by the Office of Student Development Services.

 

NC Grades:  Students who receive two or more NC final grades in a single term and are not subject to academic action will have a registration hold placed on their academic record. They will not be permitted to register for classes until they discuss their academic situation with their advisor and, if recommended, attend a workshop on academic success offered by the Office of Student Development Services.

 

Academic WarningStudents are subject to academic warning: 1) if they are in good standing and earn less than the applicable Academic Action Threshold (AAT) for the semester; or 2) if they earn the applicable AAT or greater for the semester but the UAH cumulative grade point average is less than the applicable AAT.

 

Students on academic warning may not register for courses until they discuss their academic problem with their college advisor. Advisors will encourage these students to use course repeats, cut back on work hours, limit extra curricular activities, use tutors, etc., as needed.  Advisors will strongly advise students to register for no more than 12 hours of coursework per semester until they return to good standing.  Students will not be permitted to register for more than 15 hours.

 

Academic Probation Students are subject to academic probation if they are on academic warning and the current semester GPA is less than the applicable AAT and the UAH cumulative is less than the applicable AAT.

 

Students on academic probation will be limited to a maximum of 12 hours of coursework per semester until they achieve good standing.  They may not register for courses until they discuss their academic problem with their college advisor.  The advisor will review the academic problem with the student and assist the student in developing a plan of action to return to academic good standing. In developing the plan, advisors will encourage these students to use course repeats, reduce work hours, limit extra curricular activities, use tutors, go to the Writing Center, visit the Math Learning Center, etc., as needed. Students on academic probation may register only in the college advisor’s office.

 

Academic Dismissal Students are subject to academic dismissal if they are on academic probation and the current semester GPA is less than the applicable AAT and the UAH cumulative is less than the applicable AAT.

 

Students on first dismissal who wish to re-enroll, must petition to the Admissions and Scholastic Affairs Committee for permission to re-enter after an absence of at least one term.  These students must initiate the petition process in the advisor’s office (college or department) and complete the AAT questionnaire in the college advisor’s office.  The college advisor will review the questionnaire with the student and assist the student in developing a plan of action. An advisor will not recommend students for readmission without a plan of action on file.  The plan of action must be included with the petition sent to the Admissions Committee. The plan may include workshops* and/or counseling sessions on specific issues.  The college advisor and the Counseling Center will monitor the plan of action jointly.  Students who are readmitted after the first dismissal will be limited to no more than 12 hours until they return to good academic standing. Individual colleges may impose additional requirements specific to their programs, which should  be addressed in the petition to the Admissions Committee.  The Petition for Readmission requires an advisor’s recommendation.

 

Students on second or a subsequent dismissal who wish to re-enroll must petition to the Admissions and Scholastic Affairs Committee for permission to re-enter after an absence of at least one year and follow the procedure outlined above.  

 

Effective:  Semester after Approval 

*Student Development Services Workshops: Time Management, Stress Reduction, Study Skills, Juggling Family and College Life; Communication Skills, and Career Assessment (Career Services Office).