Academic Standing

The Scholastic Standards Committee of each college or school will serve as the approving authority for student academic standing. The Committee will be composed of the Dean, as chairperson, faculty representatives, and a Student Experience representative. The Registrar provides data for committees but is not a standing member. Student representatives may be added at the discretion of the college/school.

Definitions

• Good Standing: Meeting or exceeding the minimum requirements for satisfactory progress toward the degree.
• Academic Probation: Studies at the University may continue, but a probation contract may be required by the Dean and there may be limitations on credit load.
• Academic Suspension: Studies at the University are interrupted for at least one full semester. The permission of the Dean of the College/School that suspended the student is required in order for the student to resume studies at AU. The Dean may require that specific conditions be met before permission to return will be considered.
  • Potential transfer credit while away from AU may or may not be allowed. Students who do not resume studies at the end of the period of Academic Suspension are withdrawn from the University and must be readmitted to the University in order to resume studies in the future.
• Academic Dismissal: Separation from the University due to serious, prolonged academic deficiency as evidenced by consistently low grades and, usually, repeated Academic Probation or Suspension. After a period of at least 2 years an application for readmission to the University may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

In the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, in Performing Arts and in the Inamori School of Engineering, the minimum term and cumulative (overall) Grade Point Average to remain in Good Standing is 2.0 regardless of the number of credits attempted. In the School of Art & Design, the minimum requirements are as follows:

*"Credits Attempted" include transfer credits and all credits earned at AU, as well as the credits for withdrawn courses and courses with grades of “In Progress” (IP) or “Incomplete” (I). Only Audited courses are excluded.

• A student whose term or cumulative GPA drops below the level established, or who is not satisfying requirements towards a degree, will be placed on Academic Probation or may be Academically Suspended or Dismissed.
• A student on Academic Probation who fails to attain the minimum term and cumulative GPA’s for a second consecutive semester may be placed on Extended Academic Probation or on Academic Suspension, or may be Dismissed.
• A student with multiple semesters on Academic Probation or Extended Academic Probation, whether or not the semesters are consecutive, may be Academically Suspended or Dismissed.
• Students with a term or cumulative GPA below 1.00 are subject to Academic Suspension or Dismissal regardless of their prior academic standing.
• A student who is eligible for Academic Suspension a second time or who would be on Academic Probation or Extended Academic Probation for a third consecutive semester may be Academically Dismissed. A student eligible for a third Academic Suspension will be Dismissed from the University.
• Students may appeal their Suspension or Dismissal through the Dean for presentation to the Scholastic Standards Committee of the College or School that placed academic sanctions on the student.