The Daily Bulletin

At the May meeting of the College Senate, the Instruction and Research Committee brought forth for a vote a resolution to revise DOPS Policy I: 17:00 Academic Probation and Dismissal from College. The College Senate voted in favor of the resolution, presented by interim committee chair Senator Gregory Wadsworth on May 13, 2022.

BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: I:17:00         
Date: Revision
Subject: Academic Probation and Dismissal from College
Original DOPS Policy: http://bscintra.buffalostate.edu/dops/policysect1/011700.pdf (PDF, 71 KB)

Revised DOPS Policy:
BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: I:17:00
Date Revised: May 2022
Subject: Academic Probation and Dismissal from College

1. Good Academic Standing
All students not on Academic Probation are considered to be in good academic standing and are eligible to participate in extracurricular activities and are eligible to register for course work at Buffalo State.  

Undergraduate Academic Warning, Probation and Dismissal

2. Academic Warning
Many undergraduate students go through an adjustment period when beginning their baccalaureate studies at Buffalo State. Therefore, any student (including transfer students) whose first-semester GPA is less than 2.0 and who has not met any of the terms for academic dismissal from Buffalo State will be on Academic Warning in his/her second semester of study at the college. However, if a student’s GPA is less than a 2.0 and the student has met one or more of the reasons for academic dismissal from Buffalo State, the student may still be immediately dismissed at the discretion of the college. 

Students on Academic Warning are limited to registering for 15 credits per semester, unless special permission to register for additional credits is granted by their Dean’s office. In accordance with the Buffalo State Advisement Policy, students on Academic Warning may be subject to an advisement hold in order to encourage a discussion with the student’s academic advisor to help build an effective academic strategy before the student may register for additional coursework at Buffalo State.  An extended Academic Warning semester may be granted at the discretion of the college if the student has demonstrated exceptional academic progress during the Academic Warning term.  Students on Academic Warning may be ineligible for financial aid based on failure to meet federal and/or state aid eligibility standards.

3. Academic Probation
An undergraduate student is on Academic Probation if the student’s cumulative Buffalo State GPA is less than 2.0 after the second semester of study at Buffalo State. However, if a student’s GPA is less than a 2.0 and the student has met one or more of the reasons for academic dismissal from Buffalo State, the student may be immediately dismissed at the discretion of the college without a probationary semester. A student on Academic Probation has until the completion of the next semester (i.e., spring or fall) to raise the cumulative GPA to a 2.0 or higher.

Students on Academic Probation are limited to registering for 15 credits per semester, unless special permission to register for additional credits is granted by their Dean’s office. In accordance with the Buffalo State Advisement Policy, students on Academic Probation may be subject to an advisement hold in order to encourage a discussion with the student’s academic advisor to help build an effective academic strategy before the student may register for additional coursework at Buffalo State.  Students on Academic Probation may be ineligible for financial aid based on failure to meet federal and/or state aid eligibility standards.  Students on Academic Probation are not eligible to participate in extra-curricular college activities.

4. Academic Dismissal
Students are reviewed for Academic Dismissal at the end of each academic semester (fall, spring, and summer). Each dismissed student will receive official notification via U.S. mail to the student’s address of record with the college or the student’s Buffalo State email account, and all future academic-year registrations and on-campus housing reservations will be removed. Dismissal appeal guidelines and deadlines are communicated to the student in the dismissal notification sent by the student’s Dean’s Office.

Undergraduate students may be dismissed from Buffalo State for the following reasons:

1. Unsuccessfully completing (i.e., E, EV, F, U, I, N, X, or W) one-half or more of a semester’s work.
2. A cumulative Buffalo State GPA below 1.0.
3. Failing to satisfy Academic Warning or Academic Probation requirements.
4. Failing any course for the third time.
5. Failing to complete basic skills requirements (e.g., the Intellectual Foundation’s Basic Communication and Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning requirements) by the end of their sophomore year.
6. Determination of an academic misconduct offense.

Undergraduate students who have been academically dismissed must wait one full year from the time of dismissal before being considered for readmission and/or non-matriculated enrollment at Buffalo State. If readmitted, all coursework taken previously at Buffalo State will be considered in computing the cumulative average, unless the student has opted for Academic Clemency.  All prior Buffalo State coursework, including clemency-bearing credits, will be used in calculating the readmitted student’s federal and state financial aid eligibility at Buffalo State. Readmission forms are available in the Admissions Office, Moot Hall.  

Graduate Academic Probation and Dismissal
All graduate students are required to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (4.0 scale). A student is automatically placed on probation if the GPA falls below 3.0.

Matriculated full-time graduate students are given one semester, and matriculated part-time students are given 9 credit hours, to achieve a 3.0 GPA, provided total credit hours do not exceed the degree program requirements by more than 6 credits. Failure to achieve a 3.0 GPA within the specified time results in academic dismissal. In addition, failure to maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA during each semester of academic probation results in academic dismissal.

Pre-major (undeclared) graduate students must have a 3.0 GPA by the completion of 12 or more credit hours. Failure to achieve a 3.0 GPA by the completion of 12 or more credit hours of graduate-level coursework results in academic dismissal. Students with fewer than 12 credit hours automatically is placed on academic probation should the GPA fall below 3.0. Failure to achieve a 3.0 GPA by the completion of 12 credit hours results in academic dismissal. In addition, failure to maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA during each semester of academic probation results in academic dismissal.

After being placed on academic probation, nondegree graduate students have until the completion of the next semester in which enrolled to bring their GPA to 3.0. Failure to do so renders the students ineligible for further registration.

Graduate students who have been academically dismissed must wait one full year from the time of dismissal before applying for readmission.

Graduate students may be readmitted to the college only once after an academic dismissal. If readmitted, the students are automatically returned to academic probation if their cumulative GPA is below 3.0. The students then have one full-time semester or 9 credits of part-time study to achieve a 3.0 cumulative GPA and must maintain a minimum of 3.0 GPA during each semester of academic probation. Failure to do so results in final academic dismissal.

Academic probation may also affect financial aid eligibility. Graduate students must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards to receive federal financial aid.

Graduate students also may be dismissed from Buffalo State for determination of an academic misconduct offense.

I hereby accept the recommendation of the College Senate and charge the provost with responsibility for overseeing the implementation of this policy change and for communicating the change to the campus community.