2017-2018 Academic Bulletin 
    
    Oct 05, 2024  
2017-2018 Academic Bulletin [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Academic Records; Academic Standing


 

Academic Records and Reports

Grade Reports

At the conclusion of the Fall and Spring Semesters, student grade reports are available on the student’s WebAdvisor account. Students may request additional copies of their grade reports to be sent to designated person(s) by signing an Academic Records Release form available in the Office of the Registrar.

Transcripts and Student Records

A transcript is a copy of the official permanent student record that indicates attempted courses by title and number and the grades earned for those courses together with an explanation of the Allegheny grading system. The Office of the Registrar has responsibility for maintaining these records and for making copies of them available as transcripts. When current students wish official transcripts to be sent to other institutions, prospective employers, or themselves, they should submit a request through the link provided on WebAdvisor. Students who have graduated or withdrawn should submit requests directly via the TrancriptsPlus service https://www.credentials-inc.com. A fee of $7 is charged for official transcripts; additional fees may be assessed for expedited or express delivery. Printed, official transcripts are stamped with the signature of the Registrar in red ink; electronic delivery of official transcripts is also available. For current students, no transcripts are released from the day grades are due from the faculty for each semester until the day that all grades have been posted.

Unofficial transcripts are available to current students and their advisors through the College’s WebAdvisor web page. These transcripts are intended only for use in scheduling classes and advising students; under no circumstances should they be considered an official record of students’ academic performance.

Academic Standing

Academic Standards and Awards Committee

The Academic Standards and Awards Committee is responsible for reviewing the academic records of Allegheny students and, when appropriate, assigning an individual student to a particular Academic Standing category. By matriculating at Allegheny, students recognize the right of the Committee to determine their Academic Standing.

The membership of the Academic Standards and Awards Committee includes Allegheny faculty, students, and those administrators who assist students experiencing difficulty in their college work. All actions concerning academic standing are taken after careful analysis of the individual student’s level of achievement, aptitudes, study efficiency, and sense of purpose. At the end of each semester the Committee reviews the records of all students whose semester or cumulative grade point averages render them subject to one of the following Academic Standing Categories. Decisions regarding appeals of academic dismissal are made by majority vote of the faculty members of the Committee.

Grade Point Average

The cumulative grade point average includes all graded Allegheny courses, but does not include courses taken under the Credit/No Credit option or courses in which the student opted to withdraw (“x”) or received an Incomplete or a “W.” When a course is repeated, the credits and grade for the most recent attempt will be counted in the current cumulative average. However, for those courses that can be repeated for credit—for example, music ensembles—the credits and grades for each enrollment are included in computing the academic average.

Academic Standing Categories

Academic Warning

Academic Warning is assigned to students who have two consecutive semesters with a semester average below 2.0, but whose cumulative grade point average remains above 2.0. Students remain on Academic Warning until they achieve a semester grade point average over 2.0.

Academic Probation

Academic Probation is assigned to students at the conclusion of the first semester in which the cumulative grade point average falls below 2.0. Students remain on Academic Probation for one semester, at the end of which the student may be subject to dismissal or placed on Poor Academic Standing if the cumulative average remains below 2.0.

Poor Academic Standing

Students are placed on Poor Academic Standing if they have two or more consecutive semesters with a cumulative grade point average below 2.0 and if they have not been dismissed by the College. All students not on Poor Academic Standing are considered to be in good academic standing.

Students in their first semester at Allegheny College who receive a G.P.A. of 1.0 or below are eligible for academic suspension as discussed below. If not suspended, these students are placed on Poor Academic Standing and are subject to the following requirements: 1) to meet with a representative from the Learning Commons; and 2) to work with that representative to create a plan to improve their academic performance. Students may also be required to enroll in no more than 12 credits during the next semester. Please note that students on Poor Academic Standing cannot participate in varsity athletics until their cumulative G.P.A. rises to a 2.0 and are not permitted to become members of the College Greek system until their G.P.A. meets the requirements outlined for Greek chapters.

Academic Suspension

Students placed on Academic Probation or Poor Academic Standing, and whose cumulative grade point average remains below 2.0 at the conclusion of their next semester at Allegheny, are suspended from the College unless they meet all of the following criteria: 1) they complete at least 12 credits; 2) they receive passing grades for all their courses; and 3) they achieve a semester grade point average of at least 2.0. Students who meet all of these criteria will not be suspended but will continue on Poor Academic Standing. For the purposes of satisfying the above criteria, grades of Incomplete (IN) and No Credit (NC) are not considered passing grades. Withdrawals from a course (grades of “X” and “W”) are not considered in determining whether students have passed all of their classes, but any courses from which a student has withdrawn do not count towards the 12 credit minimum that students must complete to avoid suspension. Students whose grade point average is 1.0 or below at the conclusion of their first semester of attendance at Allegheny are also subject to academic suspension from the College. Academic suspensions take effect immediately following the completion of the Academic Standards and Awards Committee’s review of all appeals (see “Appeals” below). Suspension at the end of the first semester of attendance at Allegheny is for a minimum of six months, and other academic suspensions are for a minimum of one calendar year. 

Students approved to return after the specified time has elapsed will be placed on Poor Academic Standing upon their return. Students who are suspended are prohibited from taking Allegheny courses until they are readmitted to the College.

Students seeking to return from an academic suspension should submit a written request to the Registrar’s Office by May 1 to return for the Fall term and by November 1 to return in the Spring. Students are encouraged to contact the Registrar’s Office prior to these deadlines for assistance in preparing the request to return.

Academic Dismissal

If a student who has returned to the College after an academic suspension fails a second time to achieve the minimum GPA standard, the student may be dismissed from the College for poor academic performance. The final dismissal may occur at the conclusion of any semester subsequent to the return from an academic suspension, provided the cumulative average does not rise above 2.0.  Academic dismissals take effect immediately following the completion of the Academic Standards and Awards Committee’s review of appeals (see “Appeals” below). Academic dismissals are final, and a student who has been dismissed may not apply for readmission. 

Appeals

Academic Warning, Academic Probation, and Poor Academic Standing are determined by grade point average and are not subject to appeal.

Academic suspensions and dismissals are initially determined automatically on the basis of academic performance as described above. Students are encouraged to appeal an academic suspension or dismissal if they can demonstrate the potential for success at Allegheny. To appeal, students must send statements specifically discussing recent academic performance, trends in grades, and any relevant personal circumstances to the Registrar’s Office. All materials related to an appeal of academic suspension or dismissal must be received by the date specified in the letter informing the student of the initial suspension or dismissal. Late appeals will not be considered. Students who successfully appeal will be permitted to enroll in classes but will be placed on Poor Academic Standing.

Transcript Notation

Academic Suspension and Academic Dismissal are noted on the transcript; Academic Warning, Academic Probation, and Poor Academic Standing are not.