Academic Recovery

Maintaining adequate degree progress is defined as meeting a 2.00 cumulative GPA (CGPA). Students at or above a 2.00 CGPA are considered to be in Good Academic Standing. A student who does not maintain a 2.00 CGPA is placed into Academic Warning. Failing to achieve a semester-GPA at or above a 2.00 after being placed into Academic Warning will see the student moved into Academic Suspension. Dismissal is then used for failing to meet requirements after Academic Suspension.

Academic Warning

A student with a cumulative GPA below 2.00 is placed into Academic Warning. Academic Warning is not a punishment or the end of an academic career. While in Academic Warning a registration hold is placed on the student's account for subsequent semesters. For the registration hold to be removed the student must meet with their assigned academic adviser to develop a plan for academic success. An Academic Recovery Pre-Meeting Work Sheet must be completed prior to the meeting in an effort to improve academic practices.

What to Do Next

Schedule an appointment with the assigned Smeal adviser through Starfish. The appointment must be one hour in length.

An Academic Recovery Pre-Meeting Work Sheet must be submitted at least 48 hours before the appointment, by emailing it to the Smeal adviser. Review of the self-reflection will be completed during the meeting to develop an action plan for future success.

Academic Suspension

Earning a semester GPA below a 2.00 while in Academic Warning will result in being academically suspended from the University. Academic Suspension prevents enrollment at Penn State for a minimum of two consecutive semesters (note: Summer Session is equal to one semester). 

What to Do Next

Meet with the assigned Smeal adviser to discuss department policy for re-enrollment, as well as goals for the time while suspended. Challenges that led to the suspension should also be discussed in the meeting. An updated Academic Recovery Pre-Meeting Work Sheet must be submitted at least 48 hours prior to the appointment, by emailing it to the Smeal adviser.

For those that actively followed an academic success action plan, a Faculty Senate Petition may be submitted for either a Stay of Academic Suspension or a Shortened Academic Suspension. Smeal students must contact their academic adviser before the end of finals week of the semester in question to discuss options for petitioning.

Petitions for a Stay of Academic Suspension must be submitted to the Faculty Senate by the end of the business day after the last day of final exams.

Returning After Academic Suspension

To be considered for return after suspension, the Academic Recovery Pre-Meeting Work Sheet  must be submitted to the adviser and the student is required to apply for re-enrollment at the same time by the following deadlines:

• To return for spring semester: November 1
• To return for summer semester: April 1
• To return for fall semester: July 1
  
  

Academic Dismissal

After returning from Academic Suspension, a student will be placed into Academic Warning 2. Earning a semester GPA below 2.00 while in Academic Warning 2 will see the student academically dismissed from the University for a period of four calendar years. After this period, academically dismissed students may seek re-enrollment to the University by requesting academic renewal. 

Students actively following an academic success action plan while in Academic Warning and that have 18 or fewer recovery points after all grades are posted for the current term, may submit a Faculty Senate Petition for a stay of dismissal.

Petitions for a Stay of Academic Dismissal must be submitted no later than the late-drop deadline of a regular session of the first term of academic dismissal. After this point, students wanting to return earlier from Academic Dismissal need to petition the Faculty Senate for early consideration of Academic Renewal.