Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
Purpose of the Policy
Satisfactory Academic Progress ("SAP") ensures students are able to complete their academic program in a timely manner while achieving and maintaining compliance with minimum academic standards.
Qualitative/Quantitative Measures
Grade Point Average (GPA): Graduate students are required to maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA for all coursework at the end of each term.
Completion Rate: All students are required to successfully complete at least 67 percent of the coursework attempted by the end of each term. Successful completion means a grade of A, B, C, or D is received for the course. Grades for incomplete courses are not counted until the end of the semester during which the final grade is given.
Maximum Time Frame: A student must successfully complete the program of study within its time frame. Federal regulations specify that the time frame may not exceed 150% of the published length of the program.
The maximum time frame for graduate students varies with each program but cannot exceed 150% of the program. All courses attempted, will be counted toward attempted hours. An attempted course is any for which a grade of A, B, C, D, F, P, I, or W is received.
Students who have chosen to take additional coursework to obtain a minor in conjunction with their major degree program, or who take additional coursework for personal reasons, will not receive maximum time frame extensions for those purposes.
Maintaining SAP Standards
Monitoring SAP: Students will be monitored for satisfactory academic progress after grades are posted at the end of each term. Students working on additional degrees after their first bachelor’s and/or master’s degree will also be monitored for all SAP criteria. Students will be assigned one of the following SAP statuses: Satisfactory, Warning, Suspension, Probation, or Continued Probation.
Academic Probation and Disqualification
Students with unsatisfactory academic records are placed on probation under the following circumstances: if the current grade point average falls below 2.0, if the cumulative grade point average falls below 2.0, or if the student accumulates 8 or more units of incomplete. Students who have an excessive number of withdrawals may also be placed on probation.
When a student is placed on probation, a letter is sent to the student, the student’s adviser and the Office of the University Registrar. This letter will specify the period of time the student has been given to improve their academic standing.
The student may be required to submit a statement explaining their poor academic performance and stating their plans to reverse the decline in grades.
While the student is on probation, certain conditions and restrictions may be placed on their academic program. For example, the student may be prohibited from taking a course outside of AVU or registering for independent studies, tutorials, internships or private lessons. The committee may also limit the maximum number of units per term for which the student can register.
Students on probation cannot participate in extracurricular activities, hold office in any University club or organization or represent the University in any athletic or nonathletic event.
A Dean’s Hold is placed on all registration activity for students on probation. The Dean’s Hold may be removed only after a probation interview. The probation letter will inform the student of how to schedule this interview.
Academic Dismissal
If a student fails to meet the terms and conditions of probation, they may be dismissed from the University. Students who are dismissed from the School for poor academic performance will be informed in writing by registered mail. The School will also notify the Office of the University Registrar, the Office of Graduate Admissions and the student’s adviser. Students who have paid tuition for the next term at the time of their dismissal will receive a full refund of tuition and fees.