E-mail this pageAcademic Progress Review
You have two grade point averages (GPAs)
Each term, you have a semester GPA that reflects the average of grades you earned for only that given semester. You also have what is called a cumulative GPA, which is the overall average for all grades you earned throughout your history at SUNY Plattsburgh. For a first semester transfer or freshman, the semester and cumulative GPA will be the same. Note: Grades earned at other institutions do not calculate into your Plattsburgh GPA.
Find Your GPA:
You have 24/7 access to track your semester and cumulative GPA.
From the MyPlattsburgh.edu portal, Student Services tab, on the right you'll see links to "My Final Grades," "My Transcript," and "My CAPP Report."
What happens if my GPA falls below 2.0?
College policies require that all students maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 to remain in "good academic standing." At the end of each semester, our College conducts a review of all students' academic records based on their cumulative GPAs. If your cumulative GPA is below 2.0, you will fall under "academic progress review" and are subject to academic dismissal from the College. This review is the College's way of ensuring that students meet our minimum academic standards and make timely progress toward degree completion (i.e., graduating within four years).
You will be informed if you are under Academic Progress Review.
You will be able to see your grades on Banner within a week of the end of the fall and spring semesters. The Registrar's Office then spends about a week processing the completion of incomplete grades, recalculating GPAs based on repeat coursework, and rectifying other irregularities to ensure the most accurate academic records possible. The College initiates Academic Progress Review as soon as the Registrar's Office completes their end of term processing. IF you are under review, the Provost/Vice-president for Academic Affairs will send you a personal letter and e-mail that you are under academic review. The academic progress review notices are sent to students via e-mail (Plattsburgh e-mail account) and in hard copy to home addresses.
Monitor Your E-mail: Check your Plattsburgh e-mail account for College notices. Ensure that you have not exceeded your disk quota (to keep e-mail from being returned to sender).
If I'm under academic review, what do I do first?
Academic review notices include a detailed letter about the academic review process and explicit guidelines on submitting written appeals. Since the academic review process might be a challenging time for you, we encourage you to read the letter and guidelines very carefully, and numerous times, so that you don't miss an important piece of information or react hastily. You will find answers to most or all of your questions within the notice. Typically, you will be asked to submit an appeal to your dismissal that explains any extenuating circumstances that factored into your low GPA and the manner in which those circumstances have been resolved. Again, our letter and guidelines will spell out what you need for an appeal and the deadline by which the appeal is due.
The College will accept only written appeals (i.e., we do not consider face-to-face or phone appeals). As per the academic review guidelines, you may submit written documentation that substantiates an extenuating circumstance (e.g., unforeseen personal issue) or letter that supports your academic reinstatement (e.g., from a professor). The Academic Progress Committee (APC) reviews every appeal and determines whether to afford a student the opportunity to return on academic probation or to academically dismiss the student from the College.
Do I automatically get a second chance?
Reinstatement on Academic Probation is not a guarantee. The APC very carefully reviews each appeal, and weighs all factors presented. We do consider extenuating circumstances that mitigate a student's academic performance, yet we give foremost consideration to two factors: (1) your academic history at Plattsburgh, and (2) the disparity between your cumulative GPA and the required minimum 2.0 GPA.
As examples (far from exhaustive, however): A student with one bad semester in a string of otherwise successful semesters is granted more leniency than a student with any history of academic probation at SUNY Plattsburgh or a student who has been here for multiple semesters and has inconsistently maintained a minimum 2.0 GPA. A first-semester student with a GPA very close to a 2.0 may be granted more leniency than a first-semester student whose GPA is far from a 2.0. Note: These are general rules that guide the committee's decision making; other factors such as support letters, campus judicial history, courseload, etc., are weighed in dismissal or reinstatement decisions.
What if I'm taking summer or winter session classes?
If you are enrolled in summer courses following spring semester, or winter courses following fall semester, in order to raise your GPA, you may remain in them regardless of the outcome of the review. The Academic Progress Review, however, is based upon your cumulative GPA at the end of the Spring and Fall semester. Taking summer/winter courses is a privilege, and we do not delay dismissal or reinstatement decisions until summer/winter course grades are finalized. Likewise, we do not consider your number of summer/winter credits as a grounds for appeal or a guaranteed GPA boost. IF you are dismissed, and your summer/winter grades earned happen to raise your cumulative GPA above a 2.0, you may apply for readmission for the next full semester or later; readmission is not guaranteed and is at the sole discretion of the Admissions Office.
When are decisions made? When will I know?
The Academic Progress Committee meets and makes decisions on all cases at the same time, so there is no need for you to phone during the process to ask for updates on your case. All decisions will be made and communicated to you by Plattsburgh e-mail approximately 10 days after the appeal due date listed in your letter. In advance of your receipt of our e-mail notification, you may phone our office about the decision on or after the day listed in your letter. All decisions are final and are not subject to additional review or appeal.
If you do initially appeal an academic dismissal, we recommend that you not wait for the results of your appeal before exploring other educational options for the next semester. It is always good measure to have a "plan B." One option might be to contact your local community college and ask about their admission requirements and deadlines. Note: Other information about Plattsburgh summer/winter session enrollment, instructions on readmission application to Plattsburgh, guidelines for repeating coursework, and financial aid/housing implications of dismissal are addressed in the academic review correspondence we send to you.
Contact Information
Academic Advising
Office Location: Feinberg 101-103
Phone: (518) 564-2080
Fax: (518) 564-2079
E-mail: advise@plattsburgh.edu