12. Scholastic Deficiency/Probation

(Revised: 2019)

12.1 An undergraduate student is scholastically deficient when

12.1.1 The student’s semester grade point average is less than 2.00; or

12.1.2 The student’s cumulative grade point average is less than 2.00; or

12.1.3 The cumulative grade point average in the student’s major field of study is below a 2.00; or

12.1.4 The student is not meeting college and/or major course of study grade point requirements.

12.2 In the event an undergraduate student becomes scholastically deficient, the student may be:

12.2.1 Warned of scholastic deficiency after review by the student’s academic Dean or designee; or

12.2.2 Permitted to continue in school on scholastic probation after review by the student’s academic Dean or designee; or

12.2.3 Dismissed from continued enrollment in the student’s college or major after review by the student’s academic Dean or designee; or

12.2.4 Suspended from the university for deficient scholarship; a scholastically-deficient undergraduate student may, after review by the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies or designee, be suspended from the university because of scholastic deficiency by the following action:

  • Suspension: Separation of the student from the university for a definite period of time. The student is not guaranteed readmission at the end of this period of time. The student is guaranteed a review of the case and a decision regarding eligibility for readmission.

The decision to suspend a student takes effect when the Undergraduate Academic Appeals Panel (See Student Rule 57) does not support the student’s appeal, or when the appeal is waived, or when the time limit for appealing has passed.  A recommendation by the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies or designee to suspend the student from the university because of scholastic deficiency must be made with concurrence of the student’s academic Dean or designee.

12.3 A degree-seeking graduate student is considered to be scholastically deficient if:

12.3.1 Either the student’s cumulative GPA or the GPA for courses listed on the degree plan falls below 3.00 or below a higher standard set by the program, department or college of affiliation; or

12.3.2 The Student fails to show acceptable proficiency in such other requisites for the degree as may be assigned by the graduate advisory committee, program, department or the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies (e.g., qualifying and preliminary examinations, research, writing or a thesis or dissertation, etc.).

12.4 A post-baccalaureate non-degree student (G6 classification) who has completed 12 hours of course work is considered to be scholastically deficient when:

12.4.1 The student’s cumulative grade point average falls below 3.00 or below a higher standard set by the program, department or college of affiliation; or

12.4.2 The student fails to show proficiency in such other areas as may be specified by the program, department or the Office of Graduate Studies (e.g., English language proficiency.)

Scholastically deficient post-baccalaureate non-degree students (G6 classification) may be suspended from further study by and in their home department or program, or the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies.

12.5 In the event a degree-seeking graduate student becomes scholastically deficient, the student may be subject to one of the following actions, initiated by a recommendation from the student’s department head or designee, intercollegiate faculty, or graduate advisory committee (actions listed in order of increasing severity):

12.5.1 Warned of scholastic deficiency; or

12.5.2 Permitted to continue in the program on scholastic probation; or

12.5.3 Dismissed from continued enrollment in the college or major after review by the academic dean, department head, intercollegiate faculty, or designee: or

12.5.4 Suspended or separated from the university—because of scholastic deficiency; by one of the following actions:

  • Suspension: Separation of a student from the university for a definite period of time. The student is not guaranteed readmission at the end of this period of time. The student is guaranteed a review of the case and a decision regarding eligibility for readmission.

  • Separation: Permanent separation of a student from the university. The student is not eligible for readmission to the university.

A recommendation to suspend or separate a student from the university because of scholastic deficiency must be made in writing to the Associate Provost for Graduate and Professional Studies by the department or the student’s graduate advisory committee. If the recommendation is made by the advisory committee, it must be signed by all members of the committee. The decision to suspend or separate a student takes effect when the Graduate Academic Appeals Panel (see Student Rule 59) does not support the student’s appeal, or when the appeal is waived, or when the time limit for appealing has passed.

12.6 Scholastic deficiency for first professional degree seeking students is defined by the first professional degree program in which the student is enrolled.

12.6.1 Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree Program (College of Dentistry)

12.6.1.1 A dentistry student is scholastically deficient when:

  • Their cumulative GPA is below 2.00; or

  • Earning a grade of “D” or lower in six or more hours of preclinical laboratory courses in the second year.

12.6.2 Doctor of Medicine Degree Program (College of Medicine)

12.6.2.1 A medical student is scholastically deficient when:

  • They earn a grade of “F” in one or more courses or clerkships.

12.6.3 Doctor of Pharmacy Degree Program (Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy)

12.6.3.1 A pharmacy student is scholastically deficient when:

  • A semester GPA is below 2.30; or

  • Their cumulative GPA is below 2.30; or

  • Earning a grade of “D” or lower in a core course or in an elective course taken for credit; or

  • Earning a grade of “U” in a course in which S/U grades are assigned.

12.6.4 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences)

12.6.4.1 A veterinary student is scholastically deficient when:

  • Their cumulative GPA for courses in the professional curriculum is less than 2.00; or

  • They earn less than a 2.00 GPA in a course in the professional curriculum; or

  • Their semester GPA is less than 2.00.

12.6.5 Juris Doctor Degree Program (School of Law)

12.6.5.1 Law students are scholastically deficient when:

  • At the end of the first semester (fall), their GPA is below 1.90; or

  • At the end of the first semester (fall), their GPA is at least 1.90, but below 2.33; or

  • At the end of the first semester (fall), their GPA is below 2.33 if they have been allowed to restart the program as a first year law student after having previously been dismissed or withdrawn with a GPA below 2.33; or

  • At any time after two semesters in the law school, their cumulative GPA is below 2.33; or

  • At any time after two semesters in the law school, their term GPA is below 2.00, but their cumulative GPA is at least 2.33.

12.7 A scholastically deficient first professional student may be subject to one of the following actions as determined by the first professional degree program in which the student is enrolled.

12.7.1 Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree Program (College of Dentistry)

12.7.1.1 As determined by the Student Promotions Committee, scholastically deficient dental students may (listed in order of increasing severity):

  • Be conditionally promoted; or

  • Remediate a course or courses; or

  • Be dismissed from the College.

12.7.2 Doctor of Medicine Degree Program (College of Medicine)

12.7.2.1 Scholastically deficient medical students may:

  • Remediate or repeat a course – Medical students earning an “F” grade in a course or clerkship may remediate or repeat the course.

  • Be placed on academic probation – Medical students may be placed on academic probation if they fail a block course or clerkship. This may be done in addition to any other remedies in this section.

  • Repeat the year – Medical students may be required to repeat a year if:

    • A grade of “F” is earned in two courses or clerkships in a year; or

    • A grade of “F” is earned in two separate courses or clerkships in different years.

    • The student has marginal performance in more than one course during an academic year.

  • Be dismissed from the College – Medical students may be dismissed if:

    • A grade of “F” is earned in two courses or clerkships in a year; or

    • A grade of “F” is earned in two separate courses or clerkships in different years; or

    • They earn an “F” grade when repeating an academic year; or

    • A review of their academic record by the Student Promotions Committee indicates significant academic deficiency; or

    • Failure of USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 for the second time; or

    • Failure of a course while on probation for any reason.

12.7.3 Doctor of Pharmacy Degree Program (Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy)

12.7.3.1 Scholastically deficient pharmacy students may (listed in order of increasing severity):

  • Be placed on academic probation – Pharmacy students are placed on probation when:

    • They earn a “U” in a course in which S/U grades are assigned; or

    • Their cumulative GPA is less than 2.30 in any semester.

  • Remediate a course or courses – Pharmacy students may remediate a course or courses when:

    • They earn a “D”, “F” or “U” grade in no more than two courses in a semester and no more than four courses throughout the curriculum.

  • Be dismissed from the college – Pharmacy students are academically dismissed when they earn:

    • More than one “D”, “F” or “U” grade in a core course or an elective when taken for credit; or

    • A “D”, “F” or “U” grade while on academic probation; or

    • A cumulative GPA of less than 2.30 for two sequential semesters.

12.7.4 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences)

12.7.4.1 Scholastically deficient veterinary students may (listed in order of increasing severity):

  • Remediate a course or courses – Veterinary students may remediate a course or courses when:

    • They earn a “D” or “F” grade in a veterinary medicine course.

  • Be placed on scholastic probation – Veterinary students are placed on scholastic probation when:

    • Their cumulative GPA for veterinary medical courses is less than 2.00; or

    • They are readmitted to the program following dismissal for academic reasons; or

    • They earn one or more “D” or “F” grade in veterinary medical courses.

  • Be dismissed from the college – Veterinary students are dismissed from the college when:

    • They do not meet the terms of academic probation; or

    • They receive two or more “F” grades in a required course (whether it is the same course or not); or

    • They earn a total of two “D” grades and an “F” grade or three “D” grades while pursuing the veterinary medicine curriculum.

12.7.5 Juris Doctor Degree Program (School of Law)

12.7.5.1 Scholastically deficient law students are (listed in order of increasing severity):

  • Placed on academic warning – Law students are placed on academic warning (described in the School of Law Academic Standards) when their:

    • GPA is at least 1.90, but below 2.33, at the end of their first semester (fall); or

    • Term GPA is below 2.00, but their cumulative GPA is at least 2.33.

  • Dismissed – Law students are academically dismissed when their:

    • GPA is below 1.90 at the end of the first semester (fall). They may apply for re-admission or seek to restart the program as described in the School of Law Academic Standards; or

    • GPA is below 2.33 at the end of the first semester (fall) if they have been allowed to restart the program as a first year law student after having previously been dismissed or withdrawn with a GPA below 2.33. A 201student may not be granted more than one restart of the program by the Academic Standards Committee; or

    • GPA is below 2.33 after two semesters. They may petition the Academic Standards Committee to be readmitted into the program on scholastic probation or to restart the program as a first year law student.

12.8 Scholastic Probation – Undergraduate Students

12.8.1 Scholastic probation is a conditional permission for a student to continue in the university after he or she has become scholastically deficient.

12.8.2 For undergraduate students, scholastic probation is granted by the Dean or designee of a student’s college when analysis of the deficiency indicates that a continuation is in the best interest of the student and the university. The record made by a student while on probation determines whether he or she shall be cleared to register as a regular student, be granted a continuation on probation or be suspended by the university for scholastic deficiency.

12.8.3 The undergraduate student shall be informed in writing, by letter and/or email, of the terms of his or her probation and may be required by the Dean or designee of his or her college to register for a prescribed schedule of courses. Hour and grade point requirements shall be made consistent with the student’s progress toward graduation. The specified hour and grade points are considered to be a minimum only.

12.8.4 An undergraduate student will remain on probation until the close of the semester for which the probation is assigned.

12.8.5 An undergraduate student blocked or suspended for deficient scholarship may request a hearing by the University Academic Appeals Panel.

12.9 Scholastic Probation – Graduate Students

12.9.1 Scholastic probation is a conditional permission for a student to continue in the university after he or she has become scholastically deficient.

12.9.2 For graduate students, this permission is granted by the head of the student’s major department. The record made by a student while on probation determines whether he or she shall be cleared to register as a regular student, be granted a continuation on probation or be suspended, dismissed or terminated from the university for scholastic deficiency.

12.9.3 The graduate student shall be informed in writing of the terms of his or her probation and may be required by his or her advisory committee or by the head of his or her department to register for a prescribed schedule of courses. Hour and grade point requirements shall be made consistent with the student’s progress toward graduation. The specified hours and grade points are considered to be a minimum only. In addition to, or in lieu of, course work, a graduate student may be required to demonstrate progress toward completion of the degree by completing specified examinations and/or specified milestones in research or other independent study leading to completion of the dissertation or record of study.

12.9.4 A graduate student will remain on probation until the terms of the probation are accomplished and his or her advisory committee or department head recommends that the probation be lifted.

12.9.5 A graduate student blocked or suspended for deficient scholarship may appeal such a decision through the Graduate Panel, following the procedures defined in Part III, Grievance Procedures: Appeal Procedures.

12.10 Scholastic Probation – First Professional Degree Students

12.10.1 Scholastic probation is a conditional permission for a student to continue in the university after he or she has become scholastically deficient.

12.10.2 For first professional students, this permission is granted by a committee:

  • Student Promotions Committee for students enrolled in the Doctor of Dental Surgery and Doctor of Medicine programs.

  • Credentialing Committee for students enrolled in the Doctor of Pharmacy program.

  • Academic and Clinical Progress Committees for students enrolled in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program.

  • Academic Standards Committee for students enrolled in the Juris Doctor program.

12.10.3 The academic record made by a student on scholastic probation determines whether he or she shall be cleared to register as a regular student, be granted a continuation on probation or dismissed from the first professional degree program.

12.10.4 First professional students shall be informed in writing of the terms of their probation.

12.10.5 First professional students will remain on probation until the terms of the probation are accomplished.