Academic Standing

Academic standing is monitored at the end of each semester/term1 by the registrar, who notifies the student and academic advisor when the student’s performance is found to be unsatisfactory. Students who are not on probation, suspension, or dismissed from the university are considered to be in Good Academic Standing. Undergraduate students in Good Standing are considered to be on track to meet the minimum graduation requirement of a 2.000 cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA)2

ACADEMIC WARNING

An Academic Warning is used to express concern to students that a possible problem is developing:

  • Students in their first semester at Linfield University will placed on Academic Warning if their GPA at the end of that semester is between 1.800 and 1.999 and they file a signed Academic Standing Agreement with the Office of the Registrar. If a signed Academic Standing Agreement is not submitted, the Academic Probation policy will apply.
  • After the first semester at Linfield, students are placed on Academic Warning if their cumulative GPA is at least 2.000 and their semester GPA falls below a 2.000 (but above a 1.000).
  • Students on Academic Warning will be placed on probation if they are not removed from academic warning at the end of their next semester.
  • Students will be removed from Academic Warning if their semester and cumulative GPA at the end of their next semester are at least 2.000.

ACADEMIC PROBATION

Academic Probation is used to indicate to students that a problem exists. Students are placed on probation if their:

  1. cumulative GPA is below 2.000 at the end of any term or semester, except for students in their first semester at Linfield who fit the criteria in the Academic Warning Policy.
  2. semester GPA is below 1.000 at the end of any semester, and/or
  3. semester GPA is below 2.000 for last two consecutive semesters.

Students on academic probation are ineligible to participate in Varsity Athletics (including practices and competition), Student Government, Fraternity and Sorority Life, and other curricular and co-curricular activities which require good academic standing or a minimum 2.000 GPA. Students on probation will be suspended if they have not been removed from probation at the end of their next semester or within their next 12 credits, if they are part-time.

REMOVAL FROM PROBATION

A student will be removed from probation if and when they remedy the unsatisfactory academic performance that led to the probation:

  1. Cumulative GPA fell below 2.000: A student whose cumulative GPA is at least 2.000 at the end of the next term or semester (or within their next 12 credits if they are part-time students) will be removed from probation. Students who are removed from probation after January or summer term will be placed on Academic Warning if their most recent semester was below 2.000.
  2. Semester GPA is below 1.000: A student whose semester GPA is above 1.000 the semester1 after which they have been placed on probation will be removed from probation, unless they violate one of the other two conditions for probation articulated in the section above.
  3. Semester GPA below 2.000 for their previous two consecutive semesters: A student whose semester GPA was below 2.000 for their previous two consecutive semesters will be removed from probation if both the semester1 and cumulative GPA are at least 2.000.

ACADEMIC SUSPENSION

Suspended students are ineligible to enroll at Linfield University for at a minimum one semester1 for all Linfield Students. Students are academically suspended if:

  1. Their semester GPA falls below 0.500 in their first semester at Linfield, or
  2. They remain on Academic Probation after one semester.

RETURNING AFTER ACADEMIC SUSPENSION

A student on Academic Suspension must meet the following conditions and submit an appeal to be considered for reinstatement:

  • Demonstrate academic success by earning at least a 2.500 GPA with full-time enrollment at another institutionally accredited college, or within their next 12 transferable credits (as verified by the registrar) if the student is part-time.
  • An official transcript of all coursework completed elsewhere during the time of absence from Linfield University.

Students who have been approved for reinstatement will be reinstated on Probation.

ACADEMIC SUSPENSION APPEALS

If there are extenuating circumstances surrounding the student’s poor academic performance, they may appeal to the Student Policies Committee for a review of Academic Suspension.

All students wishing to return from Academic Suspension must appeal to the Student Policies Committee for reinstatement.

Appeals should be submitted in writing electronically to the registrar. The appeal should include:

  • Personal assessment of the underlying reasons for poor academic performance.
  • An explanation of how the student intends to overcome the difficulty, along with a proposed academic plan.
  • Any relevant documentation (note: health care related documentation should be sent to the Director of Health, Wellness, and Counseling).
  • In addition to the appeal letter, students may ask that any Linfield University faculty member or administrator submit a letter of support on their behalf. Letters will not be accepted from family members or friends.

Appeals for students who have been suspended at the end of Fall semester will not be reviewed in time to enroll the subsequent January Term.

1

January Term is not considered a semester and therefore does not qualify in the calculation of semester GPA.

Summer terms are treated as semesters and therefore qualify in the calculation of semester GPA for:

  • All Online and Continuing Education (OCE) students,
  • Portland Campus students with full-time summer enrollment as a required part of their program,
  • Portland Campus and McMinnville Campus students for whom summer is not part of their program only when enrolled in a full-time load of 12 credits.
2

For all Linfield students, only grades earned at Linfield University affect GPA calculations used for academic standing. Grades for all semesters/terms are calculated in cumulative GPA.