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Academic Status

II. Academic Dismissal

• Students who are in any of the following categories are subject to dismissal:
• First semester freshmen or new transfer students below a 1.0 QPA (quality point deficit). 
• Students already on probation who have an 8 or more quality point deficit.
• Students on probation for 3 consecutive semesters.

Notification and Scholastic Standing Process

Letters notifying students of their academic status are mailed from University College as soon as we receive end of term grades from Enrollment Services.  Dismissal letters are mailed within 48 hours; probation letters, within two to three working days. All students who are dismissed are informed of their right to appeal to the Scholastic Standing Committee for a waiver of that dismissal.  According to The University Manual, dismissed students may appeal to this committee for a waiver of dismissal by writing a letter of appeal within five working days of the date of our letter.   Students have the right to appeal, in writing, to the University College Scholastic Standing Committee by following the instructions and deadlines in their dismissal letter.  This committee consists of UC representatives, along with five faculty members. 

The following is a guide to help students in the appeal process. The committee reviews each student's file and appeal letter to determine whether to waive the dismissal based on the following criteria: 

• the extent of the student's deficiency (a student 15 or more quality points deficient, is, for example, unlikely to be able to earn a sufficient number of A's or B's in a semester or two to warrant continuation),
• extenuating circumstances which may have contributed to the poor academic performance, and
• other factors described by the student in the letter of appeal.

Students provide the committee with complete information about why the dismissal waiver is being requested, including:

• an explanation/reflection for the poor performance.
• a brief description of steps student will take, including attendance at mandatory probation meeting(s), to improve academic performance.  
• detailed plans on how students will use the academic support services on campus

Any supporting information and official documentation explaining your poor academic performance should be included (e.g., medical documentation, supporting letters, etc.). Please note that the Committee can only consider grade changes with written verification by the professor. You should also be aware that a dismissal waiver is very unlikely if your quality point deficit (defined below) is significant or if you have already been granted a dismissal waiver in a previous semester and did not earn a semester quality point average (QPA) of at least 2.0 in the current semester. All information supplied to the Committee is considered confidential and will only be available to Committee members.

The decision of the committee is final. If you are dismissed, it is not because the Committee is unsympathetic to the problems that led to your academic difficulty; but because they determine that your academic deficiency is such that you will not be able to move toward graduation.  Often the best chance a student has of achieving the 2.0 GPA. (“C” average or higher depending on program requirements) required for graduation is to be dismissed and then readmitted on conditional or probationary status.

Consequences of Dismissal

Dismissed students may not register as matriculating (i.e. degree-seeking) students at URI, or as non-matriculating students, unless they first obtain the permission of the Dean of the college to which they intend to seek readmission. Non-matriculating students are denied some of the benefits of matriculating students: they lare not eligible for financial aid or for on-campus housing. If a student does take courses while on dismissal, the grades earned during the period of absence are considered in deciding whether to readmit the student. Dismissed students must remain out of school as matriculating students for one semester. After that time they may apply for readmission. If they are accepted, the Scholastic Standing Committee determines whether they should be placed on probation or on conditional status.

Financial Aid Implications

A student’s poor academic performance often affects student financial aid and/or scholarships. The Office of Enrollment Services will notify students of any financial aid or scholarship changes.

III. Readmission to University College

1. Obtain an Undergraduate Application for Readmission form from Enrollment Services - (401) 874-9500 or online at: http://www.uri.edu/es/forms/pdf/reg/Undergraduate_Application_For_Readmission.pdf
2. Students who will have earned more than 24 credits at the time of their readmission, and have completed the requirements for entry into their degree-granting college, should consult directly with the Dean of the degree-granting college for specific rules regarding readmission. (Arts & Sciences, Business Administration, College of Environment & Life Sciences, Engineering, Human Science and Services, Nursing, Pharmacy).
3. To be readmitted after being dismissed from University College, you must complete a minimum of two three-credit courses post-dismissal, and earn a C+ in each of these courses, or an overall grade point average of 2.5 in all courses taken since dismissal.   
4. If applying for readmission through University College, send a completed and signed readmission form, a written statement of your activities since your dismissal from URI, and an official transcript/ proof of grades earned since your dismissal to: Records Office, University College, 90 Lower College Road, Suite 12, Kingston, RI 02881.
5. Students who complete courses at another institution must send an official transcript to the address above.
6. For a readmission application to be finalized and ready for review, it must contain a readmission form, a personal statement, and proof of grades earned since dismissal. Readmission applications not received by the deadline and/or submitted as an incomplete packet will be considered for the following semester.
7. Dismissed students wishing to take classes at URI will register as a non-matriculating student and must have permission from an academic dean. The Scholastic Standing Committee determines whether you are placed on probation or on conditional status upon readmission.
8. If the situation warrants conditional readmission, the following criteria must be followed to be restored to good academic standing.  Failure to do so results in immediate dismissal with no possible appeal. If a student attends full-time, s/he must take a minimum of 12 credits for the two consecutive semesters following readmission and earn a minimum QPA of 2.0 in each semester. Students who attend part-time must earn a minimum of a 2.0 QPA for each semester until they have completed at least 24 credits. I's, NR's, or NW's must be converted to grades before a student is considered to have completed the semester satisfactorily. 
9. Students who successfully complete 24 credits on conditional status will have their QPA recalculated, eliminating from the calculation all D and F grades earned prior to their return on conditional status, and designating pass grades for all courses in which a C- or better was earned. Students must  repeat any required courses in which the original grades were a D+ or lower. The student's permanent record is not altered in any way -- only the method by which the cumulative QPA is calculated.   Students on Conditional Status then have an opportunity to earn the 2.0 necessary for graduation.  A disadvantage is that required courses in which a D was earned must be repeated for credit. 

Readmission Application Deadlines:

August 15 for Fall Semester
December 31 for Spring Semester

IV. How to Calculate Grade Point Averages

Visit the following website: http://www.uri.edu/advising/cal There are several GPA calculators - click on the QPA Calculator’s button in the center of the page.

V. What is a Quality Point Deficit and How Do I Calculate It?

A quality point deficit is defined as the number of deficit points from an overall GPA of 2.0. The larger the deficit, the greater the chance you have of being dismissed. To calculate your quality point deficit, log on to e-Campus and follow this path: Home > SA Self Service > Learner Services > Academics > View My Grades  Click on the current semester and then scroll down to the bottom of the page. To determine your deficit, use the following formula: (Total Taken Toward GPA X 2) – Total Grade Points = Quality Point Deficit.

For example:

Total taken toward GPA: 30 Total Grade Points: 40 Using the above formula: (30 x 2) = 60, 60 – 40 = 20 Thus, you are deficient 20 quality points A student deficient 20 quality points must earn 20 credits of “B” work or 10 credits of “A” work to have a “C” average once again.  Students continuing with large quality point deficits need such improvement that  the Committee may decide that dismissal is in the student’s best interest. Therefore, it is unrealistic for a potentially dismissed student who is down 18 or more quality points to expect to have their dismissal waived – even if there are solid extenuating circumstances.

VI. Second Grade Option

Students may exercise a Second Grade Option by repeating a course in which they earned a C-, D+, D or F. Only courses that fall within the student's first 30 attempted credits taken at the university may be selected for this option. Students must exercise this option no later than the next two semesters for which the student registers, after completing thirty credits. Transfer students may exercise the Second Grade Option for courses taken during their initial semester at the University. This option must be exercised during the next two semesters for which they register after their initial semester. When a student uses the Second Grade Option, only the grade earned when the course is repeated will be used in the calculation of a student's QPA and only the credits earned for the repeated course will apply toward the graduation requirements. All grades earned for a given course shall remain on a student's academic record. Students who wish to take advantage of the Second Grade Option must submit the appropriate form to University College, well before the end of the semester in which they are registered for the course.   Second Grade Option may be used only once per course.  In order to repeat a course under the Second Grade Option, the following criteria must be met:

• Original grade: The original grade must have been a C-, D+, D, or F.
• Time course was first taken: Freshmen must have taken the course for the first time within their first 30 attempted credits. NR's, NW's, F's, and I's count as attempted credits.
• Freshmen must repeat the course within two semesters after they complete thirty credits. Transfer students must repeat the course within their second or third semester at URI

 

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