Academic Standing - Probation & Suspension

The academic records of students at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University (CSB/SJU) will be evaluated after final grades are reported at the end of each semester to determine their academic standing. Academic standing is determined by grade point average (GPA) and credit completion rate (CCR). A student must meet minimum cumulative academic standards to remain in good academic standing. The following are the minimum cumulative standards that students must meet to remain in good standing:

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Terms at CSB/SJU	CSB/SJU Cumulative GPA*	Minimum CCR **
First Semester	1.80	50.0%
Second Semester	1.90	66.7%
All remaining semesters	2.00	66.7%

*GPA is the ratio of honor points to credits earned in courses for which the student has received a final grade of A, AB, B, BC, C, CD, D, or F. Coursework graded S/U or H are not included in determining the GPA. Coursework transferred from other colleges is not counted in determining the GPA.

**CCR is the ratio of credits earned in relation to credits attempted. Attempted credits include any course for which a letter grade was assigned. See Grades and Honor Points Policy. Coursework attempted and completed at another colleges is not counted in determining the CCR.

Repeat Courses: In the case of a repeated course, both the original course and the repeated course will count as attempted credits; credits will be counted as earned only once. Only the highest grade will count in the GPA.

Incompletes: Incompletes are entered as I/Grade in the student information system (Example: If student would get a B in the course with no additional work provided, "IB" with no slash mark is entered). Incompletes are evaluated based on the grade the student would receive if no additional work were received. Students may request to have their standing reevaluated upon resolution of the incomplete.

Review and Academic Standings

Review of student academic records at the end of each semester will include evaluation of cumulative and term measures of GPA and CCR. Below are the possible academic standings assigned following the review. Academic standings are not considered sequential and can be used at the discretion of the institutions at the end of any term.

Good Academic Standing

A student is in good academic standing when their cumulative institutional GPA and CCR remain at or above the minimums listed.

Academic Concern

A student who is in good standing based on cumulative measures will receive a notice of academic concern after any semester in which their term GPA is below a 2.0, or when they complete fewer than 66.7% of the attempted credits in that term.

Students will no longer be considered an academic concern if their cumulative measures remain above the minimum standards, and they complete a semester with a term GPA above 2.0 and complete 66.7% or more of the attempted credits in that term.

First Academic Probation 

A student is on first academic probation when they do not meet one or both cumulative measures for institutional GPA and CCR. Students who are meeting the cumulative measures of GPA and CCR are subject to academic probation at the discretion of the institutions for reasons including but not limited to:

• Multiple terms of academic concern
• Unsuccessful completion (earned grades of U or F) of eight or more attempted credits in a single semester
• A pattern of unsuccessful completion of attempted courses over multiple terms 
• Term GPA of 1.0 or lower
• Special cases subject to the judgement of an Academic Dean or Dean’s designee

A student on academic probation must improve their cumulative measures of institutional GPA and CCR to meet or exceed the minimum standards to return to good standing. A student on academic probation must sign an Academic Improvement Plan. Conditions of this plan must be met for a student to remain enrolled.

CSB/SJU students who are placed on academic probation are subject to the following conditions and requirements during a probationary semester:

• Are ineligible to participate in varsity or club athletics; practice may be allowed by petition.
• May be ineligible to hold any office or representative position for extracurricular activities.
• Are ineligible to receive an incomplete grade.
• May withdraw (“W”) from courses following consultation with Academic Advising.
• Must earn 12 credits during probationary semester.
• Must earn a term GPA of 2.0 or higher; earning a C or higher in each attempted course is recommended.
• May experience a reduction of financial aid.

Continued Academic Probation

A student who was placed on academic probation following the previous term is on continued probation when their cumulative measures for institutional GPA and CCR remain below the minimum standards, but their term GPA is above a 2.0 and they earned at least 12 credits during their probationary term.

Students on continued academic probation must improve their cumulative measures of institutional GPA and CCR to meet or exceed the minimum standards to return to good standing. A student on continued academic probation must also sign an Academic Improvement Plan. Conditions of the plan must be met for a student to remain enrolled. CSB/SJU students on continued academic probation are subject to the same conditions and requirements as those listed for first academic probation. 

Final Academic Probation

A student on first academic probation will be placed on final academic probation when their cumulative measures for institutional GPA and CCR remain below the minimum standards, and they do not meet the conditions and requirements of first probation.

Students on final academic probation must improve their cumulative measures of institutional GPA and CCR to meet or exceed the minimum standards to return to good standing. A student on final academic probation must also sign an Academic Improvement Plan. Conditions of the plan must be met for a student to remain enrolled. CSB/SJU students on continued academic probation are subject to the same conditions and requirements as those listed for first academic probation. 

Academic Suspension

A student on final academic probation must return to good standing or meet the conditions for continued academic probation or they will be subject to academic suspension from the institutions. Students are also subject to academic suspension from the institutions for reasons including but not limited to:

• Earning a 0.00 GPA and no academic credit completed in the first semester
• Multiple terms of academic probation or continued academic probation
• A pattern of failed and/or unsatisfactory grades earned over multiple academic terms
• A demonstrated level of scholarship that makes the completion of a degree unlikely 
• Special cases subject to the judgement of an Academic Dean or Dean’s designee

Return from Academic Suspension

A student placed on academic suspension from the institutions can apply for readmission after one or more semesters away. To be considered for readmission, a previously suspended student must complete the Application for Readmission. The application must include a detailed personal statement that reflects on their prior experience at CSB/SJU, what they have been doing in the interim, why they plan to continue, and how they plan to be successful upon return.

Students applying for readmission must demonstrate academic readiness before returning. It is strongly recommended that students complete 12 approved, transferable credits (preferably in a single semester), with a GPA of 2.50 from another institution.  Students should consult with an academic advisor to determine appropriate transfer coursework.  

CSB/SJU students who return from academic suspension are subject to the same conditions and requirements as those listed for final academic probation.

CSB/SJU reserves the right to deny the readmission application of any previously suspended student at the discretion of an Academic Dean or Dean’s designee.

Student and Parent Notification

Students determined to be on academic concern, first or final academic probation, continued academic probation, or academic suspension will be sent notification of their academic standing. Notifications will provide additional information regarding their standing and instructions for next steps. Students are responsible for monitoring appropriate communication channels following each review period to ensure timely notification.

CSB/SJU may notify parents of their student’s academic standing to the extent allowable by state and federal law.

Appeals and Request for Review

Appeal of Academic Suspension.

A student on academic suspension status for the first time has the right to appeal the suspension decision to a committee composed of representatives from Academic Affairs, Academic Advising, Financial Aid, and the Registrar’s Office. Appeals must be made in writing following the instructions provided in the notification of suspension letter.

Appeals will be evaluated individually and will consider past academic performance, trends in recent academic performance, and mitigating circumstances beyond the student’s control. Supporting documentation must be provided no later than the date indicated in the notification of suspension letter. The committee reserves the right to approve or deny an appeal based on the written statement and supporting documentation. In some cases, the committee may schedule an appeal hearing or request additional information from the student before approving or denying the appeal.

CSB/SJU students who successfully appeal their academic suspension are subject to the same conditions and requirements as those listed for final academic probation.

A student placed on academic suspension status more than once cannot appeal their status but can apply for readmission to the institution after one or more semesters away. See Return from Academic Suspension for further information.

CSB/SJU reserves the right to deny the appeal of any suspended student at the discretion of an Academic Dean or Dean’s designee.

Request for Review of Academic Standing.

A student has the right to request a review of their academic standing. Requests for review will be considered only when there has been a change to the student’s academic record following a regular review. Circumstances that warrant a review include but are not limited to the resolution of an incomplete grade, an approved grade change, or completion of summer term coursework.

Results of the review of academic standing will be determined by grade point average (GPA) and credit completion rate (CCR). Any change of academic standing following the review will be reflected in the student’s record. The results of a review of academic standing are final.

CSB/SJU reserves the right to assign academic standing in special cases subject to the judgement of an Academic Dean or Dean’s designee.

Academic and Non-Academic Suspensions

The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University reserve the right to academically suspend students for unsatisfactory academic standing; unsatisfactory progress towards the degree; academic misconduct; violation of academic policy; or other reasons that materially affect the health, safety, property, or welfare of the individual student; of the colleges or their processes; or of other members of the college communities.

CSB/SJU students are also expected to abide by established non-academic standards of conduct under the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University Student Codes of Conduct. Violations of non-academic standards, expectations, or policies can result in suspension from the institutions. Please see the Student Codes of Conduct for further information.

Academic Expulsion

Academic expulsion is the permanent separation of a student from CSB and SJU due to severe or repeated violations of the Academic Misconduct Policy. Academic expulsion will be determined at the judgement of an Academic Dean or Dean’s designee. A student expelled from the institutions may appeal the decision in writing to the Provost or the Provost’s designee (not to be the same as the prior Academic Dean or Dean’s designee). Decisions made by the Provost or Provost’s designee are final.

Please see the Academic Misconduct Policy for additional information.