The Academic Senate announced April 24 an update to the Academic Standing Policy that eliminates the need for students to submit an appeal when they are placed on probation, which often presents obstacles for students.
The policy aligns with Cal Poly Pomona’s effort to support students by making sure they achieve their educational goals and help them progress towards graduation by providing advising services.
The Academic Standing policy update — announced during the Academic Senate’s monthly meeting — allows students to be placed on Probation with Contract (PWC), formerly known as Academic Disqualification, that states students must earn a 2.0 grade point average (GPA) or higher, for each consecutive term that they are in, until they raise their GPA higher than the PWC for their class standing.
Students who are on PWC can’t enroll in more than 13 units per semester. Students are allowed to be on PWC for a longer period of time than before, as long as they have a 2.0 GPA or higher for the semester.
Faye Wachs, chair of the Academic Affairs Committee, addressed the update to the Academic Standing policy, regarding how students are placed on academic probation.
“If you get a 2.0 [GPA] or better in the next semester, you don’t get disqualified enough to go through a petition process, you stay on probation until you’re able to dig yourself out of the hole or you fall deeper and then get disqualified,” Wachs said.
The purpose of this policy update is to establish criteria when it comes to probation, disqualification and academic standing for undergraduate students.
The Academic Standings policy update is also more lenient for students who are making satisfactory progress but are not yet at a 2.0 GPA, so students will not have to appeal each year.
The process of how students are disqualified and placed on academic probation hasn’t changed. Disqualification will occur term by term if students do not meet the goal of a 2.0 GPA or higher for each term that they are on PWC, and will no longer be able to continue their studies at CPP.
Cecilia Santiago-Gonzalez, director of Strategic Initiatives for Student Success, describes the effort to be holistic in a way, by having their retention and graduation specialists in each college support students facing academic disqualification.
“Students who are on PWC will get to enroll in that term so that they don’t overload themselves and get deeper in a hole,” Gonzalez said.
For students who are looking to make sure they end the spring semester strong, the University Library is extending its hours for the week prior to finals and during finals week starting May 6 to May 17 with “Focus on Finals.”
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Sylvia Alva addressed the holistic experience for students by making sure they have places to study.
“Create a strong focus on encouraging our students to come and use the resources in the library, to see it as a welcoming place and a place where they can pick up free blue books and other material students need,” Alva said.
The next Senate meeting will be held on May 8 and will be shorter than normal, due to a ceremony celebrating 22 emeritus faculty members.
