General Information
Academic Standing
The academic probation and dismissal policy at Southwestern Michigan College pertains to a student’s performance in fall and winter terms (semesters) only. There are no stipulated standards for academic probation and dismissal until a student has attempted 12 hours of credit. To remain in good standing beyond 12 attempted term hours of credit, you must obtain a Grade Point Average (GPA) at or above the following:
| Standards for Academic Good Standing | |
|---|---|
| Level 1 from 12 to 23 hours | 1.50 GPA |
| Level 2 from 24 to 35 hours | 1.70 GPA |
| Level 3 from 36 to 47 hours | 1.80 GPA |
| Level 4 from 48 to 61 hours | 1.90 GPA |
| Level 5 from 62 hours | 2.00 GPA |
Probation
A student who falls below the standards for Academic Good Standing on any level will be placed on academic probation. Academic probation does not prevent you from further enrollment. Rather, the probationary status indicates the college’s concern about your progress. If you are placed on probation, you are encouraged to discuss with your advisor a plan for accessing the many SMC resources that support academic success.
Dismissal
Once you have been placed on probation for at least two terms and your academic record does not improve, you may be placed on Academic Dismissal. Academic Dismissal means that you will be denied enrollment for the following terms.
You will be welcome back to SMC after you have not attended for a term; however, you are urged to take the opportunity to work through any issues that impact your success at SMC and upon re-enrolling at the college, avail yourself of all the many academic support services to help you be a successful student again.
Continued Probation
If you have been placed on academic probation and your GPA does not meet the criteria for Academic Good Standing, but you make improvements in your term GPA from the previous term GPA, you may continue on probation status until you reach Good Standing again.
Your academic progress will be closely monitored and your efforts toward improving your GPA will be acknowledged by allowing you to continue probation and avoid dismissal. Final decision on probation and dismissal rests with the Dean of Students.
The Dean of Students and Academic Support may authorize continued probation for any student who has been dismissed. If you have been placed on continued probation, you should make every effort to improve your academic standing in subsequent terms. Your academic advisor can assist in developing an educationally feasible program of study and help you find the resources to improve your grades.
Academic Forgiveness Policy
SMC’s Academic Forgiveness Policy enables students with poor academic records to resume their college education beginning with a “clean slate.” This forgiveness policy should be applied in only those special cases where a student faces a desperate academic situation and is unable to improve a poor prior record through normal college procedures such as course repeats.
You may apply for academic forgiveness if all of the following conditions are met:
- Your previous overall SMC Grade Point Average (GPA) was less than 2.0.
- You have completed 12 credit hours with a GPA of 2.0 or better since re-entering SMC.
- A period of at least five years has passed since the grades to be dropped were earned.
You must file a petition for academic forgiveness with the Dean of Students and Academic Support. You will be charged a non-refundable fee of $25 at the time your application for forgiveness is made. You may select that point on the academic record before which all grades of C-, D+, D, D- and F are to be dropped from credit.
Course grades to be dropped must have been earned at least five years (60 months) prior as measured from the ending date of the most recent term (semester) to be dropped. All C-, D+, D, D- and F grades earned in prior terms will be deleted from post-forgiveness GPA calculations. A second declaration of academic forgiveness will not be permitted. Once granted, academic forgiveness is irreversible.
The original transcript will remain intact, but it will clearly identify prior-and-post forgiveness coursework indicating that academic forgiveness was granted.