Academic Actions
Garland School Academic Standing Policy
Students must maintain a GPA of 2.7 or higher and not have a grade below C in social work courses to continue in the major. Social work students with 1 term below a 2.7 GPA are subject to probation within the major. Students with 2 consecutive terms of a GPA below 2.7 will be subject to a change of major. Students are responsible for noting minimum grade requirements for specific courses within the major.
University Level Academic Probation and Suspension
According to university policy, at any time a student's term and/or cumulative grade point average (GPA) is below 2.0 on a 4.0 scale, the dean of the academic unit in which the student is enrolled will notify the student that he or she will be placed on academic probation during the upcoming term. If at the end of the first probation term the student's term GPA is again below a 2.0, the student will be subject to suspension. However, if at the end of the first probation term the student's term GPA is 2.0 or above but the student's cumulative GPA is still below 2.0, the student will be continued on probation until the cumulative GPA also reaches at least a 2.0. On the other hand, if at the end of the first probation term both the student's term GPA and cumulative GPA are 2.0 or above, the student will be removed from probation. If the student's term GPA subsequently again falls below a 2.0, the student will be subject to suspension. A student on academic probation is encouraged to seek counseling regarding course load, course selection, and other academic assistance from the dean's office in the academic unit in which the student is enrolled and from the Paul L. Foster Success Center.
Suspension Process
Any student who is subject to suspension under the guidelines for academic probation and suspension will be informed in writing by the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs in the School of Social Work that suspension appears to be appropriate. The letter will inform the student that the associate dean will review the student's academic records before making a decision as to whether to place the student on academic suspension. The letter will indicate that the student has ten days from the date of the letter to provide the associate dean with relevant information (change of grade, verifiable medical condition, or other circumstances) that might affect the associate dean's decision. After reviewing the student's academic records and other relevant information supplied to the associate dean by the student or by others, the associate dean will decide whether to place the student on academic suspension or to extend the student's period of academic probation. The associate dean will notify the student in writing of the associate dean's decision. The period of suspension for a student who is placed on academic suspension for the first time is one enrollment term. The period of suspension for a student who is placed on academic suspension for a second time is three enrollment terms.
A student who is reinstated following their first academic suspension is on academic probation and must meet the terms of academic probation to avoid a second academic suspension. A student who is reinstated following his or her second academic suspension is on academic probation and must meet the terms of academic probation to avoid dismissal from Baylor University.
Applying for Reinstatement Following Academic Suspension
A student applying for reinstatement following academic suspension must explain to the associate dean in writing their assessment of the reasons for the academic difficulties and how, if reinstated, they expect to change academic performance so as to raise the term and cumulative GPA to the required level.