Satisfactory Educational Progress is checked at the end of every semester. Academic Advising and/or Practice issue letters informing students who are not in good standing. Educational sanctions and registration limits can be imposed on students not making sufficient educational progress.
Contract for Educational Progress
A student on academic probation must sign a probation contract, also known as a Contract for Educational Progress (CEP). This is a formal document that lays out a plan to help the student improve academic and/or practice performance. It is completed by an Academic Advisor in consultation with the student and lists a series of criteria/terms that the student must meet within the given semester.
Terms of Probation
All students are permitted two semesters on probation to regain good academic standing. If, after two probationary semesters a student has not raised his/her grade point averages (GPAs) to his or her program's minimum requirement, then the student will face an academic hearing to determine whether he or she will be allowed to continue his or her studies at the BAC.
Probation contracts can be unfulfilled in two ways:
Grades - If a student is unable to raise his/her cumulative grade point average or studio grade point average to
his/her program minimum during the given term.
Procedural Violation - If a student fails to meet the additional terms specified by the probation (such as meetings with Advising, Practice, the Learning Resource Center, etc.).
Probation 1
When a student first goes onto probation, s/he starts on Probation 1. Students on Probation 1 are given two semesters to regain good academic standing.
Outcomes for Probation 1 include:
- Students who meet the procedural terms of their Probation 1 contact and are able to raise their GPAs to their program minimum are removed from probation.
- Students who meet the procedural terms of their Probation 1 contract but are unable to raise their GPAs to their program minimum, move on to Probation 2.
- Students who succeed in raising their GPAs to their program minimum, but at the same time violate the procedural terms of their contract, are not automatically removed from probation. Instead they may be required to file a formal appeal to be removed from probation. A rejection of this appeal results in the student's moving to Probation 2.
- Students who fail to meet the procedural terms of their Probation 1 contract and are unable to raise their GPAs to their program minimum may be blocked from registering for further work at the BAC. They will not be permitted to register until they meet with the Student Advisory Committee (SAC) in order to create a more structured plan for their Probation 2 semester. The SAC has the authority to uphold a registration block and can mandate up to a one year's leave of absence for a student. Failure to attend this meeting results in a permanent registration block.
Probation 2
Students on Probation 2 have one semester to regain good academic standing. If they do not achieve good academic standing at the end of one semester, they face an academic hearing to determine whether they can continue their studies at the BAC.
The terms for Probation 2 are otherwise the same as Probation 1 with any additional conditions dictated by the Student Advisory Committee written into the student's probation contract. Outcomes for Probation 2 include:
- Students who meet the procedural terms of their Probation 2 contract and are able to raise their GPAs to their program minimum are removed from probation.
- Students unable to raise their GPAs enough to regain good academic standing must attend an academic hearing with the Educational Review Board to determine whether they will be allowed to continue at the BAC.
- Students who raise their GPAs to the program minimum but violate the procedural terms of the probation contract must appeal to be removed from probation. If the appeal is rejected, then the student is given a second semester of Probation 2 and is expected to adhere to any terms laid out in that semester's contract.
Return to Probation
If a student who was previously on probation but has raised her/her GPA(s) back into good standing, later recieves low grades such that his/her GPA drops below the program minimum, then s/he will return to probation at the same level that s/he was is the semester of his/her last probation contract. (Previously at Probation 1 - return at Probation 1, previously at Probation 2 - return at Probation 2). Any student returning to probation may be required to meet with the Student Advisory Committee before being allowed to register.
Re-Activating Students
Students previously enrolled at the BAC who have been away from the institution for more than four semesters will automatically re-activate under the new probation system.
If a student returns to the BAC on probation, translation of previous probation levels will be as follows:
- Level 1 prior system = Probation 1 new system
- Level 2 or higher prior system = Probation 2 new system
Students who re-activate on probation will be required to meet with Advising or the Student Advisory Committee to formulate an academic plan before they return.
Re-activating students who must attend an academic hearing with the Educational Review Board to return to the BAC will be held to the terms established by the Board. Permission to enroll will be determined by the Board.
Student Advisory Committee
The Student Advisory Committee (SAC) is an interdepartmental group of administrators (administrative faculty and advisors) meant to intervene and support students for whom the existing probation format has proven ineffective. The SAC consists of representatives of Advising, Practice, Student Development, and the Learning Resource Center (although other departments may be represented).
Students who have violated the terms of their contract, or have continued to struggle on probation, are required to meet with representatives of the SAC before being allowed to re- register. The SAC establishes a more comprehensive, interdepartmental support plan meant to improve a student's chance of succeeding. The SAC has the authority to uphold a registration block and can mandate up to a one-year leave of absence for any student on probation. If a student does not meet with the Committee, his or her registration is permanently blocked. The SAC plan is documented in a student's probation contract and will be monitored by his or her academic advisor.
A student who violates her/his SAC Probation Plan will have his/her registration blocked the following semester. As a consequence, the student will then need to appeal to the Educational Review Board in order to remain at the BAC.
Educational Review Board
A student who reaches the end of Probation 2 without regaining good academic standing must petition the Educational Review Board to remain at the BAC. The Educational Review Board is an interdepartmental group of administrators brought together to evaluate and advise students who have completed two semesters of probation but have been unable to regain good academic standing. The Committee can include:
- Director and/or Assistant Director of Academic Services
- School Head for student's program
- Practice Representative
- Representative of Provost's office
- The student's Academic Advisor
- Depending on the specific situation, additional administrators may be asked to participate.
Students must petition the Educational Review Board in writing. They explain how they have arrived at their present academic and Practice situations and demonstrate that they have made a good-faith effort to improve their academic standing. They also present an academic plan that lays out how theyintend to address their status.
Student scan also request a formal academic hearing and meet personally with the Educational Review Board. At such a meeting, they are given time to present their appeal, then Committee members are allowed to ask questions of them.
The Educational Review Board has considerable latitude in determining a course of action to best serve a student's need. Outcomes may include, but are not limited to:
- Granting the student an extra probation semester. This will be a heavily proscribed semester meant to address the student's perceived needs. It may include class work outside the student's curriculum. A student must regain good academic standing during this semester or show significant improvement in the proscribed areas. Failure to do so can mean dismissal for a minimum of two years.
- The Board may mandate the student take a one or two semester leave of absence (LOA). The student may be asked to complete additional requirements while on leave then reappear before the Board. If the student meets these proscribed terms, he or she may then be granted the extra probation semester at the same terms as discussed above.
The Board may opt to dismiss a student for a minimum of two years. After this time a student will need to reapply to the college and also re-petition the Educational Review Board to be allowed to return.
Any student required to appear before the Educational Review Board is blocked from further registration unless the Board approves an additional semester.