OSRHE Reporting Academic Standing

A. Retention Standards and Requirements

Each student’s transcript will list the student’s current retention/graduation GPA and will denote each semester when a student is placed on academic probation or is academically suspended from the institution.

B. Academic Forgiveness Provisions

Circumstances may justify a student being able to recover from academic problems in ways which do not forever jeopardize his/her academic standing.  The student’s academic transcript, however, should be a full and accurate reflection of the facts of the student’s academic life.  Therefore, in situations which warrant academic forgiveness, the transcript will reflect all courses in which a student was enrolled and in which grades were earned, with the academic forgiveness provisions reflected in such matters as how the retention/ graduation GPA is calculated.  Specifically, for those students receiving academic forgiveness by repeating courses or through academic reprieve or renewal, the transcript will reflect the retention/graduation GPA which excludes forgiven courses/semesters.  The transcript will also note the cumulative GPA which includes all attempted regularly graded course work.

Academic forgiveness may be warranted for currently enrolled undergraduate students in three specific circumstances: 1) For pedagogical reasons, a student will be allowed to repeat a course and count the highest grade in the calculation of the retention/graduation GPA under the prescribed circumstances listed below; 2) There may be extraordinary situations in which a student has done poorly in up to two semesters due to extenuating circumstances which, in the judgment of the appropriate institutional officials, warrants excluding grades from those semesters in calculating the student’s retention/graduation GPA; and 3) A student may be returning to college after an extended absence and/or under circumstances that warrant a fresh academic start.

Students may seek academic forgiveness utilizing these institutional procedures.  A student may receive no more than one academic reprieve or renewal in his/her academic career, and only one option (reprieve or renewal) can be used. The repeated courses provision may be utilized independent of reprieve or renewal within the limits prescribed below. All institutions will conform to the “repeated courses” forgiveness provision.  Institutions may elect to offer students academic reprieve or academic renewal as detailed below.

1. Repeated Courses

All State System institutions are required to offer the repeated courses provision.

A student shall have the prerogative to repeat any courses up to 4 attempts, including the initial attempt, to achieve a higher grade.  Only the highest grade earned of the 4 attempts will be used in the calculation of the GPA.  Any attempt after the first 4 attempts will be used in the calculation of the GPA.  All attempts shall be recorded on the transcript with the earned grade for each course listed in the semester earned.  Exceptions to the limit to the number of attempts may be approved at the discretion of the Chief Academic Officer or their designee.    

2. Academic Reprieve 

Offering academic reprieve for students is optional for all State System institutions.

Academic Reprieve is a provision allowing a student who has experienced extraordinary circumstances to disregard up to two semesters in the calculation of his or her retention/graduation GPA.

A student may request an Academic Reprieve from public State System institutions with Academic Reprieve policies consistent with these guidelines:¹

1) At least three years must have elapsed between the period in which the grades being requested reprieved were earned and the reprieve request; 2) Prior to requesting the Academic Reprieve, the student must have earned a GPA of 2.0 or higher with no grade lower than a “C” in all regularly graded course work (a minimum of 12 hours) excluding activity or performance courses.  This course work may have been completed at any accredited higher education institution; 3) The request may be for one semester or term of enrollment or two consecutive semesters or terms of enrollments.  If the reprieve is awarded, all grades and hours during the enrollment period are included.  If the student’s request is for two consecutive semesters, the institution may choose to reprieve only one semester; 4) The student must petition for consideration of an Academic Reprieve according to institutional policy; and 5) All courses remain on the student’s transcript, but are not calculated in the student’s retention/graduation GPA.  Course work with a passing grade included in a reprieved semester may be used to demonstrate competency in the subject matter.  However, the course work may not be used to fulfill credit hour requirements.

3. Academic Renewal

Offering academic renewal for students is optional for all State System institutions.

Academic Renewal is a provision allowing a student who has had academic trouble in the past and who has been out of higher education for a number of years to recover without penalty and have a fresh start.  Under Academic Renewal, course work taken prior to a date specified by the institution is not counted in the student’s graduation/retention GPA.

A student may request Academic Renewal from public State System institutions with academic renewal policies consistent with these guidelines:  1) At least five years must have elapsed between the last semester being renewed and the renewal request; 2) Prior to requesting Academic Renewal, the student must have earned a GPA of 2.0 or higher with no grade lower than a “C” in all regularly graded course work (a minimum of 12 hours) excluding activity or performance courses; 3) The request will be for all courses completed before the date specified in the request for renewal; 4) The student must petition for consideration of Academic Renewal according to institutional policy; and 5) All courses remain on the student’s transcript, but are not calculated in the student’s retention/graduation GPA.  Neither the content nor credit hours of renewed course work may be used to fulfill any degree or graduation requirements.

The EXPLANATION OF GRADES section of the transcript will note the courses and semester(s) reprieved or renewed.  Institutions granting Academic Reprieve and/or Academic Renewal must submit an annual report to the State Regents.