College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: Advising Handbook
Academic Standing
Grading System
At Northern Illinois University, grades
are assigned to reflect achievement relative to a defined standard of competence.
Northern Illinois University uses the grading symbols below to indicate
the level of competence attained in a course; the specific grading points
earned are also noted:
| Letter Grade |
Meaning |
Points Per Hour |
| A |
Outstanding competence |
4 |
| B |
Above satisfactory competence |
3 |
| C |
Satisfactory level competence |
2 |
| D |
Marginally satisfactory competence |
1 |
| F |
Unsatisfactory level of competence |
0 |
| I |
Incomplete |
- |
| W |
Passing at time of withdrawal from a course
or from the university |
- |
| P |
Pass |
- |
| S |
Satisfactory |
- |
| U |
Unsatisfactory |
- |
| O |
Audit; no grade and no credit |
- |
| OW |
Audit; requirements not completed |
- |
| CR |
Proficiency credit |
- |
| NR |
Grade not reported |
- |
A, B, C, D, P, and S are recorded for credit courses for which the student
has been given a passing mark.The grading symbol CR indicates that proficiency
credit has been received for the course, and that course is not included
in the student's grade point average.
An F or U is recorded when:
-
A student fails to earn a passing grade in a course.
-
A student withdraws from a course without official notice.
-
A student withdraws from a course with official permission after deadline
but is not doing passing work at the time.
-
A student is not doing passing work at the time of withdrawal from the
university.
Good Standing
A student's academic status is determined by the cumulative grade point
average the student has attained at Northern Illinois University; although
credit transfers from other institutions, grades do not, and the student's
academic standing is based solely on the academic performance reflected
in the cumulative grade point average at NIU. If a student has a minimum
cumulative grade point average of a 2.0 (C), the student's academic status
is defined as good standing. If the student's cumulative grade point average
falls below a 2.0, the academic status will be noted according to the policies
outlined below.
Freshman Early Warning
If a freshman student with zero (0) transfer hours earns a term (and
therefore cumulative) grade point average between a 1.6 and a 1.99 in the
first semester, that student's status is 'freshman early warning.' Because
many first-semester freshmen experience difficulty in adjusting to the
academic and personal changes that occur in the first semester of college
life, grades between 1.6 and 1.99 do not lead to a status of academic probation.
Such a performance must be improved, however, so that the student raises
the cumulative grade point average to at least a 2.0 by the end of the
next semester to avoid academic probation.
Academic Probation
Undergraduate students whose cumulative grade point average falls below
a 2.0 for all course work attempted at Northern (with the exception of
the first semester freshmen whose status is defined above) are placed on
academic probation. Students on academic probation are required to schedule
an appointment for a probation interview with the dean (or the dean's designee)
of the major college. For that probation interview to be most productive,
it should occur prior to or early in the next semester at Northern so that
the student can adjust the semester's schedule as recommended to improve
the probability of clearing the record to good standing by the end of the
term. Students who fail to raise their cumulative grade point average to
a 2.0 at the end of their probationary semester will become candidates
for academic dismissal.
Academic Dismissal
Academic dismissal occurs under one of the following circumstances:
-
The student fails all the course work attempted for a single semester,
including a summer term. This leads to academic dismissal regardless of
the student's cumulative grade point average.
-
A student on academic probation fails to raise the cumulative grade point
average to a 2.0 at the end of their probationary period.
-
A student who has been retained on academic probation (see section below)
fails to raise the cumulative grade point average to a 2.0 at the end of
the semester of retention.
-
A student who has been reinstated (see section on Academic Reinstatement
below) fails to attain a cumulative grade point average of a 2.0.
-
A student who has re-entered with community college compact benefits after
being previously dismissed fails to establish a new term and cumulative
grade point average of at least a C (see community college compact benefits
re-entry below).
-
A student previously retained on academic probation falls below a cumulative
2.0 average after attaining senior standing (90 hours).
Any student whose circumstances fit any of these criteria becomes a candidate
for academic dismissal. The student's record is considered by the dean
(or the dean's designee) in the process below.
Dismissal Review
At the end of each semester, the records of all candidates for academic
dismissal are reviewed by the dean (or the dean's designee) of the student's
major college. In that review, the dean or the designee may elect to retain
on final academic probation a Student whose record shows promise for success
in attaining a cumulative grade point average of a 2.0 if the student is
retained for one more semester. All students who are retained on probation
must meet with the dean or the dean's designee to discuss the terms of
their retention. Additional retention for a subsequent semester happens
very rarely and only under exceptional circumstances, so the retained student
should schedule an appointment prior to or during the first week of the
semester of retention. Any student not retained on final probation will
be dismissed. Students have the right to appeal that dismissal, but such
appeals should be initiated with an awareness that a review has already
occurred and the record did not appear to warrant retention.
Dismissal Appeal
If the student who has been dismissed wishes to appeal that dismissal,
the student must do so in writing. In the written appeal, the student should
discuss the following concerns:
-
the student's perception of what led to the unsatisfactory academic performance
-
the steps the student would take to address the factors outlined above
-
the specific schedule which the student has planned for the next semester
if the appeal is successful
-
any extenuating circumstances which the student believes warrant consideration.
In the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, students receive written responses
to their written appeals. The responses, if negative, will specify what
steps the student should pursue to improve the possibility of a successful
reinstatement for a subsequent semester. If the response is positive, the
student will be required to come in for a retention interview to plan the
academic schedule. It is always a good idea to schedule an appointment
to discuss the results of the appeal regardless of the outcome; a personal
interview may help to clarify the situation and to suggest possible future
steps.
Faculty Role
Faculty advisors should encourage students to play an active role in
seeking assistance when they are experiencing academic difficulties. Referrals
to the support services outlined in the section below on resources available
at Northern should be considered. Faculty should urge students to discuss
their academic performance with their professors to solicit suggestions
for improvement.
Student Role
Students whose academic status is freshman early warning or academic
probation should meet with an advisor in the College of Liberal Arts and
Sciences Advising and Counseling Office early in the semester to receive
assistance in schedule planning, to discuss repeat options, to clarify
the specific grades needed to clear the record, and to learn of the review
and appeal process. Students whose work schedules have interfered with
their academic performance should consider reducing their hours of employment.
If personal problems have interfered with their academic performance, students
may be referred to the Counseling and Student Development Center; the college
advisors may also suggest other campus agencies whose support may be helpful
during the probationary semester.
Academic Reinstatement
If a student has been dismissed from Northern Illinois University,
he or she may apply for reinstatement after having been out of study for
a fall or spring semester. To apply for reinstatement, the student should
contact the Office of Admissions to learn the procedures to be followed
and the deadlines which are applicable. To be considered for reinstatement
the student must submit a written petition that describes what the student
has been doing since the time of dismissal; the petition should also address
any changed circumstances that support the premise that the student's academic
performance would be more successful if they were granted reinstatement.
If the student has attended any other college or university since the time
of the dismissal, the student must submit official transcripts of all course
work attempted since leaving NIU. Students who are applying for reinstatement
after an absence of ten or more years may request consideration under the
special policy for students returning after such a lengthy absence. If
reinstated under the auspices of this special policy, the student's grade
point average will begin again at the time of re-entry. In no case should
it be assumed that reinstatement will be granted. Each candidate for reinstatement
will be considered by a committee whose judgment determines the out.come
of the petition. Students may wish to apply to other institutions at the
same time they initiate a request for reinstatement to increase the probability
that they will be enrolled, if not at Northern, at some other institution
where they can pursue their baccalaureate goals. There is no automatic
reinstatement. The sole circumstance under which students who are dismissed
from Northern gain automatic re-entry is described in the section below
on re-entry with compact benefits.
Re-entry with Compact Benefits
A student who was previously dismissed from Northern Illinois University
who subsequently earns an A.A. or A.S. degree from a baccalaureate-oriented
Illinois public community college qualifies for automatic re-entry if the
student meets the following criteria:
-
the student was dismissed from Northern with fewer than sixty semester
hours of credit
-
the student will have completed no more than eighty total semester hours
(MU and transfer) prior to re-entry
-
the student was not a visiting or non-degree student at the time of dismissal
-
the student has been away from NIU for at least one fall or spring semester
Students who qualify for re-entry under this policy will return on final
academic probation; their cumulative grade point average will begin again,
but they must establish a new grade point average of at least a 2.0 or
they will automatically be dismissed.