1997-98 UAF Catalog

Undergraduate

To be eligible for academic honors at the end of a semester, you must be a full-time undergraduate degree or certificate student who has completed at least 12 UAF credits that are graded with the letter grades A, B, C, D or F. If you have received an Incomplete or Deferred grade, your academic honors cannot be determined until those grades have been changed to permanent grades. The academic honors are recorded on your permanent record.

Chancellor's List -- You will make the Chancellor's List with a semester GPA of 4.0.

Dean's List -- A GPA of 3.5 or higher earns you a place on the Dean's List.

Academic Progress

Instructors are responsible for making sure that you're aware of the grading policy for their course and that homework, exams, etc., are returned in a timely manner so that you know how you're doing in class. Freshman low grade reports are optional for each campus of UAF. When used, as they are on the Fairbanks campus, they are required for all freshmen with a grade of less than "C."

Academic Standards

UAF's scholastic standards are designed so you can take action before your academic record deteriorates to the point that readmission to UAF or to another college or university becomes a problem. In all cases involving poor scholarship, you're encouraged to consult with your advisor, instructor or dean.

If you're an undergraduate or certificate student, or a non-degree student enrolled in more than nine credits, and you fail to earn a GPA of 2.0, you will be subject to scholastic action at the end of the semester. Depending on your circumstances, scholastic action may result in your being placed on probation, continued on probation or disqualified from the university.

Probation -- If you're an undergraduate, certificate or non-degree student taking more than nine credits, you will be put on academic probation if your grade point average falls below 2.0. If you've previously been on probation and your semester and/or cumulative GPA is less than 2.0, you may be continued on probation if circumstances warrant. Your probation determination, which is made by the dean of the college or school in which you're majoring, may include conditions and/or credit limitations that you're expected to fulfill during your next enrollment at UAF. As a probation student, you may be referred for developmental advising/education and/or to a counseling center. In order to be removed from probation, your cumulative and semester GPAs must be at least 2.0 as an undergraduate student or 3.0 if you're a graduate student.

Academic Disqualification -- If your cumulative academic record indicates poor scholarship, the dean of the college or school in which you're majoring or your graduate committee (with the concurrence of the dean) may recommend that you be disqualified from degree status. The dean will send you a letter outlining the disqualification, the reasons for the action and the conditions for readmission. As a disqualified student, you may continue your enrollment at UAF only as a non-degree student, limited to enrolling in nine credits per semester, until reinstated into your program. You must apply for readmission when you wish to be restored to degree seeking status.

Good Standing -- You are in good standing if you are an undergraduate student and your cumulative GPA and most recent semester GPA are 2.0 or better.

Appeal Procedure

Students wanting to appeal an academic decision should begin an appeal immediately after the beginning of the next regular semester.

Appeals can be made in writing or in person. You can get advice and answers to questions about the process from the dean of student services. During your appeal, you should be prepared to explain what you wish to appeal, why you are appealing it and how you attempted to resolve the issue so far. If possible, propose potential solutions and compromises.

For more information about the grade appeal process, contact the dean of student services. Notification of a possible grade error must be received by the instructor and/or department head within 20 days from the first day of instruction of the next regular semester.

To appeal the denial of admission, contact the director of admissions, who will forward the appeal to the appropriate officials.

To appeal academic actions such as academic warnings, academic probation and disqualification, you should address the person who made the decision. Often problems can be resolved and misunderstandings cleared up through this step. If the issue isn't resolved to your satisfaction, you should appeal to the department head, dean and provost, in that order. The decision of the provost is final.

Attendance

You are expected to regularly attend classes; unexcused absences may result in a failing grade. You are responsible for conferring with your instructor concerning absences and the possibility of arranging to make up missed work.

If you choose to be absent from class to participate in university-sponsored or other activities, you may be permitted to make up any work you have missed, but you must make arrangements with your instructor before the absence. You and your instructor should make a good faith effort to assure that you are not unduly penalized for each absence. Such activities shouldn't be scheduled so that they conflict with the finals schedule.

Change of Grade Policy

A grade, other than an incomplete or deferred, submitted by your instructor after a course is completed, is assumed to be your final grade and it becomes part of your permanent academic record. Your grade won't be changed unless your instructor made a legitimate error in calculating the grade; a grade change must be approved by the instructor's unit head and dean. Grading errors must be corrected within 30 days after the beginning of the next regular semester.

Class Standing

Class standing is determined based on the total credits you've earned. Classifications are:

Freshman (0-29 credits)

Sophomore (30-59 credits)

Junior (60-89 credits)

Senior (90 credits)

Transfer students are given class standing based on the number of transfer credits accepted by UAF. Non-degree students are registered without class standing. Graduate students are given the class standing of "graduate" only after being officially admitted to master's or doctoral programs.