Academic standings for graduate students are GOOD STANDING, PROBATION, ACADEMIC DISQUALIFICATION and REINSTATED FROM ACADEMIC DISQUALIFICATION. To be in good standing, students must meet the minimum cumulative grade point average standards and minimum cumulative pace standards established in this policy, unless higher cumulative grade point average and/or pace standards have been established by their programs. Students can be academically disqualified by violating either cumulative grade point average or cumulative pace standards. Academic standings are updated at the end of each fall, spring, and summer semester.

Cumulative Grade Point Average Standard

Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 in all coursework numbered 600-700 to be in good standing for GPA. Students with a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 – 2.99 are on probation for GPA. Students on probation who fail to achieve a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 after one semester will be academically disqualified for GPA. Students who fail to achieve a minimum GPA of 1.99 will be academically disqualified for GPA.

This table summarizes the cumulative grade point average standard:

Cumulative GPA Academic Standing
3.00 or higher Good Standing for GPA
2.00 - 2.99 Probation for GPA
2nd semester below 3.0 Academic Disqualification for GPA
1.99 or lower Academic Disqualification for GPA

Cumulative Pace Standard

Students must complete 80% of all attempted courses numbered 600-700 to be in good standing for pace. A course is considered completed when the student earns a  grade of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, or C-. A course is not considered completed when the student earns a grade of D+, D, D-, F, I, GW, or MW. 

Students who complete 50% to 79% of their attempted coursework are on probation for pace. Students on probation who fail to achieve a minimum cumulative pace standard of 80% of attempted graduate coursework after one semester will be academically disqualified. Students who achieve a cumulative pace standard of 49% or lower will be academically disqualified.

This table summarizes standing for pace:

Cumulative Pace Academic Standing
80% or higher Good Standing
50% to 79% Probation for pace
2nd semester below 80% Academic Disqualification for pace
49% or lower Academic Disqualification for pace

Consequences of Standings

Students who are in good standing for cumulative grade point average and cumulative pace may continue to enroll. Students who are on probation for either cumulative grade point average or pace may continue to enroll after establishing an academic plan with their Graduate Faculty Advisor. Students on probation who do not meet standards for a subsequent term will be academically disqualified. Students who are academically disqualified for either cumulative grade point average or cumulative pace may not continue to enroll unless reinstated on appeal by the Post-Baccalaureate and Graduate Academic Standards Committee.

This table summarizes the consequences of the cumulative grade point average and pace standings:

  Pace
GPA  ≥ 80% 50 - 70% <50%
3.00 Good Standing GPA
Good Standing Pace
May continue to enroll 		Good Standing GPA
Probation Pace
May continue to enroll after developing an academic plan 		Good Standing GPA
Academic Disqualification Pace
May not enroll unless reinstated upon appeal
2.99 - 2.00 Probation GPA
Good Standing Pace
May continue to enroll after developing an academic plan 		Probation GPA
Probation Pace
May continue to enroll after developing an academic plan 		Probation GPA
Academic Disqualification Pace
May not enroll unless reinstated upon appeal
0 -1.99 Academic Disqualification GPA
Good Standing Pace
May not enroll unless reinstated upon appeal 		Academic Disqualification GPA
Probation Pace
May not enroll unless reinstated upon appeal 		Academic Disqualification GPA
Academic Disqualification Pace
May not enroll unless reinstated upon appeal

Notification of Academic Standing

At the conclusion of fall, spring, and summer semesters, an email will be sent to students’ Fort Lewis account explaining how they may check their academic standing for cumulative grade point average and cumulative pace.

Students on probation based on cumulative grade point average or cumulative pace standards are expected to establish an academic plan with their Graduate Faculty advisor prior to the beginning of the next semester.

Students with an academic standing of academic disqualification will be provided instructions in their notification email about how to appeal.

Adjustment of Academic Standing Based on Department Standards

In addition to the minimum academic standards established in this policy, a graduate student may be required to meet departmental standards. Departmental standards are published as part of the requirements for each program.

If through a process established by the department, a student has been judged to not be making academic progress, the department may petition the Post-Baccalaureate and Graduate Academic Standards Committee to change a student’s academic standing to Probation or Academic Disqualification.

Consequences of Withdrawing Entirely From a Term

When a student has a GW grade in all courses in a fall, spring, or summer semester, the student will have his/her academic standing adjusted as follows:

Standing Before Withdrawal Standing after Withdrawal
Good Standing Probation
Probation Academic Disqualification

Appeal of Academic Disqualification

At the conclusion of every semester (fall, spring, summer), all students will receive an email informing them of their updated academic standing.  The only academic standing that may be appealed is Academic Disqualification.

To appeal Academic Disqualification, a student must submit the appropriate paperwork to the Post-Baccalaureate and Graduate Academic Standards Committee.

Process to Appeal Academic Disqualification

Students may appeal academic disqualification based on cumulative grade point average or cumulative pace standards if:

  • 1. There are documented special circumstances why the standards were not met, and
  • 2. There is high probability that the student’s cumulative GPA can be raised to 2.75 or higher in no more than one additional  fall, spring, or summer semester of coursework and/or there is high probability that the student can begin to maintain pace requirements in the future.

Students make the appeal by submitting an Post-Baccalaureate and Graduate Academic Standing Appeals package to the Registrar’s Office.  The deadline to submit this appeal package will be specified in the notification letter and email sent to the student.

The appeals package must include:

  • Post-Baccalaureate and Graduate Academic Disqualification Appeal form including personal statement
  • Documentation supporting the personal statement in the appeal form

Incomplete appeals packages will not be considered.

The Post-Baccalaureate and Graduate Academic Disqualification Appeals form is available for download. You can save the form to your computer and type right into the form. You then email a copy of all appeal materials to academicstanding@fortlewis.edu. If necessary, you can mail print copies of the form and documentation.

If you have any questions about preparing the Post-Baccalaureate and Graduate Academic Standing Appeals package, please contact:

Theresa Rodriguez, Registrar
academicstanding@fortlewis.edu
970-247-6983

Review of Academic Standing Appeals

The Post-Baccalaureate and Graduate Academic Standards Committee hears appeals three times each year, at the close of each semester.

The Post-Baccalaureate and Graduate Academic Standards Committee will consider appeals on a case-by-case basis.  The appeals package submitted by the student and the educational records of the student, including the disciplinary record, will be reviewed by the committee.  Additionally, the committee may seek input from faculty and professional staff in other relevant campus offices.

If the appeal is approved, the student’s academic standing will be “Reinstated from Academic Disqualification” and the student will have one additional semester in which to raise the cumulative GPA to 2.75. If this does not happen, the student will again be academically disqualified.

Students will be notified of the committee’s decision by email to the Fort Lewis College account as soon as possible. If the FLC email account is not active, the student will be asked to provide an alternative email address.

The committee’s decision may be appealed to the Provost or designee.