The video and text below provide students important information regarding Academic Dismissal and Dismissal Appeals. Student should receive emails and text messages in the second half of the semester regarding the Dismissal Appeal deadline. Any questions can be directed to the Collegiate Success Coach.
Academic Dismissal Appeal
Students on academic dismissal warning who do not raise their cumulative GPA to a 2.000 or higher will be dismissed from CSU.
Students may submit an academic dismissal appeal application. An online appeal may be submitted for consideration by the Faculty Council Committee on Scholastic Standards. All appeals must be submitted in accordance with these dismissal appeal guidelines.
A dismissal appeal that is granted allows the student to return immediately for the next regular semester (Fall or Spring). Dismissal appeals granted cannot carry forward to a future semester unless the student was approved (prior to dismissal) for a planned leave for the next regular semester. If a student withdraws during the dismissal appeal granted semester due to extenuating circumstances, the student must submit another appeal to dismissal that includes documentation of the extenuating circumstances or the student will be dismissed at the end of the dismissal appeal granted semester.
Personal Statement
The personal statement gives the committee insight into why your cumulative GPA is what it is. Please be honest about your circumstances and take responsibility, but it is certainly ok to mention extenuating or external factors that may have impacted your GPA as well. This is where you can show the committee what went wrong and what lessons you have learned.
Action Plan
Your dismissal appeal action plan plays an important part in the committee’s decision to allow you one more semester at CSU. You want the action plan to give the committee confidence that you will be able to improve your GPA; so it should include more than generic strategies such as “I will work harder.”
Try using the SMART Goal Format, creating action plan items that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely. For example, rather than “I will make sure to attend all of my classes next semester.” Try something like, “At the start of the semester I will ask my roommate to be an accountability partner to help me get to all of my classes. And if I miss a class for something outside of my control, I will communicate with the professor to see the best way to make up any work I missed.” This is much more specific, and may give the committee confidence that you can succeed academically. This can also provide a good framework for you to head into your next semester.
If you plan on taking a planned leave or taking a lighter courseload to help you improve your academics, please clearly articulate that as well. The committee isn’t looking for generic responses, but they are looking to see that you thought about the challenges you faced in your Personal Statement, and that you have a high quality plan to overcome those challenges in your Action Plan.
Supporting Documents
Please submit documentation for anything you feel necessary. This could include any extenuating circumstances you’ve experienced, or it could include letters of support from CSU staff, private tutors, or even healthcare providers to show you are working to overcome challenges.