General Catalog 2007-2009
Academic Success
To be in good academic standing and eligible for continued enrollment, a student must maintain a minimum of a 2.0 cumulative GPA. Students whose cumulative GPA is less than 2.0 are subject to academic probation, academic restriction, academic suspension, or dismissal from the College.
At the end of each semester, the Dean of Academic Affairs will publish a list of students for Dean’s List Recognition. To be eligible for this honor, a student must be registered for at least 12 academic credit hours and earn a semester GPA of 3.50 or higher. Pass-fail courses will not be counted as part of the 12-credit course load required for this recognition.
Between the seventh and eighth week of the semester, a student whose work in any course is unsatisfactory may receive a warning notice from the course instructor. Unsatisfactory work is defined as that which warrants a grade of less than 2.0. Whether the student receives the warning notice or not, the instructor will submit an official report of the unsatisfactory work and a notice is sent to the person(s) responsible for the student’s financial account, typically parents. Any student who is at least 21 years of age, married, self-supporting, or a veteran may request that warning grades not be sent to parents. Warning grades may be confirmed through the Records Office or the Academic Advising Office. Students who receive such warning grades should meet with their instructor and academic advisor for guidance in improving their grades.
Students’ academic work will be considered unsatisfactory whenever their cumulative GPA is less than 2.0. The academic performance of all students, full- and part-time, will be reviewed against this standard at the conclusion of each semester to determine whether students in academic difficulty should be allowed to continue on a probationary or restricted basis, should be suspended for one year, or should be dismissed from the College.
For students whose cumulative GPA is less than 2.0, the following academic actions will occur:
• A student who has attempted at least 12 credit hours and whose cumulative GPA is less than 1.60 will be placed on academic probation.
• A student who has attempted at least 24 credit hours and whose cumulative GPA is less than 1.70 will be placed on academic probation, or will be placed on academic restriction if previously on academic probation, or will be placed on academic suspension if previously on academic restriction.
• A student who has attempted at least 36 credit hours and whose cumulative GPA is less than 1.85 will be placed on academic probation, or will be placed on academic restriction if previously on probation, or will be placed on academic suspension if previously on academic restriction.
• A student who has attempted at least 48 credit hours and whose cumulative GPA is less than 2.0 will be placed on academic probation, or will be placed on academic restriction if previously on probation, or will be placed on academic suspension if previously on academic restriction.
• Any student whose cumulative GPA is less than 1.20 or whose semester GPA is less than 0.50 will be placed on academic restriction immediately.
Academic Probation
Students placed on academic probation may continue their enrollment at the College, but they will be limited to a maximum of 13 credit hours per semester until their cumulative GPA is 2.0 or higher. While working toward attaining the 2.0 cumulative GPA, students who fail to meet the academic standards for the credit hours attempted as outlined above face restriction or suspension.
Academic Restriction
Students placed on academic restriction may continue their enrollment at the College, but they will be limited to a maximum of 6 credit hours per semester and may lose their campus housing privileges and financial aid. Those students who take 6 credit hours at York College and earn at least a 2.0 overall in those courses will be placed on academic probation (or will be considered to be in good academic standing if they raise their cumulative GPA to at least a 2.0). Students who fail to earn a 2.0 overall in the courses taken during their semester of restriction or who fail to raise their cumulative GPA to meet the GPA standards for the credit hours attempted as outlined above will be placed on academic suspension.
Students placed on academic restriction may take an unlimited number of credit hours at another accredited institution. Those students who take at least 6 credit hours at another accredited institution during their semester of restriction and earn at least a 2.0 overall in those courses will be placed on academic probation upon their return to York College. Students will lose matriculation if they are away from York College for more than one semester, thus requiring them to apply for readmission.
Academic Suspension
Students placed on academic suspension are prohibited from enrolling in any course at York College for at least one year. In order to resume enrollment at York College, academically suspended students must apply for readmission to the College (official readmission forms are available from the Admissions Office). Those students who take at least 6 credit hours at another accredited institution and earn at least a 2.0 overall in those courses will be eligible to apply for readmission. Upon readmission, these students will be placed on academic probation. Students who fail to raise their cumulative GPA to meet the GPA standards for the credit hours attempted as outlined above will be dismissed from the College.
Academic Dismissal
Students dismissed from the College are eligible to transfer their credits to another college or university to complete a degree, but they are no longer permitted to enroll in courses at York College.
A student contemplating filing a grade appeal understands that consistent with the practice of academic freedom, professors bear responsibility for assigning course grades in accordance with professionally acceptable standards which have been communicated to students verbally or in writing. Students who believe that their final grade in a course does not accurately reflect their performance should appeal their grade directly to the course instructor. A student can appeal a grade until the end of the following semester. Following discussion with the instructor, the student may request a review of his or her grade by the Department Chair if the student believes his or her concern has not been adequately addressed.
The Student Welfare Committee of the College is responsible for making recommendations regarding matters of an academic nature, including criteria for admission, probation and suspension of students, and a review of cases which cannot be properly handled by fixed rules. The committee may also make recommendations concerning disciplinary action when academic matters are involved, if requested to do so by the Dean of Academic Affairs.
The Student Welfare Committee will review probation, restriction and suspension appeals following the Fall and Spring semesters. Students must submit their appeal to the committee in writing following the schedule described in the notice of probation, restriction, or suspension. Students submitting written appeals may also schedule an appointment to appear at their hearing and present their petition to the Student Welfare Committee in person.
The Student Welfare Committee will also consider written student petitions regarding other academic matters at their regular meetings during the academic year. Students should address their petitions to: Chair, Student Welfare Committee; c/o Office of Academic Affairs.
The College maintains the confidential records of each student in a centralized location in the Records Office. Academic advisors, counselors, administrators, and department chairs use the Records Office when assisting the students.
Students should consult the Records Office on matters relating to their academic progress and when requesting transcripts. Official transcripts are sent by request when the student has met all financial obligations at York College and has presented written consent to the Records Office. Except for the first transcript, there is a $3.00 processing fee per official transcript. Matriculated students can print an unofficial transcript through YCP Web.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their educational records. They are:
The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the College receives a request for access.
Students should submit to the Director of Records written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The Director of Records will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the college official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading.
Students may ask the college to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the college official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.
If the college decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the college will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing
The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the college in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including Security personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the college has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.
A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the offical needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.
Parental Notification on Student Records and College Matters
Parental rights of access to educational records depend on the student’s financial status, either dependent or independent. If the adult student is financially independent, parents have no right of access without the student’s consent. If, however, the student is a financial dependent, a parent/guardian’s request for educational records is honored by York College. It is the student’s responsibility to clarify and document his/her financial status and acknowledge acceptance of the college’s disclosure policy upon admission and to update such information via the Records Office.
Parents or legal guardians of financially dependent students will be notified by the Academic Affairs office/college officials when their son or daughter has been issued warning grades at mid-term. Professors are not required to issue warning grades to students, and some do not. A copy of the final grades will be sent to the designated parent(s)/guardian(s) in addition to the report sent to the student.
Parents or legal guardians of financially dependent students will be notified by the Student Affairs Offices/college officials when their son or daughter has been responsible for a violation of the college’s student code of conduct. Students and parents are encouraged to discuss these disciplinary matters to assist in the attainment of behavioral improvement.
Directory information is distributed without prior consent of the student. Directory information is defined as a student’s name, address, email address, telephone number, date of birth, major field of study, dates of attendance, class year and degree and awards received. However, students who do not wish such information to be released or made public may inform the Admissions Office, if a new student, or the Records Office, if a returning student, in writing by September 1 for the fall semester or January 15 for the spring semester.
The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by York College of Pennsylvania to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20202-4605
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