Degree-Seeking Students
The grade-point average is used to determine the student’s academic standing at Augustana College. If the average is below 2.00 but at or above the minimum for his/her classification (see table below), the student will be placed on academic probation and will be allowed to continue. First-year students who move from good standing to suspension without having previously been on academic probation will be placed on deferred suspension and allowed to continue under conditions set forth by the Dean of Students Office. Students on probation or deferred suspension are eligible for financial aid. Students (excluding those on deferred suspension) having grade averages below the minimum allowed for their classification will be suspended for the next full term, and this notation will be placed on the student’s official college permanent record: Suspended for Academic Reasons.
| Credits attempted | Augustana cumulatice GPA minimum to avoid suspension | |
| 0-9 | 1.00 | |
| 10-19 | 1.50 | |
| 20-29 | 1.60 | |
| 30-39 | 1.70 | |
| 40-49 | 1.80 | |
| 50-59 | 1.90 | |
| 60+ | 2.00 |
An exception to these standards is made for first-term, non-transfer students. First-year students (<28 credits attempted) who have not previously been on any form of Academic Probation and who drop below the minimum GPA permitted for their classification are placed on Deferred Suspension for Academic Reasons (SARD). This action is an alternative to Suspension, and allows students who precipitously fall below college academic standards to remain enrolled under the supervision of the Dean of Students Office. SARD is assigned on a one-time basis, and allows an opportunity to recover without being separated from the college environment. Students on SARD must obtain a term GPA above 2.00 during their next term of enrollment. An exception is also made for certain transfer students completing their first term of enrollment: transfers with fewer than 60 credits completed must achieve a 1.50 GPA or better; transfers with 60-89 credits completed must achieve a 1.80 GPA or better; transfer students with 90 or more credits completed must achieve a 1.90 GPA. After the first term at Augustana, transfer students are required to meet the minimum for all degree-seeking students (see table, above).
A student placed on Academic Probation or Deferred Suspension may remain in school, but may not pledge a fraternity or sorority, may not hold major offices in student organizations and may risk losing the opportunity to participate in varsity athletics or maintain an academic scholarship. These students should consider enrolling in ENGL 111, an academic resources class designed to address your student's areas of weakness.
Students placed on Academic Suspension must sit out the next term (summer session is not counted, so students suspended at the end of spring term may not re-enroll until winter term.) Students placed on Academic Suspension will be re-admitted to Augustana for the term following their suspension if they apply to the Dean of Students at least 30 days prior to the beginning of that term. However, financial assistance will not be available until a student demonstrates satisfactory progress. No application fee will be assessed for re-admission.
Students who re-enroll after being Suspended for Academic Reasons are required to achieve a GPA above 2.00 each term they are enrolled until they obtain an overall GPA of 2.0. Students failing to obtain above 2.0 will be dismissed; this notation will be placed on the student's official college permanent record card: Dismissed for Poor Scholarship.
Students who return after an Academic Suspension will be required to sign a contract which specifies their obligation to attend all classes, submit all academic work on time, and the requirement that they achieve above a 2.00 term GPA in order to continue enrollment. Additionally, parents of students who return after an Academic Suspension will be included in the college's effort to provide academic support for the first term back to school. The college will monitor these students' academic performance on a regular basis and will share the results with parents.
