www.mybrcc.edu
TITLE: Academic Amnesty
EFFECTIVE DATE: 05/09/11
LAST REVISION: 02/25/14
Policy No. 1.4580
Policy Statement
Students who, after dropping out or being suspended because of academic deficiencies, and have
demonstrated sufficient maturation to be afforded an opportunity to begin college study again
may be granted academic amnesty.
Procedures
1. No less than two years must elapse between the end of the semester in which the student was
last registered for credit at any college or university and being enrolled under academic amnesty.
2. The student must submit an application for academic amnesty to the desired institution in
accord with deadlines established by that institution. The application shall include evidence that
conditions have changed and that there is reasonable expectation of satisfactory performance.
3. BRCC has a procedure to evaluate the merits of each application and approve only those that
convincingly demonstrate potential for success. Applying does not ensure approval.
4. No prior academic credit carries forward as part of a degree program. However, the prior
record remains a part of the student’s overall academic record.
5. If granted, the date of academic amnesty is entered upon the transcript along with a statement
prohibiting use of previously earned credits and quality points to (a) meet degree requirements,
(b) compute the GPA leading toward undergraduate certificates or degrees, (c) or determine
graduation status.
6. Upon being granted academic amnesty, the student has the status of an entering freshman.
7. A student demonstrating competence in a given area may be allowed advanced standing
(without credit) or a waiver of requirements just as any entering freshman. Credit examinations
may be taken for courses in which grades of “C” or higher were earned.
8. Amnesty granted by other LCTCS institutions will be recognized by BRCC.
9. Academic amnesty may be granted to a person only once, regardless of the institution
attended.
10. Students have the right to appeal.
Academic amnesty is a special program offered to students who have dropped out of college or have been
suspended because of poor academic performance. Those demonstrating sufficient maturity and aptitude
are chosen for academic amnesty.
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www.mybrcc.edu
Academic amnesty allows students with poor academic records to exclude all previous academic credit
from GPA calculations and essentially “start over.” Academic amnesty has strict rules and conditions.
Students wishing to apply for academic amnesty should first discuss the program with the Executive
Director of Enrollment Services.
Students considering academic amnesty should be advised that some undergraduate, graduate, and
professional schools compute undergraduate GPA based on all hours completed, including those
excluded under academic amnesty at BRCC.
Also, it is important to note that academic amnesty does NOT apply to Title IV federal student aid
programs and has no effect on a student’s ability (or lack thereof) for federal financial aid. All hours
attempted will be used in determining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). For more information,
contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.
The following criteria must be met to apply for academic amnesty:
 At least two semesters must have elapsed from the end of the semester in which the student was
last enrolled for credit.
 An interested student must submit a letter requesting academic amnesty to the Office of
Enrollment Services at least two months prior to the semester he/she intends to enroll. The letter
should include evidence that all conditions have been met and that satisfactory performance in the
future can be expected.
 Applying for academic amnesty does not guarantee approval. An appeals committee meets
monthly to evaluate every application and recommend appropriate action for those who satisfy
the requirements and show potential for success.
Academic credit earned prior to declaring academic amnesty is included in the student’s academic record.
When academic amnesty is granted:
1) The date of enrollment is entered on the student’s transcript, along with a reference stating that
the use of credits and quality points earned prior to that date is prohibited at BRCC for the
purposes of:
 meeting degree requirements,
 computing a GPA for credit that leads to an undergraduate certificate/degree, and
 determining eligibility for graduation.
2) The student is classified as a first-time student, and new records are established that show no
credit or quality points were recorded and no suspensions occurred while attending BRCC. A
student demonstrating competency in his/her courses may qualify for advanced standing (without
credit) or may earn a waiver of requirements that qualifies him/ her for advanced standing.
For students transferring into BRCC, the college accepts academic amnesty granted from another
accredited institution. However, academic amnesty is granted only ONCE, regardless of the number of
institutions attended.
Source of Policy: AA
Related Policy: LCTCS
Approved by:
Chancellor Andrea Lewis Miller
Responsible Administrator: VCAA
LCTCS Policy Reference: 1.028
LCTCS Guideline Reference:
Date: 02/25/14
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