Advising Students on
Academic Probation
Carolyn Blattner, Dr. Rick Lejk
November 18, 2014
“The academic advising process
has been identified as the crucial
link between students on probation
and the institution.”
Goals
• Understand factors that contribute to
academic probation
• Consider strategies academic advisors can
use to support students on academic
probation
• Understand campus resources available
Academic Standing Policy
• Good Academic Standing
To remain in good academic standing, an undergraduate student must maintain a
cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0.
• Semester Warning
An undergraduate student whose term GPA is below 2.0 in the semester of the
evaluation is given a “semester warning.”
• Academic Probation
An undergraduate student whose cumulative GPA is below 2.0 is placed on academic
probation.
• Academic Suspension
An undergraduate student on academic probation whose cumulative GPA remains
below 2.0 at the next evaluation is suspended from the University, unless the
student’s GPA for that semester is at least 2.3, in which case the student remains on
probation instead.
Be watching for more information about earned to attempted credit ratio!
Undergraduate Students on
Academic Probation (Fall)
Fall Semester
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
% Probation % Suspension
13.9
3.0
12.5
2.9
12.5
4.3
13.0
3.4
11.4
3.5
11.2
3.3
11.0
3.3
10.1
3.2
9.9
9.4
8.1
7.6
7.1
6.7
6.6
6.2
3.3
2.6
2.0
2.3
2.2
2.1
1.9
1.9
% New FR
Probation
% New TR
Probation
27.8
25.6
22.6
22.5
21.6
19.2
22.4
26.5
21.5
22.1
21.8
19.2
19.8
18.2
15.6
17.5
14.9
15.3
12.8
10.1
21.2
19.6
17.5
15.4
18.6
16.4
17.4
17.6
Factors that Contribute to
Academic Probation
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Transitions (academic, personal)
Myth of self reliance
Lack of academic preparation
Lack of skills (time management, study)
Lack of utilization of free resources
Poor decisions
Course/major selection
Personal issues
And more…
Advising Strategies
• Engage student in conversation about situation
• Determine best plan of action
• Establish expectations
• Monitor grades
• Hold student accountable
Advising Strategies (continued)
• Enroll student in 49er Rebound (new students)
• Refer to campus resources
• Provide accurate information (academic
standing, progression, grade replacement, W
policy, Satisfactory Academic Progress for
financial aid)
• Evaluate number of credits (do not necessarily
limit credits)
49er Rebound Program
Philosophy: UNC Charlotte admits students
who can succeed here.
Program: University-wide, collaborative effort
to support new students (freshmen and transfers)
who are on academic probation at end
of first semester of enrollment
49er Rebound
Students choose intervention option with advisor input
• UCOL 1300: 2-credit, graded Academic Success
Seminar
• Students Obtaining Success (SOS) peer mentoring
• 49er Focus (pilot in Spring 2013)
• College options: BUSN 2000, MAPS
Results: Students who complete 49er Rebound are more
likely to return to good academic standing, have higher
average GPA improvements, and are more likely to be
retained (statistically significant results).
Campus Resources
•University Center for Academic Excellence:
Tutoring,
Supplemental Instruction, skills development workshops, personal academic
consultations, SOS peer mentoring, BEST program
•Writing Resources Center
•Departmental Support: Math lab, Physics Resource Center, PASS
Center, Language Resource Center, CCI tutoring, MAPS program, and more
•UCOL 1300 and SOS available this fall to students who are not
identified as 49er Rebound
Experience Tells Us…
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•
•
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Helping students connect to resources is critical
Accountability/follow-through matter
Not one cause/factor
Not one solution/plan
Advisor matters!
Sources
2014-2015 Undergraduate Catalog: Degree Requirements and Academic Policies
Academic Standing of All Undergraduate Students Reports, Institutional
Research, UNC Charlotte.
Gehrke, S., & Wong, J. (2007). Students on Academic Probation. In L. Huff & P.
Jordan (Eds.), Advising Special Student Populations (pp.135-185): National
Academic Advising Association.
Questions/Discussion