Graduate School Memoranda

Memo 16: Low Scholarship/Unsatisfactory Progress (Revised June 2009)

Continuation or Termination of Students in the Graduate School

Admission to the Graduate School allows students to continue graduate study and research at the University of Washington only as long as they maintain satisfactory performance and progress toward completion of their graduate degree program. The definition of satisfactory performance and progress toward completion of the degree program may differ among degree offering units; therefore, it is imperative that each graduate unit has these requirements in writing, and distributes them to each graduate student. The following information should be included:

  1. General expectations for graduate student performance within the academic unit, including, but not limited to, required coursework and length of time allowed for completion of various phases of the program.
  2. The identification of persons in departments, colleges, schools, and groups who are responsible for both the evaluation of graduate student progress and for informing students about the fulfillment of these requirements, and when such evaluations are to be made.
  3. Criteria by which performance and progress are to be evaluated, including areas which may or may not be negotiated.
  4. Under what circumstances the graduate unit will recommend to the Dean of the Graduate School the alteration of a student's standing--i.e., conditions that warrant probation and final probation (see Suggested Guidelines for Change of Status Act ion), and length of time the academic unit will tolerate low scholarship or unsatisfactory performance and progress.
  5. Procedures for appealing evaluations recommended to the Graduate School by the graduate program.

Review Process for Low Scholarship and Unsatisfactory Progress

Review of students who maintain a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) is at the discretion of the graduate unit but is expected to be undertaken at least annually. Students whose cumulative or quarterly GPA falls below a 3.0 must be reviewed quarterly and be provided with an explanation of performance expectations and a timetable for correction of deficiencies. Doctoral program students are to be reviewed by their doctoral Supervisory Committee, or by a committee of graduate faculty in the unit appointed or elected for this purpose in consultation with the student's Supervisory Committee. Pre- and postmaster students are to be reviewed by supervisory committees, if such committees have been appointed, or by the graduate faculty members who have been designated to oversee such students' programs. See Graduate School Memorandum No. 13, Supervisory Committees for Graduate Students, for an explanation of the role and responsibilities of supervisory committees. In evaluating the student's performance and progress, all of the following should be reviewed:

  1. Grade reports: cumulative and quarterly GPA's computed on those courses taken while the student is enrolled in the University of Washington Graduate School. Computation is based only on courses numbered 400-599; courses graded I, S/NS, and CR/NC are excluded, as are the 600-800 series.
  2. Performance during informal coursework and seminars.
  3. Research capability, progress, and performance.
  4. Any other information relevant to graduate program academic requirements.

A determination of satisfactory performance and progress may be made upon review of the factors indicated above and consideration of the student's progress relative to other students (part-time/full-time) in the program or to an individually negotiated schedule.  Full or partial withdrawal from a quarter may be considered as failure to maintain satisfactory progress and a student may be dropped as a result if he or she is on final probation for the previous quarter. 

Low Scholarship

Low Grade Point Average

The Graduate School provides the Graduate Program Coordinator of each degree-offering unit with a quarterly Low Scholarship Report which lists the names of graduate students whose GPA's fall below 3.0 either cumulatively or for that quarter. Instructions and deadlines for completing the review and transmitting the recommendations are provided with the report.

Graduate Program Coordinators and the graduate faculty who supervise these students are expected to review the status of each student whose name appears on the low scholarship printout and to transmit to the Dean of the Graduate School a specific recommendation--i.e. probation, final probation, or drop--for each case. These recommendations must be accompanied by a statement which describes the student's academic problems and provides an explanation for the recommended action by the graduate faculty or supervisory committee involved.

Graduate programs deciding that either "no action" or "warn" is the appropriate action to be taken based on the student's performance, may initiate contact with the student without such action appearing on the student's permanent record. The Registrar will record only those actions recommending probation, final probation, and drop.

Unsatisfactory Progress

Unsatisfactory Performance and Progress

To determine satisfactory performance or progress, the following criteria should be used:

  1. Performance in the fulfillment of degree program requirements.
  2. Performance during informal coursework and seminars.
  3. Research capability, progress, and achievements.

When review of a student's performance and progress result in a determination that it has been unsatisfactory, the name of the student and recommendation for action--i.e. probation, final probation, or drop--should be transmitted by the Graduate Program Coordinator or the head of the graduate unit to the Dean of the Graduate School by the appropriate deadline dates. All recommendations of unsatisfactory performance and progress must be accompanied by a well-documented statement of the circumstances involved and evidence that the action requested is supported by the majority of the graduate faculty, delegated representatives, or supervisory committee involved. Students should receive written notification of this action which includes information regarding the necessary steps the student must take to maintain their graduate student status in good standing.

Guidelines for Change of Status Action

Below are guidelines to determine recommended action for low grade point average or unsatisfactory performance and progress.

Please note: Action is taken for 1 quarter only. No action will appear on the transcript for any subsequent quarter unless a new recommendation is made to the Dean.

No Action
Recommended for those students whose cumulative GPA is above 3.0 but whose most recent quarter's work is below 3.0, if the review has determined that this condition is not cause for immediate concern.
Warn
  1. Recommended for students whose cumulative GPA has dropped slightly below 3.0--i.e. 2.99-2.95
  2. Recommended for students who have failed to meet expectations for performance and progress as determined by the graduate program.

Action taken as indicated above will be initiated and documented by the graduate program, but will not appear on the student's permanent record. The department is expected to notify each student in writing and place any documentation in the student's file.

Probation
  1. Recommended for students who have not corrected the deficiency which caused the warn action within the time limit specified by the graduate program.
  2. Recommended for students who depart suddenly and substantially from scholarly achievement as defined by the graduate program. (A previous warn recommendation is not necessary.)
  3. Programs may determine the length of probationary status. (The Graduate School recommends no less than one quarter and no more that three quarters of probationary status). Students should be informed of the current program policy regarding the length of the probationary period.
Final Probation
  1. Recommended for students who have not corrected the condition(s) that caused the probation recommendation within the time limit specified by the graduate program.
  2. Recommended for students who fail to progress toward completion of the graduate program. A student will be carried on final probation status for one quarter before being changed to drop, probation, or some other status.
Drop
Final action to be recommended for students who have not corrected the condition(s) that caused the final probation recommendation within the time limit specified by the graduate program. A drop recommendation means immediate drop from the University of Washington. Therefore, this recommendation must be received in the Graduate School soon after the beginning of the quarter following the final probation quarter on which the decision is based.

Recommendations for probation, final probation, and drop will be reviewed by the Dean of the Graduate School. Students will be informed of final probation and drop status by letter from the Dean.

Appeals

Students may appeal change of status, as explained above, directly to the Chairperson of the graduate degree granting unit. Appeals beyond this point should follow the process outlined in Graduate School Memorandum No. 33, Academic Grievance Procedure.

 

Revised: September, 2006