Academic Difficulty
Warning List and Formal Probation

The College makes every attempt to help students avoid academic difficulty. Historically, the most successful students attend class regularly, complete and submit assignments in a timely fashion, and seek assistance from instructors, Academic Resource Center , or Student Health Services at the first signs of trouble. Moreover, students who are successful academically have learned to balance extracurricular activities with academics.

Academic performance is monitored closely by the Dean of the College for Academic Life. The Dean will contact students at the conclusion of each semester whose academic performance indicates a cause for concern. Any combination of two or more failing grades, incomplete grades, unsatisfactory grades, or course withdrawals in a semester, a semester grade point average below 1.500, or a cumulative grade point average less than the standards described in the table that follows may trigger an academic warning.

Formal academic probation indicates that the quality of the student’s work is below the level that might reasonably be expected to lead to graduation. A semester grade point average below 1.000 or a cumulative grade point average less than the standards described below identify those students eligible for formal probation. All student performance indicating an eligibility for formal probation will be reviewed by the Dean of the College for Academic Life. After the review has been completed, students experiencing the most serious academic difficulties will be placed on formal probation. Student progress during the probationary period will be carefully examined. At any time during the period, typically no more than two semesters, the College can elect to remove the student from probation, continue the student on probation, or dismiss the student from Muhlenberg. Furthermore, students on formal probation seeking to enroll additional courses beyond what is considered a “normal load”, either at Muhlenberg or elsewhere, are permitted to do so only at the discretion of the Dean of the College for Academic Life; this provision includes enrollment in any type of summer term.

Cumulative academic performance is gauged on the number of course units attempted at Muhlenberg plus any transferred course units. Cumulative grade point averages less than the standards described in the table indicate the specific level of academic difficulty.

Finally, the College takes the position that any student permitted to enroll should be allowed to judge the wisdom of participating in extracurricular activities. Accordingly, a student experiencing academic difficulty may participate in such activities. Any student receiving an academic warning or placed on formal probation however, is urged to give thoughtful consideration, in consultation with his or her academic advisor, to the structure of their total College program, curricular and extracurricular (Muhlenberg College Catalog 2002-03, pg.49).