Want to succeed at college? You've got to go to class, study, start papers before the deadline, and maybe pass on those Tuesday night keg parties every once in a while. You've also got to learn how to navigate the system. What do we mean? In addition to knowing how to solve a quadratic equation, you also need to know how to get along with difficult professors, what kind of documentation you need to get an absence excused, and who to talk to if a family emergency suddenly comes up.
The studying and the paper writing parts? They're on you. If you're struggling to figure out the system, though, the Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm is here to help. We know how the Northern Arizona University system works; we not only know who to talk to when you have a problem but exactly what to say, and we know dozens of tips for dealing with academic progress issues. Most importantly, we're on your side. The Lento Law Firm believes in your future, and we're ready to do whatever it takes to make sure you get there.
Academic Progression at Northern Arizona University
How exactly does Northern Arizona University define “academic progress”? According to the Academic Standing policy, Good standing means you're maintaining a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average. Do that, and making it to graduation should be smooth sailing.
Easier said than done, though, right? Life happens, and it's not always easy to write brilliant papers and ace exams when it does. So, what happens if your GPA should fall a bit?
- Academic Caution: The first consequence for a GPA below 2.0 is Academic Caution. There are no special requirements if you've been issued a Caution other than to raise your GPA and get back to Good standing. In fact, you can remain on Caution status until you do that, so long as you earn at least a 2.0-term GPA each semester.
- Academic Warning: If your term GPA is below 2.0 while you're under Academic Caution, NAU then issues an Academic Warning. Again, there are no specific requirements for Academic Warning status. However, should you continue to struggle, you can face even more serious consequences.
- Academic Pause: If your term GPA remains below 2.0 while you are on Academic Warning status, you are then subject to an Academic Pause. A pause lasts for at least one semester, and your return is not guaranteed. You must request readmission approval. As part of that, NAU requires you to complete at least 12 hours at another institution and earn a minimum of 2.5 for that work. In addition, you must provide a documented explanation of the circumstances that led to your poor academic performance and a detailed description of how you plan to improve moving forward.
Dealing With Academic Sanctions
Unfortunately, NAU offers no formal means of challenging an academic sanction. The school considers your GPA non-negotiable, and decisions are essentially automatic.
That doesn't mean you should just accept an academic sanction without question. You want to avoid getting to the point of an Academic Pause if you possibly can since a semester away from the university can seriously disrupt your progress and momentum. Luckily, the Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm knows a number of useful strategies for dealing with the threat of sanctions.
- If your deficiencies are the result of extenuating circumstances, like a serious illness or a family emergency, you can appeal directly to your school or college dean for more time to improve.
- Some instructors are willing to assign makeup and extra-credit work, especially to students with borderline grades. A short essay or an extra lab assignment could be enough to keep your GPA above that 2.0 mark.
- Faculty are also sometimes willing to negotiate low grades. Maybe you showed improvement over the course of the semester, and you feel that improvement warrants a passing grade. It's always worth talking to your instructors about your specific situation.
- Low grades are sometimes the result of academic misconduct allegations. Your instructors have the authority to lower your grades if they think you've cheated or committed plagiarism. However, you have the right to appeal their decisions to their department head or, failing that, to the associate dean.
- If you discover you suffer from a learning disability, you should speak to Disability Services about possible course accommodations, like extra time to complete assignments. These kinds of accommodations may make a big difference in your scores.
- Any classroom mistreatment should be reported to your instructor's department head. You may deserve some type of grade revision.
The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team knows all the best options for dealing with academic issues. Many of these are time sensitive, though. It's unlikely you can convince a professor to reconsider your coursework two or three semesters after the course is done. What this means is that the very minute you run into a problem, you need to contact the Lento Law Firm to find out how we might be able to help.
Premier Education Law Team at the Lento Law Firm
Students sometimes ask: how exactly is an attorney supposed to help me with academic issues? It's a fair question. It's not like you're on trial for shoplifting. You need help with your grades. That's normally a matter of studying harder or finding a tutor.
As the information on this page suggests, though, succeeding in college is often as much about dealing with bureaucracy as it is about writing papers and taking exams. No one knows more about bureaucracy than attorneys, and no one knows more about how to handle educational bureaucracy than the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm. Our team was assembled specifically to handle student conduct and academic progress issues.
We're on your side. We understand that no one is perfect, and we're committed to the idea that a few mistakes shouldn't keep you from earning your degree and going on to a successful career. You can trust us to fight to make sure you're treated fairly and that you get all the rights you deserve. You've worked hard to get to this point. Don't let that hard work go to waste. To find out more about how you can fight dismissal, contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-555-3686, or use our automated online form.
