You came to UC Santa Cruz to be a student, so you shouldn't be surprised when the school holds you to that. Courses can be tough. Faculty can be demanding. And UCSC maintains a strict academic standing policy to encourage you to do your best. You're supposed to keep a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average. Fall below that point, and you could find yourself on probation. Continue to struggle, and the consequences become even more severe.
No one's perfect, though. You're bright and hard-working, or you wouldn't have gotten into UC Santa Cruz, but sometimes life has a funny way of intervening. Maybe you struggle with calculus. Maybe you're in a car wreck and have to spend a few days in the hospital. Maybe you go through a bad breakup and struggle to concentrate for a semester.
Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team want to make sure that you finish your degree no matter what comes. They work with students just like you every day to come up with solutions to academic progress issues. Not quite sure how an attorney can help? Don't worry; it will become clear as you go. For now, though, know that Joseph D. Lento and his team are on your side when you need them.
Academic Progression at UC Santa Cruz
For the most part, the academic standing policy at UC Santa Cruz is pretty straightforward, at least on paper. There aren't a lot of hoops to jump through; there's no paperwork to fill out. Again, the main requirement is maintaining a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0. Do that, and you remain in what's known as “good” standing. Should you fail to meet that standard, though, your life can get complicated fast.
The most immediate consequence for slipping academically is Academic Probation. The good news is that probation doesn't appear on your permanent transcript. The bad news is, if you don't earn at least a 2.0 during your semester on probation, you are then subject to disqualification from the university. As the policy itself notes,
“Academic probation is a serious call for you to take a careful look at your workload, study habits, choice of program of study, priorities, and motivation.”
(Note that you can also be disqualified, even without serving probation, if your term GPA should fall below 1.5.)
Your school or college gets to decide the specific conditions of your disqualification. It can, for instance, require you to take a full year off from your studies. It can stipulate that you must take courses elsewhere during this year and even require that you reach a certain GPA before you return. You should also know that your college could ultimately decide to reject your readmission application. Or, it could designate your disqualification “indefinite” right from the state, which means your return could be virtually impossible.
Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions
Here's the thing: Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team probably can't keep you from getting into academic trouble. It's on you to go to class and study hard. Once you're in trouble, though, getting out of it often has to do with navigating the UC Santa Cruz system.
The most immediate relief, if you're facing disqualification, is to appeal that disqualification directly to your school or college. Your school will send you a letter advising you that you've been disqualified, and will set a date by which you must file your appeal. Otherwise, that disqualification takes effect.
Generally, academic standing review committees will only reverse a disqualification if you have extenuating circumstances—a long-term illness, for example, or a family emergency. You'll need to provide documentation of these circumstances as part of the appeal.
What do you do, though, to keep from getting to the point of disqualification in the first place? That is, how can you deal with the threat of probation? It turns out that there are a number of less formal ways to avoid academic sanctions.
- If you have a disability, you may be entitled to classroom accommodations, like extra time to complete assignments. Even if you weren't diagnosed at the time you took the course, you may be able to argue that you merit a higher grade or at least a chance to retake the course.
- If you feel an instructor is mistreating you in some way, you should bring that to the attention of the instructor's department head or, failing that, your dean. This too, may be grounds for some sort of grade revision.
- Your low grade could be the result of academic misconduct. Your instructor has the authority to decide whether or not you've cheated or committed plagiarism, and to punish you with a lower grade on an assignment or a lower grade in the course. They can even fail you. However, you have the right to appeal these decisions. A successful appeal means an improved GPA.
- Some faculty are willing to engage in grade negotiation. The fact is, if you can convince them to review your work after the semester is over, when they're not swamped with all sorts of other administrative duties, they may see something that merits a better grade. Or, you can try making more specific arguments, such as arguing that your high final exam score shows you mastered the material enough to deserve a higher course grade.
- Faculty are also sometimes willing to assign makeup work or extra credit, especially if your grade is already borderline. You may have to take an Incomplete while you finish this work, but an I doesn't count against you when figuring your GPA.
You can trust Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team to know the right solution for your particular situation. You can also trust them to help you every step along the way, whether that means working with you to draft an appeal, coaching you in negotiation tactics, or just helping you identify who you need to talk to.
Should the worst happen and you find yourself disqualified? Joseph D. Lento and his team also have experience filing readmission appeals. They know what appeals committees are looking for, and they know how to make sure you look your best on paper.
Premier Education Attorney-Advisor, Joseph D. Lento
Students sometimes ask: how exactly is an attorney-advisor 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 navigating bureaucracy as it is about writing papers and taking exams. No one knows more about dealing with bureaucracy than attorneys, and no one knows more about dealing with educational bureaucracy than Joseph D. Lento and his Educational Law team. That team was assembled specifically to handle student conduct and academic progress issues.
Joseph D. Lento and his team are on your side. They understand that no one is perfect, and they're committed to the idea that a few mistakes shouldn't keep you from earning your degree and going on to a successful career. They'll 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.
