Appeal of Academic Suspension

All students should maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA for coursework completed at this institution in order to be considered in good standing. If a student does not maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA the following will occur: 

Probation 

Students are placed on academic probation at the end of any Fall or Spring semester in which their cumulative GPA falls below 2.0. Think of this as an academic warning. This means that students on academic probation need to earn a 2.0 or higher to avoid moving to academic suspension. 

Academic Suspension 

Students who are already on academic probation will be suspended for one academic year when the following conditions exist: 

1. Credit Hours Attempted 1-24: cumulative GPA is below 2.0 during the prior semester (academic probation) and both the semester and cumulative GPA are below 1.80
2. Credit Hours Attempted 25-45: cumulative GPA is below 2.0 during the prior semester (academic probation) and both the semester and cumulative GPA are below 1.90
3. Credit Hours Attempted 46 and above: cumulative GPA is below 2.0 during the prior semester (academic probation) and both the semester and cumulative GPA are below 2.0

Students who are academically suspended may enroll for classes during the summer term. 

Students who are academically suspended from UNK have a right to appeal their suspension. The following will provide clarity in the academic suspension appeals process.  

(Please note, the committee meets at the end of each Fall and Spring term. The dates when they meet will be posted on the Academic Suspension Form) 

1. Students must submit their academic suspension appeal using this online form. 
2. Once a student submits their official academic suspension appeal. The Academic Suspension Appeal Committee will review it to determine if the student is reinstated or if the academic suspension is upheld.
   1. Students do not need to be present when the committee meets 
   2. The committee consists of 12 members including faculty from all three colleges and representatives from various support offices including the Loper Success Hub, Registrar’s Office, Financial Aid and Student Life.  
3. Once the committee has reached a decision, the student will be notified via email to their UNK email address 

To help students construct a good appeal it is wise to look ahead at what will be asked of them and provide as much context as possible.  

• Students will be asked to explain how they will be able to succeed now, given their demonstrated academic difficulties in the previous semester(s). The appeal committee needs to be convinced that they have a clear understanding of the problems that led to their poor academic performance, that they are willing and able to address these problems, and that they are aware of exactly what steps they will need to take to succeed. 

• Students will be asked to outline a clear, detailed, and thoughtful plan for how they intend to achieve academic success if reinstated for the upcoming semester.  
  • Identify two specific factors within your control that you will change to help ensure a more positive academic outcome. 
  • The plan should focus on explaining why returning to UNK next semester is likely to lead to academic improvement, despite the challenges you faced in previous terms. 

• When creating a plan, consider the following questions: 
  • What specific behaviors or habits will you change to support your academic success? 
  • If you're currently employed, are there adjustments you can make to better manage your time between work and school? 
  • Who can you rely on—advisors, tutors, peers, or others—to support you and help you stay on track? What does that look like? 
  • When something comes up out of your control what will your response be? 

• The committee may collect feedback from course instructors regarding, but not limited to, attendance, assignment submission, and participation. 

• Students can provide additional support to the reasons of their academic suspension within the form. This is not mandatory but can be helpful for the committee to understand the situation.  
  • Some examples include: a doctor’s note, letter of support from an advisor, instructor, faculty member, or staff, obituary, medical documents, etc. 

• Must receive at least a minimum grade point average of 2.0 for the next semester. Students who do not receive the designated grade point average will again be suspended for a period of two consecutive semesters.  
  • Students will remain on academic probation until their cumulative GPA is above 2.0.  
• Optional: Students are encouraged to meet with a representative in Academic Advising and Career Development to create a comeback plan. Students will receive a link to make an appt in their approval email.  

• Drop Next Semesters Courses 
  • If you’re enrolled, please log into your MyBLUE account, go to “Enrollment,” click the dropdown arrow, and select “Drop Class” for each course.  
• Campus Housing  
  • If you live on campus, contact UNK Housing at (308) 865-8519 to arrange your check-out.  
• (Optional) Take Courses Elsewhere 
  • You might take courses at another school to build skills or earn transferable credits. Use the UNK Transfer Guide to see what will transfer. Keep in mind that courses from outside the NU system (UNL, UNO, UNK) cannot raise your UNK GPA.    
• Can complete a mid-suspension appeal form. The appeal form will available to students here the week before open registration. (November and March) 

There are two different appeal processes for suspension. One for Financial Aid and the other for Academics (enrolling in classes). If you are seeking information about financial aid, please review this website: https://www.unk.edu/offices/financial_aid/satisfactory-academic-progress.php