Academic Standing

May I appeal a suspension decision? Yes, students may appeal a suspension decision by following a well-defined appeal process within firm deadlines. Please contact the Academic Advising Resource Center for more information.

I was suspended for two semesters. It's time for me to return now. What do I need to do? Suspended students must submit a Reinstatement Form to the Office of the Registrar for readmission to Oberlin College. Students are asked to speak with Laura Herron, Associate Dean for Academic Standing, in the Academic Advising Resource Center prior to submitting the form.

No exceptions are made.

May I appeal a dismissal decision? Yes, students may appeal a dismissal decision by following a well-defined appeal process within firm deadlines. Contact the Academic Advising Resource Center for details.

Will this sanction show on my transcript? Alerts and probations are recorded internally only and do not appear on the transcript. Suspensions and dismissals are recorded both internally and on the transcript.

Who is notified about an academic standing action? The student, advisor/s, registrar’s office, financial aid, and students accounts are notified about an alert or probation. For a suspension or dismissal, the Office of the Dean of Students is also notified. In the case of student athletes, notification of any academic standing action will be made to the Department of Athletics.

Will this sanction affect my financial aid? The Office of Financial Aid is notified of academic standing actions. Because each situation is unique, please consult with that office to see how this may affect you personally.

Who do I contact if I have questions/concerns about my academic standing?

• College of Arts and Sciences students may contact the Academic Advising Resource Center.
• Oberlin Conservatory students may contact the Office of the Associate Dean of the Conservatory
• Double Degree Program students may contact Office of the Associate Dean of the Conservatory

How does course underload affect academic standing? 

Any student approved by the AARC/Registrar for part-time status will be expected to complete all registered courses in a given semester.  Passing fewer than all registered courses will result in an individualized review by the Academic Standing Committee with possible sanctions of probation, suspension, or dismissal, depending on the student’s previous status and outcome of review.

The tables below indicate the possible academic standing sanctions that serve as guidelines for the initial review of a student’s record.

Please note:

• “GPA” refers to cumulative grade-point average
  • Students who matriculated prior to fall 2021 must earn a cumulative GPA of at least 1.67
  • Students who matriculate fall 2021 or after must earn a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0
• Of the 3.5 full courses per semester needed to remain in good academic standing, the equivalent of 3 courses per semester must be academic courses not co-curricular credits.

For students in their first semester

For students in the second semester of their first year, sophomores, juniors, seniors

^* If a student in this category is dismissed and appeals the dismissal, the Academic Standing Committee may: grant the appeal, deny the appeal, or, one time, suspend the student for two semesters.

Timeline

• Official notifications of academic suspension and dismissal are usually sent to students via Oberlin email within 48 business hours of the posting of all final grades for the semester.

• Students are responsible for the regular monitoring of their Oberlin email accounts.

• Notifications may be delayed by incomplete or contested grades.

• The deadline for submission of all appeal materials will be clearly stated in the notification email.

Requirements

• An in-person or Zoom meeting with Associate Dean for Academic Standing Laura Herron to discuss the appeal process. Appointments can be scheduled by emailing lherron@oberlin.edu.

• A completed cover sheet.

• A two-page, double spaced statement from the student to the Academic Standing Committee.

• A completed *evaluation form from the student’s academic advisor or an approved substitute in cases where the advisor is not available. 

• A completed *evaluation form from another faculty or professional staff member. In the case of appeals for early return from suspension, this evaluation may be from an employer, volunteer supervisor, or instructor from another institution.

• Submission and receipt of all required documentation by the due date stated in the student’s official notice of suspension or dismissal.

* Evaluation form will be provided to the reference by the Associate Dean for Academic Standing.

Steps 

Step 1: Immediately upon receipt of an academic standing notice, contact Dean Laura Herron at lherron@oberlin.edu to schedule a meeting. This meeting should be scheduled no later than three days after issuance of the academic standing notice. During your meeting, Dean Herron will explain the appeal process and answer any questions that you may have. She will also inform you of the date by which you may expect the Committee’s decision. 

Step 2: Contact your academic advisor and an additional faculty or staff member that knows you to request that they read and evaluate your statement to the Committee. You and the faculty/staff members should set a mutually agreed upon date by which you will provide a draft of your statement to them. The Committee recommends that this date be set three to seven days before the deadline for appeal submission.

Step 3: Complete the appeal cover sheet, including the names of your evaluators, and email it to Dean Herron at lherron@oberlin.edu. Upon receipt of the cover sheet, Dean Herron will email the evaluation form with directions to the faculty/staff members.

Step 4:  Write a personal statement, addressed to the Academic Standing Committee, of no more than two pages, double spaced. In the statement, you should: 

• Briefly explain the circumstances under which you were unable to achieve the College’s minimum academic standards. 

• Outline the steps that you are currently taking to address the challenges that you have identified.

• Present a detailed success plan for next semester. This plan should include your proposed course schedule, all College support services that you intend to utilize, and management strategies for the ongoing challenges that you have identified. You may find that the Academic Progress Plan is a useful tool in planning for your future success. 

• Email your statement as an MSWord or PDF email attachment to Dean Herron by the submission deadline.

Step 5: Prior to the deadline, confirm with your evaluators that they have submitted their completed forms directly to Dean Herron. It is solely your responsibility to ensure that all of the appeal materials are submitted on time. You will receive a confirmation email from Dean Herron when your appeal packet is complete. 

Step 6: If you are appealing to return early from suspension, complete the reinstatement application by the posted deadline and submit it to the Registrar’s Office.