Academic Standing

A student’s academic standing depends upon the number of degree credits completed and the cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA). Degree credits are the number of course credits completed in courses numbered 100 and above in which a passing grade was earned. The GPA is the overall numerical grade, which may range from 0.00 to 4.00. This is calculated for each semester (the semester GPA) and overall for all courses taken (the cumulative GPA).

The university calculates the GPA by multiplying the number of credits for each course by the numerical equivalent of the letter grade earned for that course (See “Grading System ”) This calculation yields the number of quality points earned for that course. The semester GPA is obtained by dividing the total quality points earned in a semester by the total number of credits for which the student was registered that semester, not counting courses from which the student withdrew with a passing grade or courses taken Pass/Fail. The cumulative GPA is the total number of quality points earned at UMaine divided by the total number of credits taken at UMaine. These calculations are carried to two decimal places.

Academic Recognition

The University recognizes outstanding academic achievement in several ways. Two of the most prestigious are the Presidential Scholar and the Dean’s List. These achievements are based on calculable credits. Courses taken pass/fail are not calculable credit courses.

These recognitions of academic achievement are generated 35 calendar days after the last day of the final exam period. A student with any Incomplete or Missing Grade for the semester at the point when the records are reviewed is not eligible. Eligibility will not be recalculated after that date.

Academic achievements are recorded on the official transcript and are generated at the end of the fall and spring terms only.

Presidential Scholar

To be recognized as a Presidential Scholar, a student must be degree-seeking, have completed 12 or more calculable credits in the semester, and have earned a 4.0 semester GPA.

Full-time Dean’s List

To be eligible for the Full-time Dean’s List, a student must have completed 12 or more calculable credits in the semester and have earned a 3.50 or higher semester GPA.

Part-time Dean’s List

Students who have part-time status during both the fall and spring semesters of a given academic year are eligible for Part-time Dean’s List. They must have completed 12 or more calculable credits over both terms and have earned a combined GPA in those terms of 3.50 or higher.

Academic Actions (Probation, Suspension, Dismissal)

Degree-seeking students who fail to meet the minimum academic standards for satisfactory progress toward their degree, both in a single semester and overall, are subject to an academic action.

A university-wide academic standing committee administers the academic standing policy by placing students on probation, suspension, or dismissal. Review occurs at the end of the fall and spring semesters.

Academic Probation

The minimum acceptable cumulative grade point average (GPA) needed for graduation is 2.0. Therefore, any GPA below 2.0 is a warning to a student that such work will not permit graduation. Students are placed on academic probation following a fall or spring semester in which their cumulative GPA falls below 2.0. Students are also placed on probation following a fall or spring semester in which they earn a semester GPA less than 2.0, even if their cumulative GPA remains at or above a 2.0.

Students on academic probation who do not improve their cumulative GPA to a 2.0 in the subsequent semester may be continued on probation or suspended. Students on probation may also be placed on a contract that requires them to meet certain academic conditions defined by their college dean. The conditions in the academic contract must be met for the student to return to good standing, and to avoid suspension. Students on probation without an academic contract are restored to good standing after achieving a cumulative and semester GPA of 2.0 or higher.

Academic Suspension

Students will be subject to suspension following any fall or spring semester when any of the following conditions apply:

The student’s earned semester GPA is 0.00.
The student has failed to fulfill the terms of an academic contract.
The student is already on probation and has earned a semester GPA of 1.0 or below.
The student is already on probation and has not met required cumulative GPA minima (at least 1.7 for students with 0-23 earned credits; at least 2.0 for students with 24 or more earned credits) unless the student’s semester GPA is 2.0 or higher.

Suspension is noted on the student’s official academic record.

Suspended students may seek readmission after one semester. (Semesters are fall and spring.) A suspended student must file an application for readmission. Students may request permission from their associate dean to take up to two courses per semester, and/or during the summer term, as a non-degree student while they are under suspension. However, students are ineligible for financial aid in this circumstance.

Academic Dismissal

Dismissal is the final action taken when students are not making satisfactory progress toward a degree or when students readmitted after suspension show no improvement in their cumulative average or otherwise fail to meet conditions set by the college.

A student who has been dismissed is considered separated from the University permanently and is not normally allowed readmission. Dismissal is noted on the student’s official academic record.

Program Dismissal

Due to accreditation, licensure, and career standards, some academic programs have more stringent academic and ethical standards than the University academic guidelines. Failure to meet program requirements will lead to dismissal from these programs. Since this is a program dismissal and not a dismissal from the University, the student may have the opportunity to earn a degree in another academic program at the University. The decision to dismiss a student from their program is considered to be a permanent action. Students who are dismissed from a program have the opportunity to appeal the decision to the Academic Standing Appeals Committee. The process, as well as the timing of such an appeal, is outlined in the notification of dismissal. The decision of the committee is final.

Summer Session Courses for Suspended and Dismissed Students
Students who are notified of suspension or academic dismissal from the university while attending a summer session or winter term course will be allowed to complete that course for a grade and credit. Students under suspension or dismissal will not be allowed to take any subsequent courses without the permission of the associate dean of their college.

Academic Forgiveness

Academic forgiveness refers to the exclusion of an entire fall or spring semester from the calculation of a student’s grade point average and earned credits. All grades remain on the transcript. When academic forgiveness occurs, the associate dean or designee may waive the re-taking of selected courses for which the student has earned sufficient grades. Though the degree credit has been removed, these courses may be used to meet degree requirements and to meet pre-requisite requirements. Students must achieve program minimum requirements to graduate.

Students may receive academic forgiveness once during their association with the university following one of the actions listed below. In all cases, the semester to be forgiven is the one immediately prior to the qualifying action and is contingent on completion of their first 12 or more graded credits in the subsequent semester with a minimum semester GPA of 2.3 and no grades less than a C-. Students who regularly maintain less than a 12 credit hour load should check with their dean’s office regarding provisions for part-time students. Forgiveness must be requested in writing and once granted may not be revoked.

Actions eligible for academic forgiveness include the following:

Readmission to the University after academic suspension
Readmission to the University after a voluntary break in enrollment
Changing academic majors within or between colleges, if this action represents a substantial change in curriculum as determined by the associate dean or designee.

Students receiving Academic Forgiveness are excluded for consideration of Valedictorian or Salutatorian awards. Academic Forgiveness may impact a student’s eligibility for financial aid due to the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. Information is available at http://umaine.edu/stuaid/policies/sap/.

Fresh Start (5 year rule)

Students requesting readmission after an absence of five or more years may be treated as external transfers in the determination of credits and grade point average. Credit is allowed for all University of Maine courses passed at the level of C- or higher. All grades remain on the academic transcript, but are removed from calculation of the accumulative grade point average. To be eligible for fresh start, students must have a minimum of 30 credits remaining toward degree completion and must complete those 30 credits in residence at the University of Maine. Students receiving a fresh start are ineligible for Valedictorian or Salutatorian awards. For more information, contact the Associate Dean or Director of the School or College you are readmitting into. Fresh Start may impact a student’s eligibility for financial aid due to the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. Information is available at http://umaine.edu/stuaid/policies/sap/.