Academic Standards
REVISION/EFFECTIVE DATES
October 2020/September 2022
Purpose
The purpose of Academic Standards is to create, maintain, and promote academic excellence and set expectations toward student achievement of educational goals and objectives. Students may be placed on either Academic Warning, Academic Probation, Academic Suspension, and/or Academical Dismissal.
Scope
Applies to all students enrolled at the University.
DefinitionsTerm of academic difficulty: Students are considered to have a term of academic difficulty when they have been placed on academic warning, probation, or suspension.
Dismissal: Dismissal is a university-initiated separation of a student from the university and is noted on the student’stranscript.
Academic Suspension: A student on academic suspension may not register or take courses in their NWHSU program but remains enrolled in the program and the university. A student may be reinstated from suspension after agreed upon conditions have been met. Appeals of suspension are not permitted.
Program-Specific Requirements: Program-specific requirements refer to academic standing requirements that deviate from the university policy.
Re-Admission: Readmission is the process by which a student may reapply for admission to the university after at least one year of absence.
University Academic Standards Committee(UASC): The University Academic Standards Committee consists of one faculty representative from each college, and preferably from each program if the faculty capacity can support the assignment, the Dean of Students, the Registrar, and the Academic Advisor. This Committee supports decision-making on students’ enrollment in the university.
Program Academic Standards Committee (PASC): The Program Academic Standards Committee consists of faculty and/or program leadership, depending on faculty capacity. This committee supports decision-making on students’ performance in the program.
Academic Warning Policy
Academic warning is indicative of substandard achievement. A student is placed on academic warning when one of the following occurs.
Program Specific Requirements
Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Programs:
- The first time:
- The student fails one or more courses in a term; or
- The student’s cumulative GPA falls below 2.0.
Radiation Therapy, Radiologic Technology, Medical Laboratory Technology, and Medical Laboratory Science Programs:
▪ See Academic Probation – there is no warning status for these programs.
Chiropractic Program:
- The first time:
- The student fails one or more courses in a term; or
- The student’s cumulative GPA falls below 2.0.
Massage Therapy Programs:
- The first time
- The student fails one or more courses in a term; or
- The student’s cumulative GPA falls below 2.0; or
- The student fails to successfully complete at least 67% of the courses attempted (completion rate).
Functional and Integrative Nutrition Program:
- The first time:
- The student fails one or more courses in a term; or
- The student’s cumulative GPA falls below 2.0.
Integrative Care Program:
- The first time:
- The student fails one or more courses in a term; or
- The student’s cumulative GPA falls below 2.0.
Bachelor Completion in Human Biology and Medical Assisting Programs:
- The first time:
- The student’s cumulative GPA falls below 2.0; or
- The student fails to successfully complete at least 67% of the courses attempted (completion rate).
The student will remain on academic warning for no more than two consecutive terms unless permitted by an approved Corrective Learning Plan.
Academic Warning Procedure
Placement on academic warning status is determined by the Registrar’s Office at the end of each term. Notification is sent via university email.
Students on academic warning:
- Must meet with the program’s Academic Advisor to determine a course schedule. The Academic Advisor must approve the student’s final schedule to complete the registration process.
- Must meet regularly with a faculty mentor to discuss progress on the student’s Corrective Learning Plan. A faculty mentor will be assigned at the beginning of the term if one has not already been assigned to the student.
- Must prepare a Corrective Learning Plan to be shared with faculty mentor and should include:
- A brief description of the circumstances of their poor academic performance.
- Steps the student plans to take to be successful in the future.
- Plans may include a reduce course load in the following term. The student must retake failed courses and is not permitted to enroll in any course(s) for which the failed course is a designated prerequisite. If the required course is not offered the next term, the student must complete the course during the next offering .
The Registrar will review the student’s academic standing at the end of the term to determine whether the student has cleared academic warning status.
Academic Probation Policy
A student is placed on academic probation when one of the following occurs:
Program Specific Requirements
Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Programs:
- The student fails one or more courses in a term; or
The student’s cumulative GPA falls below 2.0.
Radiation Therapy, Radiologic Technology, Medical Laboratory Technology, and Medical Laboratory Science Programs
- The student fails one or more courses in a term; or
- The student’s cumulative GPA falls below 2.0; or
- The student fails to successfully complete at least 67% of the courses attempted (completion rate).
Chiropractic Program:
- The student fails to obtain a term GPA of 2.0 or higher in the next term of enrollment while on academic warning; or
- The student fails to obtain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher after the next term of enrollment while on academic warning, unless eligible for continued academic warning due to circumstances described above; or
- The student fails at least one required course during a term while on academic warning; or
- The student fails the same course for a second time.
Massage Therapy Programs:
- The student fails to obtain a term GPA of 2.0 or higher in the next term of enrollment while on academic warning; or
- The student fails to obtain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher after the next term of enrollment while on academic warning, unless eligible for continued academic warning due to circumstances described above; or
- The student fails at least one required course during a term while on academic warning; or
- The student fails the same course for a second time; or
- The student fails to successfully complete at least 67% of the courses attempted (completion rate).
Functional and Integrative Nutrition Program:
- The student fails to obtain a term GPA of 2.0 or higher in the next term of enrollment while on academic warning; or
- The student fails to obtain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher after the next term of enrollment while on academic warning, unless eligible for continued academic warning due to circumstances described above; or
- The student fails at least one required course during a term while on academic warning; or
- The student fails the same course for a second time.
Integrative Care Program:
- The student fails to obtain a term GPA of 2.0 or higher in the next term of enrollment while on academic warning; or
- The student fails to obtain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher after the next term of enrollment while on academic warning, unless eligible for continued academic warning due to circumstances described above; or
- The student fails at least one required course during a term while on academic warning; or
- The student fails the same course for a second time.
Bachelor Completion in Human Biology and Medical Assisting Programs:
- The student’s cumulative GPA falls below 2.0; or
- The student fails to successfully complete at least 67% of the courses attempted (completion rate).
Academic Probation Procedure
Placement on academic probation status is determined by the Registrar’s Office at the end of each term. Notification is sent via university email. The student’s subsequent registration will be placed on hold until the student’s registration is approved by the University’s Academic Advisor and the Financial Aid Office. In addition, a student on academic probation:
- Must update and present the Corrective Learning Plan (CLP) the student submitted while on academic warning to the Program Academic Standards Committee. The Program’s Academic Standards Committee may require the student to take a reduced course load, retake course(s), or participate in other academic or support services to improve the student’s chance of success. If a failed course is not offered the next term, the student will be allowed one additional term to meet the requirement. This must be noted on the revised CLP. The Program’s Academic Standards Committee will deliver the CLP to the student, Faculty Mentor, and Academic Advisor.
- Must meet with an Academic Advisor to establish a schedule for the following term: any requirements set by the Academic Standards Committee will be noted during this meeting.
- Is not permitted to enroll in any course(s) for which the failed course is a designated prerequisite.
- Must complete a Financial Aid SAP Appeal Form to be eligible for financial aid during the term of academic probation and allow financial aid to be released for the term.
- Must meet regularly with a faculty mentor to discuss progress on the student’s Corrective Learning Plan.
- Obtain tutorial assistance, which is available through Academic Advising.
- Must clear the academic probation status by the end of the term or the timeframe approved on the student’s Corrective Learning Plan.
The Registrar will review the student’s academic standing at the end of the term to determine whether a student has cleared academic probation status.
Academic Suspension Policy
A student can be academically suspended whenever one of the following occurs:
Program Specific Requirements
Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Programs:
- The student fails to meet the requirements set by the approved Corrective Learning Plan while on probation.
- The student fails to obtain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 after the next term of enrollment while on academic probation, unless eligible for continued academic probation based on approved Corrective Learning Plan.
- The student fails at least one required course during a term while on academic probation.
- The student fails the same course for a third time
Radiation Therapy, Radiologic Technology, Medical Laboratory Technology, and Medical Laboratory Science Programs:
- Academic Suspension is not available for this program.
- Student will be Academic Dismissal if:
- The student fails the same course for a second time; or
- The student’s cumulative GPA falls remains below a 2.
Chiropractic Program:
- The student fails to meet the requirements set by the approved Corrective Learning Plan
- The student fails to obtain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 after the next term of enrollment while on academic probation, unless eligible for continued academic probation based on approved Corrective Learning Plan.
- The student fails at least one required course during a term while on academic probation.
- The student fails the same course for a third time
Massage Therapy Programs:
- The student fails to meet the requirements set by the approved Corrective Learning Plan
- The student fails to obtain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 after the next term of enrollment while on academic probation, unless eligible for continued academic probation based on approved Corrective Learning Plan.
- The student fails the same course for a third time
- The student fails to successfully complete at least 67% of the courses attempted (completion rate).
Nutrition Program:
- The student fails to meet the requirements set by the approved Corrective Learning Plan
- The student fails to obtain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 after the next term of enrollment while on academic probation, unless eligible for continued academic probation based on approved Corrective Learning Plan.
- The student fails at least one required course during a term while on academic probation.
- The student fails the same course for a third time
Bachelor Completion in Human Biology and Medical Assisting Programs:
- The student fails to obtain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 after the next term of enrollment while on academic probation, unless eligible for continued academic probation based on approved Corrective Learning Plan.
- The student fails to successfully complete at least 67% of the courses attempted (completion rate).
- The student fails the same course for a third time
Academic Suspension Procedure
Notification of academic suspension is sent by the Registrar via university email. During academic suspension, which will last at least one term, the student cannot register for courses in their NWHSU program. A student must submit a reinstatement request that describes the actions taken and results achieved since their suspension commenced. The University Academic Standards Committee will review the reinstatement request and determine if reinstatement is approved, if reinstatement is deferred and more remediation is required, or if reinstatement is denied. The student has a right to appeal the University Academic Standards Committee’s decision to the Chief Academic Officer, whose decision is final. A student can be on academic suspension for two terms before they are dismissed from the university.
Academic Dismissal
Students who complete two terms of academic suspension will be dismissed from the university. Dismissals cannot be appealed.