Academic Standards Policy

Students are expected to achieve and maintain a minimum GPA requirement during their enrollment at Lehman College. In order to remain in good academic standing, students must attain a minimum GPA of 1.5 for the first 12 attempted credits, 1.75 for the first 24 attempted credits, and a 2.0 cumulative GPA thereafter.

Total number of credits attempted include all indexable grades (A-F and FIN) as well as CR, INC, NC, P, R, W, WA, WD, WF, WN, WU*, and all transfer credits.

*WU grades earned prior to Fall ’21 are punitive indexable credits that negatively impact the GPA

Students who fail to meet the required cumulative GPA are automatically placed on academic warning for the following semester. During the academic warning semester, students may register without credit restriction.

Students who do not meet the required cumulative GPA by the end of the academic warning semester will be placed on either full-time or part-time probation for the following semester. The determination of full-time or part-time probation status is based on students’ performance during the academic warning semester:

• Full-Time Probation: Cumulative GPA <2.0, term index > 2.3

• Part-Time Probation: Cumulative GPA <2.0, term index < 2.3

In order to regain good academic standing, students must meet the required cumulative GPA by the end of a probation semester.

• Students on full-time probation who do not meet the required cumulative GPA but who meet the required term index (2.3) will remain on full-time probation for the following semester.

• Students on full-time probation who do not meet either the required cumulative GPA or the required term index (2.3) will be placed on part-time probation for the following semester.

• Students on part-time probation who do not meet the required cumulative GPA but who meet the required term index (2.3) will remain on part-time probation for the following semester.

• Students on part-time probation who do not meet either the required cumulative GPA or the required term index (2.3) will be dismissed.

Students who are dismissed will not be permitted to continue their studies at Lehman College for a minimum of one semester and will be dropped from the following semester courses (not including winter or summer session courses). Students will be permitted to enroll for the winter or summer sessions immediately following their dismissal in an attempt to regain good academic standing. Students who choose to enroll for the winter or summer sessions will not have their courses dropped until five business days prior to the start of the upcoming semester.

Students may appeal their dismissal to the Committee on Admission and Standing for consideration of readmission. Dismissed students may only be readmitted for the Fall or Spring semesters and must successfully complete an assigned and approved academic intervention prior to their return.

Dismissed students who have met the readmission conditions will be placed on a parttime probation status (maximum of 8 credits). Students will be required to maintain the minimum term index of 2.3 for every semester thereafter until they regain good academic standing. Students who fail to meet the 2.3 term index will be placed on final dismissal. Students placed on final dismissal are subject to the readmission in accordance with the Lehman College Fresh Start policy.

This new academic standing policy will take effect as of the Fall ’23 semester and will impact students on academic warning as of that semester. Students whose academic standing was determined under the prior policy will remain under its terms until they either regain good academic standing or are dismissed.

The Fresh Start Program

The Fresh Start Program offers eligible undergraduate students seeking readmission to Lehman College the opportunity to begin their GPA anew. Under the policy, students will have their previous Lehman College coursework no longer included in the computation of their grade point average.

Eligible students must have earned no more than 60 indexable credits during their initial enrollment at the College, must have a Lehman GPA below a 2.0, and must not have previously been granted a Fresh Start.

In order to apply, the student must also meet one of the following requirements:

• Completion of an associate’s degree; or

• Completion of 45 credits at an accredited institution following their initial enrollment at the College with a minimum GPA of 2.5; or

• Non-attendance in any college or university for 5 or more years.

Terms of the policy:

• Students must submit a Fresh Start appeal along with supplemental materials to be considered for a Fresh Start.

• Eligibility for Fresh Start is at the discretion of the Appeals Committee, housed within the Office of Academic Standards and Evaluation. Decisions are final and may not be appealed.

• Students granted a Fresh Start will be readmitted to the college under the Adult Degree Program (ADP) and must adhere to the Fresh Start Policy Contract.

• Prior to registration, students must review this contract with an ADP advisor and agree to meet with their advisor at least once per semester.

• Upon the Fresh Start being applied, all previously earned grades will be removed from the calculation of the index and will be converted to Pass/No Credit grades. A notation will indicate both a students’ enrollment in the Fresh Start Policy and previous grades earned.

• Fresh Start Policy participants must comply with all graduation requirements, including residency requirements and completion of major courses with a passing letter grade. Grades of Pass (P) do not count towards major or minor requirements.

• There is no Fresh Start for financial aid. All financial aid utilized previously will continue to contribute towards the lifetime eligibility usage and will not reset.

• Students who fail to meet the academic standards of the College following their Fresh Start will be subject to the policies governing dismissal as outlined in the undergraduate College Bulletin.

Graduation Requirements

To qualify for graduation with a Lehman College baccalaureate degree, students must complete the following requirements:

1. completion of at least 120 credits, including all degree requirements;

2. completion of at least 30 credits in coursework at Lehman, including at least half the number of credits in the student's major and half in the minor or half of the credits in an interdisciplinary program;

3. a minimum Lehman College cumulative index of 2.0; and

4. either a minimum grade of C or an overall index of 2.0 in all courses taken in the major and minor departments or in an interdisciplinary program.