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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

Total Credits Attempted

Minimum Lehman College Cumulative GPA

0-12

1.5

>12-24

1.75

>24

2.00

 

 

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 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 students seeking readmission to Lehman College the opportunity to return to the College and begin their GPA anew. Under the Fresh Start Program, students whose cumulative GPA does not meet Lehman College’s academic standard and who earned no more than 45 indexable credits during their initial enrollment at the College will have none of their previous Lehman College coursework counted toward the computation of their grade point average.   

Eligibility: 

The following reinstated students may qualify for the Lehman College Fresh Start Program:  

  •  Students who have either completed an associate’s degree and have earned a minimum GPA of 2.75 or have earned 45 credits at an accredited institution following their initial enrollment at the College with a minimum GPA of 2.75;

  •  Students who have not attended a college or university for 5 or more years.

Terms of the program:

  • Upon acceptance of an appeal for readmission, students who meet the above criteria will be invited to apply to the program by the Committee on Admission and Standing.  

  • Admission to the program is at the discretion of the Committee.  Decisions are final and may not be appealed.  

  • Upon acceptance to the Fresh Start Program all previously earned grades will be removed from the calculation of the index but will remain visible on the transcript.  A notation will indicate students’ enrollment in the Fresh Start Program.  

  • Students accepted to the program must adhere to a Fresh Start Program Contract which requires regular meetings with an assigned academic advisor as well as the utilization of campus support services.  

  • Fresh Start Program participants must comply with all residency requirements for the College following their acceptance to the program, which stipulate the completion of at least 30 credits of 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.  

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

  • The Fresh Start Program may be implemented only once during a student’s academic career at Lehman.

  • Credits earned prior to the Fresh Start Program will be treated as transfer credits.  As such, all grades removed from the index under the Fresh Start Program guidelines will not be used in the calculation of any indices.

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.