Academic Standing

Academic standing categories are used to distinguish those students who are doing exceptional work from those who are performing satisfactorily and from those who are not meeting Lakeland’s minimum achievement expectations. While consistently exceptional performance over the full college career is required to earn graduation honors, exceptional performance for one term may earn a place on the Dean’s List. Lakeland’s academic standing categories are fully described in the following sections.

Graduation Honors

To be eligible for graduation honors, a student must complete a minimum of one-half of the coursework (60 semester hours) required for graduation through Lakeland College. Only those grades earned in Lakeland courses will be used when calculating Lakeland grade-point-averages. Lakeland graduation honors are based on the following cumulative GPA criteria:

Summa Cum Laude = 3.80-4.00

Magna Cum Laude = 3.60-3.79

Cum Laude = 3.50-3.59

Further information may be found in the “Graduation Policy ” section of this catalog.

Outstanding Student Awards

Superior students are recognized through the award of academic program scholarships and subject area outstanding student honors which are presented at the college honors banquet each spring.

The Dean’s List

A dean’s honor list is prepared at the close of each fall, spring, and summer term. The Dean’s List includes those full-time students who have attained a grade-point-average of 3.5 or better for the term. Grades earned in courses transferred from another college are not included in the Lakeland GPA.

Standards for Academic Good Standing

Students must maintain a minimal grade-point-average (GPA) during each of their terms at Lakeland College. These term GPA standards are as follows: freshmen—1.75, sophomores—2.0, juniors—2.0, and seniors—2.0. In addition, students classified as second-semester freshmen or higher must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0. Students who fail to meet these minimal term and/or cumulative GPA standards face academic probation, suspension, or dismissal from the college.

All students in the traditional undergraduate program must also successfully complete a minimum of nine (9) semester hours of coursework during each of their terms at Lakeland College. Students who fail to pass the required number of semester hours also face academic probation, suspension, or dismissal from Lakeland College.

Summary of Standards for Academic Good Standing

Minimum Requirements for Each Class

The intent of these minimum performance standards is to encourage students to strive to excel in their college classes, thereby enhancing their own future opportunities for employment and the timely completion of their college degree programs. Maintenance of good academic standing and minimum academic progress is also required in order to retain eligibility for future financial aid awards.

The Vice President of Academic Affairs, in collaboration with his or her designees, including but not limited to: the Registrar, the Director of the Hayssen Academic Resource Center, the Senior Director of Student Success and Engagement, the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, and the Director of Financial Aid, will review each student’s term GPA at the end of regular semesters. Based on the findings of this review, the Vice President of Academic Affairs will implement the following policies.

Academic Probation, Suspension, and Dismissal

Probation:  Students whose term GPA falls below the minimal standard or who fail to pass the required number of semester hours will be placed on academic probation for the following semester. In addition, students classified as second-semester freshmen or higher whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 will be placed on academic probation for the following semester. Students placed on academic probation may take no more than 14 semester hours of credit during the following term. These students must also meet with the Director of the Hayssen Academic Resource Center to establish the terms of their probation. Students who fulfill the terms of their probation and meet the appropriate term GPA standard may continue at Lakeland as full-time students in good standing.

Suspension:  Students who fail to fulfill the terms of their academic probation or who fail all of their courses in a single term will be suspended for one semester. After a suspended student has been away from Lakeland College for one semester, he or she may apply for readmission. A student who has been readmitted to the college after a period of academic suspension will return on academic probation.

Appeals to the above policy decisions may be made to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Dismissal:  Students who are readmitted after an academic suspension and fail to meet the appropriate term GPA standard will be academically dismissed. Dismissed students may no longer enroll in Lakeland College coursework and are ineligible for readmission to Lakeland College.

Summary of Academic Probation, Suspension, and Dismissal Rules

Mid-term Suspension or Dismissal

Where judged appropriate by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, students who have earned unsatisfactory grades in all courses (D/F/W) on the mid-term grade report may be immediately suspended or dismissed from the college. Students who earn unsatisfactory grades in all courses and who are not suspended or dismissed will be monitored throughout the remainder of the term and may be suspended or dismissed from the college before the end of the term.

Behavioral Suspension or Dismissal

Students who have violated established rules of the Lakeland College community, as published in the college’s Student Handbook, may be immediately suspended or dismissed from the college. Unless other action is specifically approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs or Senior Director of Student Success and Engagement, behavioral suspensions will result in the award of failing grades in all enrolled classes.

Plagiarism and Cheating

Lakeland College expects academic honesty from all of its students. It is assumed that the work turned in by a student is the student’s own work.  Cheating, plagiarism, or other kinds of academic dishonesty are considered violations of established college expectations and may result in penalties ranging from failure of an assignment to dismissal from the college, dependent upon the severity of the offense. It is the student’s responsibility to understand and avoid plagiarism and cheating. Students who believe they have been unfairly accused or penalized may submit a written appeal, stating the specific details of their situation, to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Where appropriate, the Vice President for Academic Affairs may take such appeals to the Academic Appeals Committee for a formal hearing and decision. In matters of plagiarism and cheating, the decision of the Academic Appeals Committee is final.

Withdrawal from the College

Students who wish to withdraw from Lakeland in good standing either during the middle of the term or after completing their current coursework must contact their the Senior Director of Student Success and Engagement or their appropriate Success Coach at least 24 hours before leaving the campus. It is important to make this contact early because the official withdrawal process includes a series of important actions, including, but not limited to: completing a Withdrawal from College form; returning equipment, books, and/or keys; clearing one’s financial accounts; and participating in a brief exit interview.

Students who are receiving financial assistance are strongly encouraged to consult with a representative from Financial Aid to identify and understand the financial assistance/monetary implications withdrawing. Please refer to the “Financial Information ” section of this catalog for the refund policy.

International students with F1/J1 visas must consult with a SEVIS official to discuss the serious immigration consequences that may result from withdrawing from Lakeland.

Medical Withdrawal and Family Leave

A request for medical withdrawal or family leave may be made in extraordinary cases where serious physical or mental illness, injury, or another significant personal situation prevents a student from continuing his or her classes, and where incompletes or other arrangements with the instructors are not possible. All applications for withdrawal require the completion of a Withdrawal from the College Form available through the offices of the Senior Director of Student Success and Engagement, Success Coaches or the Office of the Registrar; thorough and credible documentation of the intervening circumstances; and the approval of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Note: Requests for medical withdrawal or family leave from a single course in a term when several courses are taken will not be granted.

A student may request and be considered for a medical withdrawal when extraordinary circumstances, such as a serious illness or injury, interfere with class attendance and/or academic performance. The student must have been or currently be under medical care during the current semester in order to be considered for a medical withdrawal from all classes. The medical withdrawal policy covers both physical health and mental health difficulties.

A student may request and be considered for family leave when extraordinary personal reasons, not related to the student’s personal physical or mental health interfere with class attendance and/or academic performance. Examples include care of a seriously ill parent, sibling, child or spouse, or a death in the student’s immediate family.

Readmission to the College

Students who have withdrawn, fallen out of continuous enrollment, or who have been suspended from the college must apply for readmission to the Office of Admissions in order to be re-enrolled in Lakeland classes. Application for readmission should be made at least two months prior to the date on which the student wishes to begin coursework. Successful readmission requires the complete payment of all prior balances due to the college, and the approval of the the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Students who were suspended or who were not in good academic standing at the time they left the college will be asked to submit grades from any college-level coursework they may have completed and/or letters of recommendation from any employers or supervisors who observed their work during the time they were absent from Lakeland.

An overall review of the student’s records relating to his or her prior experience at Lakeland College will occur. This review will include academic performance, conduct, participation in campus community life, compliance with financial obligations, and any other factors deemed relevant. The college reserves the right to make the readmission decision based on any combination of the above factors in the best interests of the student as well as the college community. The policy applies to all readmissions regardless of the reasons for the student’s initial withdrawal or suspension from the institution.

Readmitted students are subject to the degree requirements in effect at the point of their reentry to the college. Students readmitted after suspension are placed on academic probation for their first term of re-enrollment.

Readmission Following Suspension

Students who have been suspended may apply for readmission after one academic semester has elapsed. Successful readmission requires the complete payment of all prior balances due to the college, and the approval of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Students who were previously suspended will be placed on probation status upon readmission until their coursework merits a return to good academic standing. Students who have been readmitted following a suspension must improve their overall GPA each term until they have earned a return to good academic standing. Failure to earn a return to good standing will result in dismissal from the college.

Readmission Following Withdrawal

Students who have voluntarily withdrawn may apply for readmission under the same procedures listed above for readmission to the college. Students who officially withdrew in good standing and are readmitted will return in good academic standing.