Academic Standings for undergraduate students

Academic Standing reflects an undergraduate student's academic success and adherence to program standards at Fort Lewis College. It is evaluated after each semester, considering both cumulative and semester-specific grade point averages. Academic Standing updates are influenced only by grades posted at the end of each semester; mid-semester or post-semester grade changes will be considered in the following semester’s assessment.

Cumulative grade point average standards

Students must adhere to the following GPA standards to maintain or improve their Academic Standing within their undergraduate programs. The purpose of this system is to allow students time to incrementally repair low cumulative GPAs by achieving higher semester GPAs.

Cumulative GPA Semester GPA Academic Standing Academic Standing Definition Consequences
2.00 or higher 2.00 or higher Good Standing A student is in Good Standing if the most recent semester GPA is at or above 2.00 and the cumulative GPA is at or above 2.00 OR the student is in the initial semester of enrollment after Academic Renewal. Eligible to continue enrollment without restrictions.
2.00 or higher Below 2.00 Academic Warning A student is on Academic Warning if and only if (a) the most recent semester GPA is below 2.00 and (b) the cumulative GPA is at or above 2.00. Must meet with an academic advisor to develop a plan for academic improvement.
Below 2.00 Below 2.00 Academic Care Alert A student is on Academic Care Alert if and only if (a) the student has fewer than 60 attempted hours at Fort Lewis College, (b) the most recent semester GPA is below 2.00, (c) the cumulative GPA is below 2.00, and (d) the student was in Good Standing or on Academic Warning the previous semester. Required to participate in academic support programs.
Below 2.00 Above 2.00 Academic Intervention A student is on Academic Intervention if and only if (a) the cumulative GPA is below 2.00, (b) the most recent semester GPA is below 2.00, and the student was in Good Standing or on Academic Warning the previous semester with 60 or more attempted hours at Fort Lewis College OR the student was on Academic Care Alert the previous semester OR the most recent semester GPA is above a 2.00, and the student was on Academic Care Alert, Academic Intervention, or Reinstated from Academic Separation the previous semester. May face restrictions on course load or required participation in academic recovery programs.
Below 2.00 Below 2.00 Academic Separation A student is on Academic Separation if and only if the semester GPA is below 2.0 while on Academic Intervention OR the semester GPA is below 2.0 while Reinstated from Academic Separation. Not eligible to enroll unless reinstated on appeal.

Academic Standing consequences of Withdrawing entirely from a semester

When a student has Withdrawal grades (AW, CW, or SW) in all Fall, Spring, or Summer courses, this does not affect academic standing.

Notification of Academic Standing

Students receive an email at the end of each Fall, Spring, and Summer semester. It provides detailed information about their current Academic Standing and guidance on the necessary steps for those on probation or facing Academic Separation.

Options for Academically Separated students

Students who have been academically separated have two options to return to degree-seeking status:

  1. Successfully appeal the Academic Separation.
  2. Request Academic Renewal when reapplying to Fort Lewis College.

Appeal of Academic Separation

A student who has been Academically Separated may appeal if:

  1. There are compelling and unforeseen reasons for poor academic performance and
  2. There is a high probability that the student’s cumulative GPA can be raised to 2.00 or higher in no more than one additional semester of coursework. This is determined by having a Quality Point Deficiency of no more than 10 points, as determined by the GPA Repair Calculator.

Students appeal by submitting an Academic Standing Appeals package to the Registrar’s Office. The appeals package must include the following:

Review of Academic Standing Appeals

The Academic Standards Committee reviews appeals five times a year. The committee considers each case individually, examining the student's educational records and disciplinary history. Input from faculty and other campus offices may also be solicited.

Outcome of Appeals

If the appeal is approved, the student is reinstated from Academic Separation and must meet specific GPA targets in subsequent semesters to maintain their status. Students will receive notification of the committee’s decision via their Fort Lewis College email account.

Further actions

Decisions made by the Academic Standards Committee may be appealed to the Provost or their designee.

Contact information

For questions about the appeals process or Academic Standing, please contact:

Kajen Duvall, Assistant Registrar
Email: academicstanding@fortlewis.edu
Phone: 970-247-7301