Academic Standing Policy

AC-REG-POL-003
Academic Standing Policy
DepartmentAcademic/Registrar
Approval DateAugust 30, 2022
Effective DateAugust 30, 2022

Organizational Scope

The policy applies to all full-time and part-time students in all programs offered at The Michener Institute of Education at UHN (“Michener”). It also applies to non-academic violations such as, but not limited to, violations of the Michener Community Rights and Responsibilities.

Purpose

  • To establish clear standards, expectations and procedures to guide the fair determinations of academic standing; and
  • To promote the principle of fairness in a transparent, respectful and confidential manner.

Policy

At Michener. academic standing is an indication of a student’s academic achievement and professional conduct in a course or program guided by our established standards, Academic standing will determine the student’s eligibility to:

  • continue in a program at Michener;
  • graduate; or
  • repeat a semester.

In order to be eligible for academic advancement and/or graduation all Michener students are required to achieve and maintain minimum course and program grades as set out in the relevant course outlines and abide by other Michener policies (e.g., Academic Integrity, Right & Responsibilities, etc.).

Students are encouraged to read and fully understand the Academic Standing Policy while at Michener. If students have any questions or concerns regarding this policy, they can contact the Registrar’s Office (regoffice@michener.ca).

Student Standing will be one of the following:

Academic Status Summary Guidelines
Academic Standing Students who have successfully completed their first semester of first year OR students who have returned from academic suspension and have successfully completed a semester
Probation Standing students who have been cited for an academic violation or are returning from academic suspension will be placed on probation
Academic Suspension Students with an established standing who fail courses in a semester cannot continue in the program as set out in Program Model Routes and will be placed on academic suspension for one year and be required to apply for readmissions. Upon return to Michener students will be placed on probation and be required to repeat any failed courses.
Permanent Withdrawal There are five ways that a student can be permanently withdrawn from Michener:

Students who are unsuccessful in their first semester and are either not eligible for Supplemental activity or unsuccessful in completing a Supplemental activity will be permanently withdrawn;

Students who are repeating a semester who are unsuccessful in meeting course requirements;

Students who are unsuccessful in 50% or more of their courses/program in any semester of their studies; or

Non-academic violation such as breaches of the Michener Community Rights and Responsibilities/Academic Integrity Policy

Students who miss deadlines for readmission or whose applications are unsuccessful

 

Additional Information on Student Standing:

1. Probation Standing

Students returning from academic suspension are automatically placed on probation until they complete one term of studies. Students who have been cited for a non-academic violation may be placed onto Probation and will be required to successfully fulfill any terms and conditions for remaining in the program set out by the Academic Chair. (Students should note that egregious non-academic violations may lead to permanent dismissal from the program.)

2. Academic Suspension

Students who are required to repeat a semester may also be required to fulfill other conditions as outlined in the Return Plan. A students can only repeat a semester once throughout the entire duration of their program. The student’s Academic Chair can recommend that the student repeat some or all of the courses from the prior semester if it is determined it is in the student’s best interest to do so.

Students returning from Academic Suspension will be placed on Probation when returning to Michener. Once a student successfully completes a semester they will be considered in Good Standing.

Students should note that a Learning/Return Plan will not be noted on their Academic Transcript or Student Record. 

3. Permanent Withdrawal

Students permanently withdrawn from a program at Michener are normally not eligible to apply for readmission to their former program but may apply to a different program at Michener.

Appendix

Definitions

Academic decision: any decision relating to a final course mark or standing in a program, or action.

Course: an official evaluated unit with an overall grade value attached to it. Each individual course may be comprised of several sub-units, or parts, and is identified by a single course code and course name.

Academic Standing: students are in good standing once they successfully complete the first semester of their program and continue in good standing in their program if they:

  • are successful in meeting course requirements
  • successfully completed a semester after returning from academic suspension
  • abide by all Michener policies

Grade Point Average (GPA): GPAs are calculated by multiplying the grade point value and credits of the course and dividing by total credits (GP * Credit/Total Credits).

  • Term GPA is the GPA derived when looking at the results from the group of courses a student takes in a single term/semester
  • Program GPA is the GPA derived when looking at the results from all courses a student has completed over one or more terms/semesters that relate to a single program
  • Cumulative GPA is the GPA derived when taking into consideration all course results over one or more terms. A student can complete courses in several different programs over their lifetime at Michener.

Learning Plan: is a document that can be drafted at any point in a semester initiated either by the student, Program Communication Liaison, faculty member or Academic Chair to support a student who is in need or may wish for more academic support. The Learning Plan will outline the strategy that will be implemented and monitored.

Non-academic violation: an breach of professionalism or failure to meet non-academic requirements such as, but not limited to, submitting required health records/clearances. Please see Michener Community Rights & Responsibilities for further information.

Policy: the written regulation of Michener as found in, but not limited to the Academic Standing Policy on the internet, referred to in the Student Guidebook, or other Michener materials.

Probation Standing: students who successfully meet all course requirements and have a term/semester GPA less than 2.0 after a Promotion Review Committee meeting will be placed on Probationary standing with a Learning Plan for immediate implementation during the the next semester. Students will continue in the program as per the Program Model Route. The terms and conditions of Probation are determined by the Program’s Academic Chair.

Program: a series of required courses. listed on the model route that leads to an Advanced Diploma or graduate certificate.

Program Model Route: a series of courses that students must complete during fall, winter, and summer terms/semesters in order to complete their program

Promotions Review Committee (PRC): is responsible for informing the Registrar’s Office regarding matters relating to student grades, progress, supplemental and post supplemental activity within their didactic and clinical/co-op studies

Readmission: Students who have not attended for one or more semesters due to academic suspension or leave of absence must submit an application for readmission. It is important to note that readmission to Michener is not guaranteed.

Return Plan: is a document that can be drafted prior to returning from academic suspension when a student’s readmission application is accepted. Will be created by the Program Communications Liaison, faculty member or Academic Chair to support a student who is returning from Academic Suspension. The Return Plan will outline the strategy that will provide additional academic support to the students

Student: an individual who at the time of the decision being made, is registered in credit or non-credit course delivered by Michener either on or off campus

Supplemental Activity: an evaluation provided to students on the recommendation of the Promotions Review Committee (PRC), providing them with the opportunity to successfully complete the course and avoid being suspended.

 

Associated Documentation