Undergraduate Academic Censure Policy

All undergraduate students are expected to maintain a minimum of a 2.000 cumulative grade point average (GPA) in all Marquette coursework. However, there are additional requirements that may lead to academic censure, as described below.

Marquette defines academic censure in one of three categories: Academic Probation (two types): College Probation and Reinstated on Probation; Academic Dismissal (two types): Required to Withdraw for Academic Reasons and Required to Withdraw for Academic Misconduct; and the College Academic Alert. These censure statuses are maintained permanently on the student’s academic record; however, only three appear permanently on Marquette University's official transcript as follows:

1. Reinstated on Probation
2. Required to Withdraw for Academic Reasons
3. Required to Withdraw for Academic Misconduct

Satisfactory Academic Progress: While not an academic censure issue per se, the financial aid regulation requiring the university to evaluate the qualitative (GPA) satisfactory academic progress of each student is also discussed in this policy, as by federal regulations, it must be aligned with the university academic dismissal policy. The satisfactory academic progress notation is maintained permanently on the student’s record; however, does not appear on Marquette’s official transcript. In addition, satisfactory academic progress does not impact or reverse the academic censure notations described above. Refer to the Complete Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy on the OSFA website for additional information on SAP.

Academic Probation-College Probation

Students are placed on college academic probation according to the policies of their individual colleges (see the respective college sections of the Undergraduate bulletin for details). This probation status does not impact financial aid eligibility. Likewise, financial aid eligibility does not impact or reverse academic probation.

Academic Dismissal-Required to Withdraw for Academic Reasons (RWAR)

The Office of the Registrar (OTR) and the Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) monitor cumulative GPAs.

At the conclusion of each spring term, students who do not meet the GPA requirements listed below are academically dismissed by their college (coded as RWAR by OTR) and students' records are also coded to reflect their failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress (coded as SAP by OSFA):

1. Students having attempted 24 or fewer credit hours must maintain a cumulative GPA of 1.500 or higher.
2. Students having attempted more than 24 credit hours must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.000 or higher.

Please Note: Students who were subject to RWAR/SAP at the conclusion of a spring term and reinstated to the University, who fail to meet the terms of the academic plan established by their college will be subject to RWAR/SAP in any subsequent term (fall, spring, or summer). In addition, a student who fails to meet the GPA requirements listed above in a fall or summer term and who elects not to return to the University will be subject to RWAR/SAP in the subsequent term.

In addition:

1. Those students who have been granted an official Medical Withdrawal by the university are not subject to RWAR for the term in which the Medical Withdrawal is approved. They are, however, subject to SAP.
2. Those students who withdraw from their first term at Marquette are not subject to RWAR in that term. They are, however, subject to SAP.
3. Those students who choose the audit (AU) option in all classes are not subject to RWAR or SAP for that term. However, if these students withdraw and/or receive a grade of AUA in that same term, they are subject to RWAR and SAP.
4. Those students enrolled in audit-only programs are not subject to RWAR or SAP. However, if these students withdraw from the audit-only program or classes and/or receive a grade of AUA in that same term, they are subject to RWAR and SAP for that term.
5. When a grade change is submitted on behalf of students to the Office of the Registrar within one week of the RWAR/SAP assignment, the Academic Censure determination is reviewed and the RWAR/SAP removed, if applicable. However, it is highly recommended that students submit the Academic Censure Appeal by the deadline, because if the grade change request is denied, there is no extension to the deadline for these cases.
6. RWAR decisions and SAP are communicated to students via Marquette email. As per the university email policy, students are responsible for monitoring their Marquette email at all times.
7. Students coded with RWAR who are not reinstated are dropped from any classes in which they are subsequently registered.

RWAR/SAP Appeal process

The RWAR/SAP is appealed on one form, as per the instructions contained in the RWAR/SAP email(s) and letters received at the end of the term. This form is used whether students wish to appeal to their original college or to any other college.

The Academic Censure/Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal form is posted on the Marquette Central academic forms website and includes all of the required information students must submit to have an appeal reviewed. The Undergraduate Academic Censure Committee reviews all appeals, taking into consideration the unique circumstances of students. as documented at the time of the appeal. That is, documentation of a unique circumstance may not be submitted after the deadline to appeal. The decision of the committee is final.

When appeals are approved:

1. Students are 'Reinstated on Probation' and the college designs academic plans for these students, outlining how they are to regain satisfactory academic and degree progress standing and become financial aid eligible.
2. The plan must be measurable and ensure that students are able to meet Marquette's SAP standards by a specific point in time. Plans are to include courses to be taken, expected grades and a time frame to complete the outlined objectives.
3. The plan is monitored and evaluated at the end of each term (fall, spring and summer).
4. Students who are on multiple term plans and are satisfying their plans at the end of each term, are not subject to RWAR or SAP, regardless of the GPA. 
5. Students who do not fulfill all the academic obligations as outlined in their plan, are again coded as RWAR and SAP and subject to all provisions of this policy.

Students who appeal their RWAR/SAP decision from the spring term for reinstatement to the immediately-following summer term and are denied are also denied for reinstatement to the subsequent fall term. An amended appeal may be filed only if issues preventing students from being academically successful were raised in the initial appeal and no diagnosis or other documentation to support the claim was available to be included with that initial appeal. The amended appeal requires documentation that these same issues are now being addressed and supporting statements from the professional with whom students have been working indicating a readiness to return to Marquette by the fall term. The specific deadline for this amended appeal is communicated to students in the initial denial notification they receive via Marquette email.

Students who appeal their RWAR/SAP decision from the spring term for reinstatement to the subsequent fall term and are denied, may exercise the option of submitting an amended appeal. This amended appeal may be filed only if issues preventing students from being academically successful were raised in the initial appeal and no diagnosis or other documentation to support the claim was available to be included with that initial appeal. The amended appeal requires documentation that these same issues are now being addressed and supporting statements from the professional with whom students have been working indicating a readiness to return to Marquette by the fall term. The specific deadline for this amended appeal is communicated to students in the initial denial notification they receive via Marquette email.

If an appeal is denied, students have the option to present compelling evidence in writing to the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and only if they believe the Academic Censure Committee did not follow the procedures as outlined in this policy when making the decision. This evidence must outline in detail the improper procedure used when the denial decision was made.

Academic Dismissal-Academic Misconduct

Dismissal for academic misconduct (RWAM) is determined per the Academic Integrity policy found in the Undergraduate bulletin and at the Academic Integrity website. Once this determination has been made, students are dismissed from the university. This action results in ineligibility to register at Marquette. Reinstatement criteria for students who are dismissed, if applicable, are outlined in the dismissal notice students receive. If students are allowed to return to the university, a permanent notation of ‘Reinstated to the University’ appears on the students' academic record and Marquette’s official transcript.

College Academic Alert (CAA)

Students who do not fall under the university RWAR or SAP criteria as outlined above, however fail to make progress in the particular college or major, as outlined by the college in this bulletin and/or the college handbook, are barred from future registration by a CAA registration hold. Students subject to CAA are dropped from any enrolled future term classes.

The Academic Censure/Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal form is posted on the Marquette Central academic forms website and includes all of the required information students must submit to have an appeal reviewed. The Undergraduate Academic Censure Committee reviews all appeals, taking into consideration the unique circumstances of students, as documented at the time of the appeal. That is, documentation of a unique circumstance may not be submitted after the deadline to appeal. The decision of the committee is final.

1. The CAA hold is assigned by the college office and is specific to the individual college’s degree progress policies (see the respective college section of the Undergraduate bulletin). The college communicates this information via the Marquette email. As per the university email policy, students are responsible for monitoring their Marquette email at all times.
2. Regardless of the college that places students on College Academic Alert, the CAA applies to all colleges; therefore, students who wish to be considered for reinstatement to any college, must submit an appeal.
3. Students may appeal the CAA to their original college or any other college by using the same Academic Censure/Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal form on the Marquette Central academic forms website.
4. When the Undergraduate Academic Censure Committee approves the appeal, the CAA hold is removed, and students are notified via Marquette email.

Students who appeal their CAA decision from the spring term for reinstatement to the immediately-following summer term and are denied are also denied for reinstatement to the subsequent fall term. An amended appeal may be filed only if issues preventing students from being academically successful were raised in the initial appeal and no diagnosis or other documentation to support the claim was available to be included with that initial appeal. The amended appeal requires documentation that these same issues are now being addressed and supporting statements from the professional with whom students have been working indicating a readiness to return to Marquette by the fall term. The specific deadline for this amended appeal is communicated to students in the initial denial notification they receive via Marquette email.

Students who appeal their CAA decision from the spring term for reinstatement to the subsequent fall term and are denied, may exercise the option of submitting an amended appeal. This amended appeal may be filed only if issues preventing students from being academically successful were raised in the initial appeal and no diagnosis or other documentation to support the claim was available to be included with that initial appeal. The amended appeal requires documentation that these same issues are now being addressed and supporting statements from the professional with whom students have been working indicating a readiness to return to Marquette by the fall term. The specific deadline for this amended appeal is communicated to students in the initial denial notification they receive via Marquette email.

If an appeal is denied, students have the option to present compelling evidence in writing to the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and only if they believe the Academic Censure Committee did not follow the procedures as outlined in this policy when making the decision. This evidence must outline in detail the improper procedure used when the denial decision was made.

Reinstatement to the University

Students who are academically dismissed (RWAR - required to withdraw for academic reasons) at the end of a term may appeal the decision via the Academic Censure appeal process. If the appeal is granted for the term immediately following the dismissal (or, in the case of the spring term, for the fall term), readmission is not required. In these cases, students are automatically reinstated to the university on probation status. The official transcript reflects both the academic dismissal and the reinstatement on probation.

Students who are academically dismissed at the end of a term and do not appeal, or who have their appeal denied, must leave the university. If these students wish to return to the university at a later time, they must apply for readmission and, as part of the readmission application, request readmission to the university via the Academic Censure appeal process, as outlined above. If the return to the university is approved, students are readmitted on probation and the official transcript reflects both the academic dismissal and the readmission on probation. In addition, these students normally follow the degree requirements listed in the bulletin in effect during the academic year of their return. Policies in effect at the time of return apply to all students, regardless of the term of initial enrollment.