At the end of each semester the Registrar classifies undergraduate students according to the number of credit hours they have completed:
- A freshman is one who has completed fewer than 30 credits.
- A sophomore is one who has completed between 30 and 59 credits.
- A junior is one who has completed between 60 and 89 credits
- A senior is one who has completed 90 credits or more.
- A full-time student is one who is registered for 12 or more credit hours in a regular semester; 9 credits in the summer.
- A part-time student is one who is carrying less than 12 credit hours in a regular semester; less than 9 credits in the summer.
- A matriculated student is one who has satisfied all admission requirements for a degree program and is taking courses leading to a degree.
- A special student is one who is not pursuing a degree or certificate program at La Roche University. All special students are required to register each term through the Graduate Studies and Adult Education Office.
For graduate students classification is as follows:
- A full-time student is one who is registered for 6 or more credits in a regular semester; 3 credits in the summer
- A part-time student is one who is carrying less than 6 credits in a regular semester.
Dean's List
Each semester those full-time students with 12 graded credits or more, who have earned a term GPA of 3.500 or higher are placed on the dean's honor list. Part-time students who have accumulated 12 credits in consecutive semesters in an academic year, including summer, and have earned a GPA of 3.500 or higher are placed on the dean's honor list.
Good Academic Standing
Undergraduate students are in good academic standing at the University when their cumulative and semester quality point averages are 2.000 or above.
Not in Good Academic Standing
Undergraduate students are not in good academic standing at the University when their cumulative and/or semester quality point averages are below 2.000. Students not in good academic standing may be required to work with a designated academic support advisor on strategies to enhance their academic performance. The Academic Standing Review Board carefully considers the individual circumstances of all students who are not in good standing and, at its discretion, may recommend that students not in good standing be subject to one of the following four categories of action: 1) Academic Warning; 2) Academic Probation; 3) Academic Suspension; or 4) Academic Dismissal.
Academic Warning
Students whose cumulative quality point averages (GPAs) are 2.000 or above but whose semester GPAs are below 2.000 will be placed on academic warning for the subsequent fall or spring semester.
Academic Probation
Full-time students whose cumulative grade point averages are below 2.000 (1.800 for freshmen), or who are subject to a second placement on academic warning, will be placed on academic probation for their subsequent fall or spring semester of enrollment. Part-time students who have accumulated 12 credits attempted and whose cumulative grade point averages fall below 2.000 (1.800 for freshman) will be placed on academic probation for their subsequent fall or spring semester of enrollment. Any student placed on academic probation may be required to work with a designated academic support advisor on strategies to enhance his or her academic performance. Any student placed on academic probation may be restricted to no more than 13 credits for his or her subsequent fall or spring semester of enrollment, and may be subject to other conditions as required by the academic support advisor or the Academic Standing Review Board.
Academic Suspension
Any full-time student whose semester grade point average (GPA) is below 1.000 or who is subject to a second placement on academic probation may be immediately suspended from the University for the subsequent spring or fall semester. Suspension decisions are made by the Academic Standing Review Board. Students who have been suspended will be assigned an academic support advisor with whom they will work to accomplish the prescribed strategies necessary for their reinstatement. Reinstatement of any student who has been suspended will be at the discretion of the chair of the Academic Standing Review Board, in consultation with all necessary university constituents, based on consideration of the student's written request for reinstatement. Students reinstated from a suspension will remain on academic probation during the semester of their re-enrollment and will be required to comply with an academic support plan set forth by the Office of Student Academic Support Services. Students will be informed, in writing, prior to the beginning of the semester of the Academic Standing Review Board's decision, and the terms with which the students must comply.
Academic Dismissal
Students may be dismissed from the University if they are subject to placement on academic probation for two consecutive semesters or fail to make progress after reinstatement to the University from suspension. Dismissal decisions are recommended by the Academic Standing Review Board to the Provost and Executive Vice- President for Academic Affairs. The Academic Standing Review Board will carefully consider the student's total academic record prior to making a recommendation to dismiss. Reinstatement of any student who has been dismissed will be at the discretion of the Provost and Executive Vice-President for Academic Affairs, in consultation with the chair of the Academic Standing Review Board and all necessary University constituents, based on consideration of the student's written request for reinstatement. Students reinstated from dismissal may have to serve a semester of suspension or will remain on academic probation during the semester of their reenrollment if permitted to return. Returning students will be required to comply with an academic support plan set forth by the Office of Student Academic Support Services. Students will be informed, in writing, prior to the beginning of the semester of the Academic Standing Review Board's decision, and the terms with which the students must comply.
Appeal Policy and Procedure
Students may appeal an academic suspension or academic dismissal by submitting a letter to the Dean of Academic Support Services within ten business days of the date of the Academic Standing decision letter. The deadline for appeals will be specified in each letter sent to the student. The written appeal should fully describe the student's reason for poor academic performance, others who might be aware of the situation, and specific steps they plan to take toward improvement. Once received and considered by the appropriate parties, the appeal decision will be communicated in writing to the student by U.S. mail and by other means if necessitated by time constraints.