University Undergraduate Advising Handbook

Reinstatement is a procedure that allows former degree candidates who have been dropped for poor scholarship to resume degree candidacy after meeting the criteria for reinstatement either by enrolling as a nondegree-conditional student or through academic renewal.

CRITERIA FOR REINSTATEMENT

Students dropped from degree candidacy may schedule classes as nondegree-conditional (NDEGC) students in order to meet the criteria for reinstatement.

1. Reduce by at least one half the grade-point deficiencies that were accumulated at the time of the drop action. (For example, if a student is dropped with 30 grade-point deficiencies, reinstatement may be considered when deficiencies are reduced to 15 even if the student acquired more deficiencies after the drop action occurred.)

2. Reduce grade-point deficiencies below the point at which drop for poor scholarship could be instituted again. (If the student described in the example above increased his/her cumulative credits to 70 while taking courses to meet reinstatement conditions, reinstatement to a baccalaureate degree program would not be considered because, with 70 cumulative credits and 15 deficiencies, drop action would be instituted. The student's deficiencies must be reduced to less than 15 for reinstatement consideration. See Removing Grade-Point Deficiencies.)

3. Satisfy additional requirements specified by the sponsoring college, such as completion of certain courses, greater grade-point deficiency reduction, or attainment of a cumulative grade-point average consistent with entrance to college and major standards. In practice, a college will not approve reinstatement into the college if the student has below a 2.00 cumulative grade-point average.

Reinstatement to the Division of Undergraduate Studies (DUS)

When the student meets at least minimum criteria as specified in items a and b (above) but has not met all of the requirements to enter the college, the college may request DUS to co-sponsor and approve reinstatement into DUS. Students are sometimes reinstated into DUS; however, the student must first gain the support of a college, since DUS may not initiate sponsorship for reinstatement. Enrollment in DUS is possible only if the student has not already enrolled in DUS for the maximum time allowable.

ADVISING

Academic advising is critical for the NDEGC student. A student who initiates a plan designed to attain reinstatement without prior consultation with the appropriate college does so with no assurance that the college will endorse the plan and approve reinstatement.

NDEGC students are advised by the office of the appropriate college dean in the college from which the student hopes to graduate. NDEGC students who are exploratory may consult with advisers in the Division of Undergraduate Studies (DUS).

It is important for students who have been dropped to identify the reasons behind their unsatisfactory academic performance. Developing strategies for overcoming these problems should help students eliminate grade-point deficiencies and might enable them to maintain a satisfactory grade-point average after they are reinstated.

Students often experience academic problems because the academic program they are pursuing does not reflect their interests and abilities. Therefore, they should carefully evaluate their choice of college or major. DUS advisers can help students assess their educational plans and/or identify other reasons for their academic difficulties.

STUDENT ACTION

1. You should take no action without consultation with the office of the appropriate college dean in the college from which you hope to graduate.

2. Meet the criteria for reinstatement by earning good grades (C+ or better) in Penn State courses through Continuing Education, World Campus, and/or resident instruction taken as a NDEGC student. (Work completed at another institution is not taken into consideration for reinstatement.)

3. When you have satisfied the criteria for reinstatement (or will do so by the end of your current semester of enrollment), submit the reinstatement form and the nonrefundable reinstatement fee to the Registrar's office at the campus you plan to attend.

UNIVERSITY RESPONSE

The Registrar's office records the student's request for reinstatement on ISIS screen ARUSBR and notifies the appropriate college. Authorized advisers can view a student's reinstatement status on this screen.

Reinstatement Approved: If the student has met the reinstatement criteria, the college approves the request and the Registrar's office notifies the student that his/her request has been approved. The student may then resume his/her enrollment in degree status.

Reinstatement Pending: If the reinstatement decision is delayed until grades are issued for courses in progress then the college notifies the student that his/her reinstatement decision is pending. The student may register for the upcoming semester as a NDEGC student. When the student's reinstatement is approved, his/her enrollment for the upcoming semester will be changed to degree status.

Reinstatement Denied: If the student has not met the reinstatement criteria, the college notifies the student that his/her request has been denied. The student may be referred for reinstatement to DUS.

The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. Please consult a Penn State academic adviser for more detailed information.

This page is part of the University Undergraduate Advising Handbook, which is maintained by the Division of Undergraduate Studies, DUS@psu.edu.

Reviewed: May 2008
Last Update: June 2006