SUBSTADARD GRADES: If a student performs below program expectations in a School of Dance course, they will receive a substandard grade: a substandard grade is considered a D+ or lower. If a student receives a D+ or lower in a School of Dance course, they must re-take that course for credit and receive a passing grade. In extraordinary circumstances (such as a death in the family or serious illness), a substandard grade of D, D+, or D-, may be counted toward graduation-- a formal written request with supporting rationale must be submitted to the School of Dance Appeals Committee. If the committee approves that a student’s sub-standard grade counts towards graduation, the student will need to submit a curriculum exception, submitted to both the Director of Undergraduate Studies and the CFA Advisors. No more than two classes with a substandard grade will be counted toward graduation.

PROBATION: A School of Dance Major/Minor must maintain a C- or above in all dance courses to be considered “in good standing.” “Good standing” signifies that a student is eligible to continue as a major or minor in the School of Dance. If a student is in danger of failing a class at mid-semester, they will have a consultation with the faculty member in charge of the class. A student earning one or more substandard grades in any semester will be placed on probation. When placed on probation, the student will 1. Be asked to meet with a CFA Academic Advisor to look over the student records, and 2. Receive a formal letter of probation from the Director of the School of Dance. This letter will also be sent to the School of Dance Scholarship and Appeals Committee, as Students placed on probation are ineligible for merit-based scholarships for the semester after their probation. Once a student meets the School’s academic standards, the student is considered “in good standing” again. If a student is in probationary status for two consecutive semesters, that student will be dismissed from the program, though they may appeal this decision (see below). If a student is in probationary status for three consecutive semesters, that student will be dismissed from the program without a right to appeal. A major can only change into a minor status if they are in good standing (i.e. students on probation or in dismissal cannot transfer into the minor program).

DISMISSAL: Dismissal will be considered once a student has been in probationary status for two consecutive semesters. The School of Dance Director will write a formal dismissal letter to the student outlining the terms of the dismissal. Should the student want to appeal the dismissal, they need to write a clearly articulated plan outlining conditions for their success and present this to the School of Dance Scholarship and Appeals Committee. The School of Dance Scholarship and Appeals committee will either accept the appeal, or forward a recommendation of dismissal to the College of Fine Arts Academic Appeals Committee, who will make the final decision (See University Policy 6-400: Code of Student Rights & Responsibilities). In this appeal the student should give names of two faculty members they could work with as mentors, one of who will be designated by the faculty as a mentor for the semester post dismissal. Dismissal appeals will be considered by the Scholarship and Appeals Committee, who are made up of the faculty from both programs. In the case that a student has three semesters in which they have received a substandard grade(s) (a second dismissal), dismissal may not be appealed.

SEMESTER POST DISMISSAL: If a student is re-admitted after dismissal, they must meet with a designated faculty member twice a month to provide updates and reports on their coursework. Failure to comply with these meetings will result in a renewed dismissal process. The designated faculty member will report to faculty about the student’s progress and any concerns. Ultimately the student will provide a written report to the full faculty of their discipline at the end of the semester describing their improvements and/or changes and the full faculty will vote on retaining or dismissing the student. It is the responsibility of the student who has been placed on academic or progress probation to regularly and consistently confer with a faculty member regarding the probationary status.