Scholastic Standards

Student Academic Integrity Policy

The academic community of UMPI recognizes that adherence to high principles of academic integrity is vital to the academic function of the University. Academic integrity is based upon honesty. All students of the University are expected to be honest in their academic endeavors. Any breach of academic honesty should be regarded as a serious offense by all members of the academic community. The entire academic community shares the responsibility for establishing and maintaining standards of academic integrity. Each student has an obligation to know and understand those standards and expectations. All students, faculty, and staff are expected to help to maintain academic integrity at the University by refusing to participate in, or tolerate, any dishonesty.

A student who is found to be in violation of academic integrity will be subject to appropriate sanctions. Sanctions will be determined in accordance with the Procedures for Student Violations of Academic Integrity. A copy of the complete policy and procedures may be obtained from the Dean of Students office or accessed online at the following URL: https://www.maine.edu/board-of-trustees/policy-manual/section-314/

Definition of an Undergraduate Student Credit Hour

The University of Maine at Presque Isle defines one Student Credit Hour in an undergraduate program as an expectation, on average, of approximately 45 clock hours of student academic engagement per course. Student Academic Engagement in a course can take many forms including, but not limited to: class time, testing, reading, writing, studying, discussion group time, laboratory work, internships, practica, practicing, performing, or otherwise working on course content. However, it is understood that 15 hours will be classroom or direct faculty instruction.

Internships, practica, student teaching, studio work, laboratory work, online courses, travel courses, May, summer, winter terms, and other academic activities leading to the award of credit will organize student work in configurations which do not precisely match this definition. Nevertheless, the amount of student work required per credit hour in these courses or credit-bearing activities at UMPI will reasonably approximate the amount of work required per credit hour in a standard lecture or seminar course.

Good Standing

In order to remain in good standing, students (full and part-time) are required to maintain the cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) in the following table. GPA hours may be read from an official transcript or approximated by dividing total quality points by GPA hours.

Four Year Programs

Two Year Programs

Course Load

The normal load for a student is 15-17 semester hours. The minimum load for full-time students is 12 semester hours. A schedule of 18-20 semester hours may be carried by special permission of the student’s advisor. A course schedule exceeding 20 semester hours requires also the approval of the Chair of the College in which the student is a major. Course Overload forms are available in the Registrar’s Office and the Advising Center.

Dean’s List

Students who are matriculated in a degree program at UMPI and who have completed in a fall, spring, or summer semester a minimum load of 12 graded hours of degree credit and who have earned a semester grade point average of 3.60 or higher are eligible in that semester for the Dean’s List. The minimum load must be attained from University of Maine System institutions. A ‘graded hour’ is defined as a credit hour that counts toward the student’s GPA; this does not include credits graded on a pass/fail basis.

Students who are matriculated in a degree program at UMPI and who have completed fewer than 12 graded hours of degree credit, but who have completed at least 6 graded hours, and who have earned a semester grade point average of 3.60 or higher are eligible in that semester for the Academic Recognition List.

Students who were not eligible for the Dean’s List or Academic Recognition List at the time of final grading due to having glasses graded with an NP or I, and who later complete those classes and now meet the requirements, may contact the Registrar and request to be added to the Dean’s List retroactively.

Graduation with Distinction

Students receive graduation honors of distinction in one of three categories by attaining the requisite Grade Point Averages (GPAs) in all course work taken at UMPI.

For the purpose of wearing honor cords at the graduation ceremony, coursework taken during the semester prior to graduation will not be used in the calculation of honors. Because semester grades are not calculated until after the graduation ceremony. It is possible that a student’s honors status may change by the time degrees are awarded. The final honors status printed on the student’s diploma and any future transcripts will be based on the student’s cumulative GPA directly following the semester for which the degree is awarded..

Posthumous Degree Policy

A posthumous degree may be awarded if, at the time of death, the student was matriculated in a degree program and near completion of work required for the degree. “Near completion” is defined as having completed at least 75% of the degree program requirements with a GPA of 2.0 or higher. An immediate family member of the deceased student may submit a written request for the posthumous degree to the Registrar, who will verify that the requirements have been met and forward the request to the Provost for final approval. The student’s diploma and record will reflect that the degree was awarded posthumously.

Academic Probation

A student will be placed on academic probation if his or her cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) at the end of a semester is lower than the minimum required to remain in good standing according to the Scholastic Standards guidelines. Being placed on academic probation in and of itself is not subject to appeal.

A student placed on academic probation must meet with his or her academic advisor to make needed revisions to his or her course schedule. A student on probation may only take twelve credit hours of course work a semester unless a four-credit course or a required one-credit laboratory course raises the total to thirteen credits. Students who enroll in more than the allowed number of credit hours may be required to withdraw from the extra course or courses. This may have financial consequences for the student in terms of lost tuition and fees and costs for books and supplies. Students should also inquire if the restriction of probation will have any financial aid consequences for their particular case.

A student will also be placed on probation upon achieving a semester GPA of less than 1.00 provided the student’s cumulative GPA is in good standing. Students placed on probation for a semester GPA of less than 1.00 will be required to meet with their assigned professional advisor in order to verify their enrollment in the upcoming semester and discuss a plan for degree progress. Failure to meet with a professional advisor or the Director of Advising by the end of the add period may result in suspension.

Academic Suspension

A student will be placed on academic suspension if after one semester on academic probation he or she fails to achieve good standing according to the Scholastic Standards guidelines.

A student will also be placed on academic suspension upon achieving a semester grade point average of less than 1.00 with a cumulative GPA that is not in good standing according to the Scholastic Standards guidelines.

Once suspended, a student must raise his or her cumulative GPA to the minimum required for good standing in order to be eligible to apply for readmission to the University. Raising the GPA average may be achieved by enrolling as a non-degree student at UMPI. No student who has been suspended may take more than nine credit hours of course work per semester as a non-degree student (unless a four-credit course or a required one-credit laboratory course raises the total to ten credits). Students taking courses as non-degree students are not eligible for financial aid and normally may not live in a residence hall.

International Students studying at UMPI on a VISA MUST meet with the Primary Designated School Official to discuss options that might be available for readmission to the University.

A student may appeal a suspension based on extenuating circumstances by following the Academic Appeals procedure below.

Academic Dismissal

A student who is on suspension will be dismissed from the University if a semester GPA falls below a 1.0. A student who has been dismissed may not take classes, even as a non-degree student, at UMPI or at any other University of Maine System campus for a period of two years.

At the completion of two years separation from the University, the student may appeal to be readmitted by submitting a written request to the Chair of the Academic Appeals Board. Formal readmission to the University is the responsibility of the Office of Admissions. A student may appeal a suspension based on extenuating circumstances by following the Academic Appeals procedure below.

Academic Forgiveness Policy

This policy allows one complete semester of attendance at UMPI to be removed from a student’s cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA). Academic forgiveness would result in the removal of all course work completed during the semester specified by the applicant. The grades and credits for the forgiven semester will remain on the transcript and be given a special designation by the Office of Students Records. The credits will not accumulate toward graduation and the grades will not affect the cumulative GPA.

This policy is intended for students who have experienced a semester with low grades, been separated from UMPI for at least 24 months, and been readmitted to UMPI. Students may not apply for Academic Forgiveness until they’ve successfully completed at least 24 credit hours after readmission.

Academic Forgiveness will not be granted for a semester average higher than 1.2 or for students with cumulative GPAs higher than 1.8 during the period of study to which Forgiveness is to be applied. Academic Forgiveness can only be awarded once and can only apply to grades earned at the University of Maine at Presque Isle. The details of this policy are available in the Advising Center, South Hall and the Registrar’s Office, 235 Preble Hall.

Academic Appeals

The following processes and procedures for academic appeals are handled by the Academic Appeals Board which consists of three faculty members elected by the Faculty Assembly for three year terms. The Dean of Students, or designee, and the Director of Advising will be additional non-voting members of the Appeals Board. The Chair of the Academic Appeals Board will be selected by the faculty members on the Board.

Appeal of Suspension or Dismissal

Procedure:

A student may appeal an academic suspension or dismissal by following these steps:

1. The student must submit a written appeal to the Chair of the Academic Appeals Board by the date specified in the letter of suspension or dismissal. The appeal letter should include:
   1. relevant documentation of extenuating circumstances
   2. a reflection of the circumstances that resulted in the suspension or dismissal,
   3. a plan of action to avoid similar situations in the future.
2. Upon receiving the student’s written appeal, the Academic Appeals Board will schedule meetings to review the letter(s) of appeal and other relevant documents, and may talk directly with the student. The Academic Appeals Board will inform the student of its decision in writing within two weeks of reviewing the student’s appeal.
3. If the student disagrees with the decision of the Academic Appeals Board he or she may request that the Provost review the decision. The Provost may request all relevant documentation and may meet with the parties concerned. The Provost’s decision shall be final and not subject to further review.

Academic Appeal - Appeal of Academic Policy Decision

Purpose:

To establish an appeals procedure for a student with a grievance concerning the rules of the University relating to academic policy including but not limited to leaves of absence and withdrawals after the deadline and academic forgiveness. To be considered, an appeal of academic policy must be initiated within two weeks of the date of the official notification of the decision.

Procedure:

A student may appeal an academic policy decision by following these steps:

1. In order to guarantee fair and equitable consideration, a student must first prepare an appeal in writing and meet and discuss it with the University employee whose actions gave rise to the grievance in a good faith attempt to resolve any misunderstanding. If, after such a meeting, the student is not satisfied with the result, he or she may appeal to the Academic Appeals Board.
2. The request to the Academic Appeals Board must be received in writing no later than two weeks after the date of the decision in Step 1. The Academic Appeals Board will request all relevant documentation and may meet with the parties concerned. The Academic Appeals Board will provide a decision in writing within two weeks of the date of the appeals hearing.
3. If not satisfied with the decision of the Academic Appeals Board, either party may request that the Provost review the decision. This request must be received in writing no later than two weeks after the date of the Appeals Board’s written decision in Step 2. The Provost may request all relevant documentation and may meet with the parties concerned. The Provost’s decision shall be final and not subject to further review.

Academic Appeal - Appeal of Grade

Purpose:

To establish an academic appeals procedure for a student with a grievance concerning a final grade or instances of perceived unfair treatment which a student believes may have negatively impacted his or her final grade. It is the intent of these provisions to guarantee fair procedure rather than to interfere with the prerogative of the faculty to evaluate the quality of a student’s course work.

Procedure:

A student may appeal a final grade by following these steps:

1. The student must discuss the concern directly with the instructor involved within 30 days of the last published date of the semester.
2. Within two weeks of the meeting with the instructor the student must prepare a written appeal to the Chair of the instructor involved. The student is encouraged to consult with his or her faculty advisor for assistance. The Chair serves as mediator and attempts to resolve the concern through mutual agreement. The Chair will provide a written decision within two weeks of receiving the student’s appeal.
3. If either party disagrees with the decision of the Chair, he or she may request that the Academic Appeals Board review the decision. This request must be received in writing no later than two weeks after the date of the written decision in Step 2. The Academic Appeals Board will request all relevant documentation and may meet with the parties concerned. The Academic Appeals Board will provide their decision in writing within two weeks of receiving the appeal.
4. If either party disagrees with the decision of the Board, he or she may request that the Provost review the decision. This request must be received in writing no later than two weeks after the date of the Academic Appeals Board’s written decision in Step 3. The Provost may request all relevant documentation and may meet with the parties concerned. The Provost written decision is final and not subject to further review. ★