Academic guidelines provide direction for the student who demonstrates difficulty in completing course requirements. These guidelines are applied by the Academic Standing Committee, which seeks to ensure fairness and equity for students while ensuring competence of the graduates of the College. Students who fail to meet minimum academic expectations may be placed on academic warning, academic probation, academic management, or academic dismissal.
Academic Warning
Students, regardless of Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA), are placed on academic warning for the following academic term of enrollment if they have two active failures and/or fail the same course twice.
Academic Probation
Students are placed on academic probation when their CGPA falls below 2.00 for any term of enrollment.
Restricted Course Load
Students while on academic warning, probation or management contract will be limited to a course load maximum as follows:
- Doctor of Chiropractic program: Fifteen credit hours
- Undergraduate program: Twelve credit hours
Academic warning or probation is intended to encourage students to take all appropriate actions necessary to ensure academic success. Students on probation or warning are required to repeat all failed courses the following term of enrollment. Failure to do so may restrict course scheduling and negatively impact financial aid eligibility.
Academic Management
Students will be placed on an academic management contract if:
- While on academic warning, they fail a class that they previously failed and have at least one additional active failure on their transcript;
- They have failed an individual class for the third time, or;
- After two consecutive terms on academic probation, the student fails to raise their CGPA to the minimal standard referenced above.
Students placed on an academic management contract in the Doctor of Chiropractic degree program cannot be enrolled in undergraduate studies or elective courses at Palmer during the academic term(s) on contract. The terms of the management contract will be at the discretion of the Academic Standing Committee. Students failing to successfully complete all terms of the management contract will be dismissed from the institution. Successful completion of an academic management contract shall return a student to good academic standing. Any student who meets the criteria for a subsequent management contract will be academically dismissed.
Academic Suspension
Students who qualified for a management contract but elect to take a term of absence from Palmer College receive a status of academic suspension. Upon re-enrolling, the student will be placed on a management contract. During terms of academic suspension, the student will be considered a non-enrolled student. This status allows access to College facilities, student academic support and academic tutorials. Non-enrolled students are not allowed to audit a course without written approval from the Dean of Programs.
Academic Dismissal
Students are dismissed from the institution if they fail an academic management contract.
Students may appeal a dismissal, in writing, to the Academic Standing Committee. This appeal must be submitted to the Registrar by noon on the Monday of the second week of classes the following academic term. The committee will meet to hear appeals during the second week of the academic term.
The Academic Standing Committee may choose to:
- Uphold dismissal;
- Suspend the student for a minimum of one term with or without expectations to be met during their absence; or
- Place a student on a second academic management contract.
Upon notification of the appeal by the Academic Standing Committee that the dismissal is upheld or that the student has been suspended for a period of time, the student may no longer attend courses. The student may apply for re-admission to the Dean of Program’s at a future date if there is significant evidence of sustained and substantial academic improvement since the date of the student’s dismissal. Refer to the Re-Admission section.
