Students on Academic Probation

College Of Engineering and Engineering Technology
OFFICE OF THE ASSOCIATE DEAN

Guidelines for Students on

Academic Probation

RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

COURSE WITHDRAWAL DEADLINES

UNIVERSITY GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

LEARNING ASSISTANCE AND STUDY SKILLS LAB (LASSL)

GRADE APPEALS

QUESTIONS?

RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

The following recommendations are helpful when planning your next semester schedule of classes with the assistance of a faculty adviser:

1. Retake all courses in which you earned a "D" or "F" grade. Please consult the NIU undergraduate Catalog regarding university repeat benefits.

a. If you have already registered for a course for next semester and have failed the prerequisite for the course, you must register next semester for the prerequisite course you failed and drop (by the appropriate drop deadline) the course for which you do not satisfy the prerequisite. Example: MATH 230 has a prerequisite of MATH 229. If you have registered for MATH 230 for the next semester but failed MATH 229, you must drop MATH 230 and repeat MATH 229 during your next semester. PHYS 251A has a co-requisite of MATH 230. If you have also registered for PHYS 251A but failed MATH 229, you should drop PHYS 251A. Specific course repeats and selections should be discussed with your adviser.

b. If you earned a "D" or "F" in ENGL 103, 104 or 105 you must repeat the course and earn a "C" or better to fulfill the university English core competency requirement in the "General Education Requirements" section of the Undergraduate Catalog.

c. If you earned a "D" or "F" in MATH 155 or MATH 229 you must see your adviser to discuss fulfillment of the university mathematics core competency requirement in the "General Education Requirements" section of the Undergraduate Catalog.

2. Drop or withdraw from future courses where failure is eminent.

3. Reduce your course load if necessary.

4. Correct any environmental (e.g., roommate) problems.

5. Improve your study habits and study skills. Many students in academic difficulty do not devote sufficient study time or techniques to master their coursework. Help with study skills is available at NIU's Learning Assistance and Study Skills Lab (LASSL) at (815) 753-1206 during the academic year. Additional information on LASSL is given below.

6. Attend classes regularly.

7. Seek help from a tutor. Please contact the Associate Dean's Office in 331 Engineering Building for information on tutors for MATH 155, 210, 229, 230, 232, PHYS 250, 251 and PHYS 250A, 251A.

8. Consider changing to another major if you are having difficulty with math, chemistry, physics, engineering, technology, or other technical courses required for your current major. Please make an appointment with the Associate Dean if you wish to discuss other majors or need assistance in changing your major.

9. Reduce working hours if you work.

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COURSE WITHDRAWAL DEADLINES

The deadlines for course withdrawal each semester depend on the length of the course. Check the deadlines page of the Schedule of Classes booklet published online each fall, spring, and summer terms carefully for specific drop and withdrawal deadlines during the term. It is your responsibility to be aware of all deadlines. Be sure that you know your status in each class prior to the deadlines. You cannot withdraw from a class after the university withdrawal deadline because of academic or work-related problems. This rule is strictly enforced!

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UNIVERSITY GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

To graduate from Northern Illinois University, students must earn a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or better in their major course work and a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or better in all course work attempted at NIU. Please consult the Undergraduate Catalog for additional graduation requirements.

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LEARNING ASSISTANCE AND STUDY SKILLS LAB (LASSL)

The university provides a specific support service to help you improve your grades and study skills. The Learning Assistance and Study Skills Lab (LASSL), a unit of the Counseling and Student Development Center, teaches students how to improve their study habits. Topics covered by LASSL include time management, note taking, test taking, procrastination, textbook reading, and motivation. Informal feedback from students who have systematically applied LASSL's recommendations indicates that students often improve their academic performance. Services are confidential and free of charge to NIU students. For an appointment, please call (815) 753-1206.

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GRADE APPEALS

The university has a formal procedure under which a student can appeal a grade. Copies of the procedure for appealing allegedly capricious grades are available in the Associate Dean's office in Engineering Building 331.

Grade Appeal Deadlines
Friday, September 17: Last day to appeal a spring or summer 2004 grade

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QUESTIONS?

Please feel free to contact the Associate Dean in 331 Engineering Building at (815) 753-1442 if you have any questions.

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