Undergraduate 

Academic Policies

Registration: General Information

All students’ enrollment appointments with exact date and time are located in CUNYfirst under Schedule Builder. York College undergraduate students must consult with their declared major department advisor, or if undeclared consult the Academic Advisement Center, prior to enrolling for course(s). It is highly recommended that students log onto their DegreeWorks account to check the status of their course(s).

To access Schedule Builder for enrolling, the student will need to log into their CUNYfirst account then Student Center. To submit their course(s), load the course(s) and then added to the course section and click on “Get this Schedule” and then “Do this Action”, once satisfied with the schedule. Any negative service indicator(s) must be cleared, since the system will not allow enrollment of course(s).

Program Size for Full-Time Status

The normal number of credits for a full-time student is 12 credits. However, 15 credits are recommended, so that a student may graduate within 4 years. The maximum number of credits that a student may register for is 18. A student who wishes to register for more than 18 credits, must secure written approval prior to their enrollment appointment from the Committee on Academic Policy and Standards (CAPS). A student on probation may register for a maximum of 14 credits or; the number of credits stipulated by CAPS which may be less than 14 credits in accordance with any conditions.

Procedures for Change of Program and Course Withdrawal(s)

• During the first week of class(es), a student may withdraw, add or swap sections of the same course by logging onto their CUNYfirst account and going to Schedule Builder. Any such changes will incur a program change fee and/or applicable tuition fee. The program change fee is $18.00. There is no fee to withdraw from a course(s).

• During the second and third weeks of class(es), a student may withdraw from a course(s) by logging onto their CUNYfirst account and going to Schedule Builder.

• Withdrawals during these first three weeks will not appear on the student's transcript, but the student may be liable for tuition and fees.

• Students may withdraw from course(s) during the fourth week through the last day of class(es) by logging onto their CUNYfirst account and going to Schedule Builder. This action will be recorded on the student's transcript with a grade of "W ", in accordance with CUNY's regulations. There is no fee for withdrawals (although students may be liable for tuition and all applicable fees).

• Students needing further assistance can log on to the Office of the Registrar virtual office or stop by the Office of the Registrar during operating hours.

Auditing of Course(s)

Students may apply to audit a course(s), but will be charged regular tuition and fees for the course(s).

Senior citizens are able to take undergraduate course(s) for a fee of $65 plus $15 for consolidated service and technology fee, this fee is per semester or session.

All audit course(s) will receive an irreversible grade of “AUD”.

Students and Seniors’ citizens must:

• Register for the course(s) during the regular registration period. Students who take undergraduate course(s) and receive an "AUD" grade cannot retake the course(s) again to satisfy an undergraduate program requirement.

• Complete and sign the Audit application found on the Office of the Registrar homepage under forms section and upload it along with a valid Photo ID to the Office of the Registrar secure portal.

Permits and Concurrent Participation at Another Institution

Overview

A student who attends York College may not attend another institution concurrently without prior approval from the Office of the Registrar. A currently enrolled matriculated student may take course(s) at another CUNY campus or an accredited institution by filing an ePermit on their CUNYfirst account and the Non-CUNY permit form is available on the Office of the Registrar homepage, for a student requesting to take a course(s) at a Non-CUNY institution.  However, the request must be processed prior to the registration period of both institutions. It is the student’s responsibility to inquire, at the Host college, about procedures governing visiting students on permit and registration. A permit does not automatically register a student for the course(s), nor does issuance of a permit guarantee an available seat at the Host college. If the student receives any form of Financial Aid they must contact the Financial Aid Office.

Who is eligible for a Permit:

·NON-CUNY Permit Information

Matriculated students currently enrolled who wish to participate at a Non-CUNY college and be assured full transfer credit(s) for the course(s) must complete the Non-CUNY form which is located on the Office of the Registrar homepage. If a student does not obtain permission in advance, including departmental approval, transfer credit(s) may not be granted. Students who have completed 60 or more credits who request a permit to a Non-CUNY community college will not be approved.

To apply for a Non-CUNY Permit:

Student must complete the Non-CUNY permit form located on the Office of the Registrar homepage under the forms section.

The course evaluation section of the form must be completed and signed by the department chairperson who oversees the York College equivalent. If the form is not completed and signed by the department chairperson, for which course(s) is for, it will not be processed. The application must state the semester or session the request is for. The student must sign, date and upload the Non-CUNY Permit form along with a valid photo ID to the Office of the Registrar secure portal.

Once submitted, the Non-CUNY permit form will be reviewed and signed by a staff member of the Office of the Registrar and emailed back to the student. Students should keep a copy of the Non-CUNY Permit form for their records. The student is responsible for having an Official Transcript sent to York College with all course(s) taken at a Non-CUNY institution to have the credit(s) posted to their record. Course(s) for which the student receives a grade of "C" or better will be transferred.

Permit requests will not be approved for:

·        Non-degree undergraduate students.

·        Newly admitted undergraduate students prior to completing their first term at York College (even if they are a transfer student).

·        Courses with no York College course equivalent will not be granted.

·        Students whose schedule exceeds the maximum credit load for the semester or session (credit load=courses at York College + courses on permit). The student must first establish an overall Grade Point Average (G.P.A.) of 2.0 or better at York College.

CUNY ePermit Information

Undergraduate students who wish to take a course(s) at another CUNY college will need to file an epermit using CUNYfirst. The CUNYfirst process allows a student to request permission from York College to attend another CUNY college(s) and enroll for course(s) at the other CUNY college and have the grade transferred back to York College. Tuition and fees are charged and paid at York College. However, material fees pertaining to a specific course(s) are paid at the Host college(s). Each epermit request is for a single course at a specific college. Thus, students need to complete a separate epermit request for each equivalent course they would like to take at other CUNY college(s). 

To apply for an ePermit login to your CUNYfirst account, then Academic Records and go to ePermits section. Note: Undergraduate students may select multiple institutions for each course and its equivalent, but they must submit them separately (each institution and each course must be a new epermit). Students should not submit multiple requests per institution for the same course(s). Students must submit their ePermit request before the deadline stated in the Academic Calendar. Any ePermit request submitted after the deadline will not be processed. A student granted approval to take a course(s) on ePermit will be contacted via e-mail by the Host college with a registration appointment time. Normal registration procedures should then be followed by the student as indicated by the Host institution.

Cancellation of an ePermit

If a student enrolls in a course(s) at the approved Host college and decides not to participate in the course(s) it is the student's responsibility to cancel the course(s) registration at both York College and Host college by canceling the ePermit request and withdrawing from the course(s). The student must cancel the epermit with York College before class(es) begin to avoid tuition liability and to prevent any academic consequences. Any student who drops a course(s) at the Host college during the refund or withdrawal period will be held liable for tuition and fees according to the Host college's refund schedule.

NON-CUNY Permit Information

Matriculated students currently enrolled who wish to attend a Non-CUNY college and be assured full transfer credit(s) for the course(s) must complete the Non-CUNY form which is located on the Office of the Registrar homepage. If a student does not obtain permission in advance, including departmental approval, transfer credit(s) may not be granted. Students who have completed 60 or more credits who request a permit to a Non-CUNY community college will not be approved.

To apply for a Non-CUNY Permit:

Student must complete the Non-CUNY permit form located on the Office of the Registrar homepage under the forms section.

The course evaluation section of the form must be completed and signed by the department chairperson who oversees the York College equivalent. If the form is not completed and signed by the department chairperson, for which course(s) is for, it will not be processed. The application must state the semester or session the request is for. The student must sign, date and upload the Non-CUNY Permit form along with a valid photo ID to the Office of the Registrar secure portal.

Once submitted, the Non-CUNY permit form will be reviewed and signed by a staff member of the Office of the Registrar and emailed back to the student. Students should keep a copy of the Non-CUNY Permit form for their records. The student is responsible for having an Official Transcript sent to York College with all course(s) taken at a Non-CUNY institution to have the credit(s) posted to their record. Course(s) for which the student receives a grade of "C" or better will be transferred.

NOTE: Course(s) taken on ePermit designated as Writing Intensive (WI) and/or Pathways will transfer as such to York College. Course(s) taken on a Non-CUNY Permit designated as (WI) will only be transferred with the (WI) designation if posted as such on the Host college Transcript. If not posted as a (WI) on the transcript the student will have to file an appeal with Committee on Academic Policy and Standards (CAPS).

Independent Study Course(s)

Course(s) offered as Independent Studies are limited to York College students only. The number of Independent Study credits a student may register for will be limited to three credits in any given semester, with the exception of the Political Science and Psychology programs, where six credits may be taken to satisfy the requirements of an internship.

In special circumstances, permission for a waiver of this limitation may be granted by the department chairperson. Independent Studies courses may only be taken by students in good standing.

NOTE: Failure in the course or missing the deadline to select the Pass/Fail option will not be considered grounds for an appeal.

Academic Participation in a Course

Students are expected to participate at each class session. An instructor may at any time require that a student account for non-participation by giving a personal explanation (and for SEEK students to their counselor). It should be noted that an instructor may treat lateness as equivalent to absence. Any undergraduate student who has been excessively not participating in a course and does not present adequate documentation to the instructor, may receive the grade of “WU” (unofficial withdrawal).

Instructors will be required to complete Verification of Enrollment (VOE) rosters for their course(s), indicating if students have never participated in the course. Any undergraduate student noted as never participating will receive a grade of WN on their record. The WN grade is non-punitive and do not appear on the student’s transcript. Course(s) with WN grade will not be counted toward Financial Aid eligibility and may result in loss of aid. However, a student receiving a WN grade may still be liable for tuition and fees.

Non-Participation in a Course due to Religious Observation

Students who will miss any class session(s), exam(s), presentation(s), trip(s), or the like, due to a religious observance, should notify the instructor at the beginning of the semester or session. That way the instructor can implement appropriate adjustments for observance needs. This could include an opportunity to make up any examination, study, or work requirement that is missed, because of an absence, due to a religious observance on any particular day(s). Provision is made for unavoidable absence due to illness or authorized conferences by permitting two absences in a fifteen-session course, or four absences in a thirty-session course.

In-State Tuition (Resident Rate)

In general, to qualify for the University’s resident tuition rate, a student must establish that he/she is a US Citizen; or a Permanent Resident; or has a Qualifying Immigration Status and is a New York State or City “resident”, as applicable, based on the requirements set forth by the University. In addition, certain non-residents, including those who are undocumented or out-of-status students, are eligible for the resident tuition rate based on their attendance and graduation from a New York State high school or receipt of a GED or TASC in the state of New York. There are also several other categories of students who are eligible for the resident tuition rate. For more information, please visit  CUNY Website.  

To file for in-state resident tuition rate you must apply using the CUNY Residency form available on the Admissions homepage. Students must complete, sign and date the CUNY Residency form with the required supporting documentation. Then uploaded the form along with all the required documentation and a valid photo ID to Admissions portal. 

Note: This form must be filed no later than the last day of class(es) of the semester that applies to the change.

All continuing students who wish to file for in-state resident tuition rate must apply using the CUNY Residency form available on the Office of the Registrar homepage. Students must complete, sign and date the CUNY Residency form. This form must be uploaded along with all the required documentation and a valid photo ID to the Office of the Registrar secure portal. This form must be filed no later than the last day of classes of the semester that applies to the change.

Declaring a Major and/or Minor

York College undergraduate students who have decided on a major and/or minor (or to change major and/or minor) must complete, sign and date the Declaration Major/Minor application located on the Office of the Registrar homepage and uploaded it with a valid photo ID to the Office of the Registrar secure portal. Be aware that a change of major and/or minor may have an effect on a student’s Financial Aid eligibility (see the section on Satisfactory Academic Progress).

Note: Students should be aware that the Major and/or Minor requirement reflected in the York College Bulletin at the time of declaration will apply. Deadline: The Declaration of Major/Minor form must be uploaded to the Office of the Registrar secure portal no later than 21st day after the semester begins, including weekends and holidays (This is stated on the form). Forms received on or after the 22nd day deadline will not be processes. Student will need to reapply the following semester.

University policy is that matriculated undergraduate students who have earned 60 credits or more must declare a major in a baccalaureate degree program approved by New York State Inventory of Registered Programs. This policy has been established to facilitate completion of a student's degree within a timely manner. If not declared the Office of the Registrar will place a hold on student's record, which will prevent the enrollment of classes until a major is declared. A Declaration of Major/Minor form can be obtained on the Office of the Registrar homepage. This form must be uploaded along with a valid photo ID to the Office of the Registrar secure portal.

Non-Degree to Degree                     

Non-Degree undergraduate students who complete six (6) or more credits at York College, with an overall grade point average of 2.50 or better are eligible to apply for Undergraduate Degree status. An non-degree student can fill out, sign and dating the Non-Degree to Undergraduate Degree Status form found on the Office of the Registrar homepage and uploaded it along with a valid photo ID to the Office of the Registrar secure portal.

Second Degree

All applicants who are applying for a second degree follow the same application procedures as transfer students. Students who have earned a baccalaureate degree from York College or another creditable institution, and wish to be accepted for a second baccalaureate degree must apply online through CUNY homepage. Follow the link for Transfer to CUNY. If accepted, the student must complete a minimum of 40 credits at York College in order to earn a second degree. At least 75% of the course requirements of the major program for the second degree must be completed at York College.

General Education Requirements

Transfer Students

Undergraduate students with an A.A. or A.S. degree are exempt from the Pathways Common Core and lower division Writing Intensive (WI) requirements, but are required to complete the six credits Pathways College Option requirement. Undergraduate students with a Bachelor's degree are exempt from all Pathways and lower division WI Requirements, including the College Option Requirement.

Note: Certain professional programs may still require Pathways course(s) in their pre-major and/or minor curriculum. All undergraduate students are required to complete an upper level division WI course within each declared major.

For some programs, students will be required to take more than the difference between the advanced credit(s) granted and the required 120 credits to complete the requirements for the baccalaureate degree.

Grading Policy

In course(s) which carry college credit(s) (with the exceptions indicated) the undergraduate student is assigned a final grade (unless the undergraduate student has permission to take the course(s) on a Pass/Fail basis). The table below indicates the index and the numerical values for assigning grade(s) and computing Grade Point Averages (GPA). Assigned grades (A+ through F and W, WU), once assigned, stand as final evaluations. An assigned grade may not be changed later by additional assignments, retesting, or auditing a class.

Students may not raise their grades by completing extra work after the final grade has been recorded. Occasional grading errors do occur, and these are always corrected promptly when properly certified and submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs. Students who believe a grade is unfair may file a departmental grade appeal (see "Appeals" in this chapter of the York Undergraduate Bulletin).

Dean's List

At the end of each Fall and Spring semester, undergraduate students with excellent academic records are recognized with the Dean's List notation on their undergraduate transcript. The criteria for inclusion are established as follows:

1. 3.5 GPA.

2. Full-time status (defined as 12 graded credits per academic semester).

3. A bona fide part-time status is defined as 12 graded credits in an academic year (August to May).

4. Computation of Dean's List nominees will be based on:

   The grades of A+ through F.

   Grades of INC, NC, R and WU (beginning Fall 2021) are calculated as F grades for Dean's List.

   Grades of PEN, W, WA, WN, AUD and WU (beginning Fall 2021) are excluded from calculations.

   Eligibility will be calculated when all grades have been processed by the Office of the Registrar,

   Retroactive Dean's List is not awarded should a student receive a grade change after the fact.

Passing Grades

Passing grades range from A+ to D and P. The C-, D+, D and P grades are not considered a passing grade in certain programs. Please consult individual major program descriptions for details. P is a passing grade, but it does not affect the student's scholastic index. It is not accepted by major programs.

Failing Grades

Failing grades are F and FIN. These grades are calculated in the undergraduate student's scholastic index. Failing grades are not removed from the undergraduate student's record due to a subsequent successful completion of the course(s).

Effective September 1, 1990, in accordance with the resolution passed by the Board of Trustees of CUNY, a student who earns an academic or administrative failing grade, at York College, that is computed in the cumulative GPA may retake the course, at York College, and upon successful completion of the course with a grade of C or better have the failing grade no longer computed into the GPA. This resolution applies to grades of C or better received for course(s) retaken in the Fall 1990 semester and thereafter.

The maximum number of failing credits that can legally be excluded from the computation of an undergraduate student’s GPA is limited to 16 credits for the duration of the student's undergraduate enrollment in CUNY. If a student transfers from one institution of CUNY to another, the number of failing credits replaced in the previous college(s) will be subtracted from the 16 credits to determine how many failing credits may be replaced during the subsequent enrollment. In order for a grade of C or better to replace a failing grade in the calculations of the cumulative GPA, repetition of the course must take place at the same institution of CUNY where the failing grade was originally received. If a student received two or more F's for the same course and subsequently earns a C or better, the initial F's will, subject to the 16-credit limit, not be included in the student's cumulative GPA, and the total number of credits of F not calculated in the GPA will be charged against the 16-credit limit.

Failing grades may not be partially deleted from the GPA. So, for example, if a student has used 14 of the 16-credits limits, a grade of C or better only in a retaken 2 credits or two 1-credit course(s) may have the F grade deleted from the calculation of the GPA. A grade of C or better in a three or more-credit course will not be eligible for this rule. If an undergraduate student does not wish to have a failing grade deleted from the cumulative GPA, they must inform the Office of the Registrar, in writing, any time after the second enrollment in the course. The student must be enrolled at the college when the request is made. The GPA calculated on the basis of this CUNY policy is to be used only for the purposes of retention at and eligibility for graduation from the York College, including admission to and continuance in a major or concentration. All failing grades will be considered in the calculations for any honors.

Computation of Grade Point Average (GPA)

The scholastic index (GPA) is calculated by multiplying the total number of credits earned by the index values of the grades and dividing the sum by the total number of credits attempted, including courses failed. For the purpose of computing academic index neither the credits nor the grades of AUD, NC, R, W, WA, WD, WN, WN (beginning Fall 2021) or P are included, while FIN and WU (received prior to Fall 2021) are counted as a failures and attempted credits. An overall C (2.0) average is required for graduation, in addition to an overall C average in the major discipline for most majors. Please consult individual major program descriptions for details.

Example A: Sample Calculation of GPA

230.4 Total QP's divided by 89 total credits attempted with grades = 2.588 GPA

When calculating GPA, the GPA is not rounded up. The GPA is truncated after the one-thousandth decimal point.

AUD - Auditing

The “AUD” grade is assigned when an undergraduate student or senior citizen registers for a course(s) just to observe. Enrolling in a course(s) on an audit basis gives the student and senior citizens the right to participate, but is not required to do the coursework) in all aspects of the course without receiving credit for the course. The course will not count toward any degree or certificate program.

F - Failing

Failing grade assigned to students who failed in meeting the requirements for the course as evaluated by the instructor, in the judgment of the instructor, does not deserve college credit(s). This grade is calculated in the GPA as 0 and gives no credit(s).

INC - Incomplete

Indicating incomplete coursework. May only be assigned by an instructor after consultation with the undergraduate student who, because of extenuating circumstances, has not taken the final examination and/or completed the coursework. Has a passing average and there is a reasonable expectation that the student can successfully complete the requirements of the course. The INC grade is assigned at the discretion of the instructor. The student has up to 10 weeks in the subsequent semester to complete the coursework and have the grade resolved, even if an undergraduate student is not registered in the subsequent semester. Grade changes resolving INC grades must be received by the Office of the Registrar, from the instructor, by the tenth week of classes of the subsequent semester. (See Academic Calendar for the exact due date.) Example: an INC given to a student in the Fall semester must be resolved before the 10th week of the following Spring semester. Grades received after the deadline will not be processed unless the undergraduate student has obtained approval from the Committee on Academic Policy and Standards (CAPS). The grade of INC is not considered in computing the academic index.

FIN - Incomplete Changed to F

Failure to complete coursework by not resolving an INC grade. The Office of the Registrar will convert all INC grades to FIN grades if it has not been resolved by the 10 weeks of the subsequent semester. A FIN grade counts as an F in computing the GPA. Undergraduate students who receives a failing grade as a result of a FIN has the option to retake that course at York College and have the FIN grade calculation excluded from the GPA, if a grade of C or higher is earned. The original FIN grade remains on the undergraduate student’s transcript with an indication that the course grade is not included in the computation of the GPA.

PEN - Pending

A temporary grade assigned to a student and used to facilitate the implementation of the procedures for imposition of sanctions related to academic integrity. The PEN grade must be resolved to letter grade by the end of the semester following the semester in which the course was taken.

P/F - Pass/Fail

Students may file for the Pass/Fail Option by completing the application located on the Office of the Registrar's homepage under Forms. With the Pass/Fail Option, grades of A, B, C, or D will be converted to P.  Grades of F will remain on the student's transcript.  Eligibility requirements for the Pass/Fail Option are outlined on the application.

P/NC - Pass/ No Credit

Effective Fall 2017 semester, York College will only use the NC grade to indicate no credit in Student Development 101-105 courses. It will no longer be submitted for failing grades in any other course. These grades are not considered in computing the academic index. The P/NC deadline will not be extended..

Warning: Students should be aware that other colleges and universities, as well as other institutions and agencies, may evaluate grades of P as C or D, and grades of NC as an F. This may significantly lower a student's GPA.

W - Withdrawal

Grade given to a student in any course from which they officially withdraw prior to penalty (not including tuition), indicating that the withdrawal was without prejudice. A "W" grade will not appear on the student's record (Official Undergraduate transcript) if dropped within the 1st 3 weeks of classes (does not apply to summer and winter class(es). A student may withdraw from a course(s) by logging onto their CUNYfirst account and going to Schedule Builder.

WA - Administrative Withdrawal

Non-punitive grade assigned to students indicating an administrative withdrawal. Given to students who had registered for class(es) at the beginning of the semester and/or session, but did not provide proof of immunization by compliance date.

WD - Withdrawal/Drop

Non-punitive grade assigned when a student drops a class after the Financial Aid certification date, during the program adjustment period or refund period. The student must have participated in at least one class session.

WN - Never Participated

Grade assigned to students who never participated in the course and did not officially withdraw.

WU - Withdrew Unofficially

Grade assigned to students who participated in at least one academically related activity and completely stopped participating, at any time before final exam week, and never officially withdrew. A “WU” grade should not be given in the place of a failure.

Repeated Course(s)

Credit(s) is not granted for repeated course(s) that have been passed. However, grades in repeated course(s) are calculated in the student's index GPA. It should be noted that a student may audit a course as described in the procedure for auditing of course(s) previously indicated.

Make-Up Examination(s)

Make-up examinations are final examinations taken at a time other than the formally scheduled time. Only students with a bona fide reason to take a make-up examination will be permitted to do so. Such permission may be granted only by the department chairperson or representative, and not by the instructor.

A student who missed the final examination and has received permission to take a "make-up final" must do so within one semester, even if not enrolled, but early enough to enable the instructor to submit a grade by the last day of classes. There is a $15.00 fee for the first examination, $5.00 for each additional examination.

Academic Probation and Retention

All undergraduate students, regardless if they are matriculate or non-matriculate, who at the end of the Spring or Fall semester do not meet the retention standards of 2.0 or above (based on their cumulative GPA will be placed on probation at the end of the semester.

For transfer undergraduate students, the number of college credits attempted (including those attempted at other colleges), but the index required for retention purposes is the index achieved only at York College. Grades earned in the Summer and/or Winter session(s) and grade changes during the semester do not immediately affect probationary status, which is reassessed only at the end of the Spring and Fall semesters. A student who is placed on probation has a negative service indicator (probation indicator) placed on their record, by the Counseling Center. The probation indicator prevents the student from registering for class(es) until the student reaches out to the Counseling Center. The student is not permitted to register for more than 12 credit(s). The probation indicator will remain in effect for future registration(s) until the cumulative GPA is raised to 2.0 or better.

Example A: A student who enters York College as a freshman in their first Fall semester with no credits transferred must achieve a minimum GPA of 1.5 on the first 12 credits attempted. If the student earns a lower GPA, the student will be placed on probation for the following Spring semester. If the student attempts 12 credits the following Spring semester, the student must have a cumulative GPA of 1.75 on the total of 24 credits attempted. If this GPA is not achieved, the student will be dismissed for academic reasons.

Example B: A student entering York College as a sophomore, transferring 24 or more credits from another college, who registers for 12 credits in their first Fall semester at York College, must achieve a GPA of 2.00 or better for the 12 credits. Since, the total number of college credits attempted at York College and the previous college(s) total more than 24 credits. If this student achieves less than a 2.00 cumulative GPA, the student will be placed on probation for the following Spring semester and must have a semester GPA of 2.01 index or better by the end of the following Spring semester or the student will be dismissed.

If a student is placed on probation they will be notified in writing by the Office of the Registrar and the Committee on Academic Policy and Standards (CAPS). Students on probation may only enroll for a maximum of 12 credits or the equivalent. A student whose program includes developmental courses may register for a maximum of 19 hours of course work. Although students may register for as many as 12 credits/19 hours, they are advised to take fewer credits.

The academic probation status remains on a student's record for the entire semester(s) until the student reaches the cumulative GPA of 2.00 or better. In addition, the student must achieve a term GPA of 2.01 each semester. If the student does not achieve a term GPA of 2.01 and the cumulative GPA is below 2.00 at the end of the Spring semester the student is dismissed. Change of grades will only affect a student's GPA at the end of the semester in which the change of grade is posted. The probationary status will not be removed during the term due to a grade change.

For example: If a change of grade is submitted mid-semester resulting in the student's GPA being raised to the required cumulative 2.00 GPA, the probation status will remain on the student's record until the end of the next spring semester. Conversely, if the change of grade results in the student's GPA dropping below the required cumulative 2.00 GPA, the student will not be placed on probation until the end of that semester. Grades earned during the Summer and/or Winter session(s) will not affect a students' probation status.

Once a student is placed on probation and the student does not achieve the required term GPA of 2.01 by the end of the following Spring semester, the Office of the Registrar and Committee on Academic Policy and Standards (CAPS) will notify the student in writing that they have been dismissed, for academic reasons, after failing to meet the minimum retention standard while on probation.
A student will not be dismissed without being placed on probation for a minimum of one semester. The retention standards apply to all students regardless of whether they are matriculated or non-matriculated status.
Note: Professional programs may have additional retention and progression requirements.

A student who has been academically dismissed is separated from York College and may not enroll for any credit-bearing course(s). The student may submit a petition to CAPS indicating the basis for consideration for readmission. The student will be notified by CAPS in writing of the decision. If the petition is approved, the student will be permitted to register for course(s) according to specific academic standards stipulated by CAPS.

Note: York College adheres to readmission deadlines. Students are encouraged to refer to the deadline located on Committee on Academic Policy and standards (CAPS) homepage for filing an application. 

Cumulative Point Value (CPV) and Academic Deficits

To determine the cumulative point value or deviation value the grade C is used as the reference grade. The Cumulative Point Value is calculated similarly to the Grade Point Average, but using the values A+ = +2, A = +2, A- = +1.7, B+ = +1.3, B = +1, B- = +0.7, C+ = +0.3, C = 0, C- = -0.3, D+ = -0.7, D = -1, F and FIN = -2.

Each student must have a Cumulative Point Value of 0 or greater to remain in Good Academic Standing. A student with a negative Cumulative Point Value is said to have an Academic Deficit and may be placed on Academic Probation.

Committee on Academic Policy and Standards (CAPS)

This standing committee of the York College Senate is charged to:

• review and recommend policies relating to the academic standards of college, as well as the procedures for their implementation

• hear and decide upon petitions and appeals of students deviating from established policy

• recommend policy for the admission of students admitted through the University Admission Policy Committee

• recommend policy for the admission of students to York College

• receive and review recommendations of policy addressing admission to professional programs.

CAPS is a membership of twelve, including students, faculty and administrators. Petition categories include:

• Appeal of Denial

• Appeal of Dismissal

• Excess Credit Allowance

• Extension of an Incomplete (INC) Grade

• Grade Appeal

• Grade Change

• Readmission

• Retroactive Leave of Absence

• Retroactive Withdrawal

• Retroactive Pass/Fail

• Waiver of Degree Requirements

• Other

All petitions must include a typewritten personal statement describing in detail the relief requested. The student must provide supporting documentation for all petitions. No petition will be accepted or acted upon after a student has been certified for graduation. There is a two-year limitation on petitions to retroactively change a transcript entry. If a student is separated from the college for four consecutive academic (Fall/Spring, Winter/Summer) semesters or sessions, the student must file the petition in the semester he/she is reinstated.

Appeal of Denial

A student may request reconsideration of a previously denied petition. The Appeal of Denial is the final level of review. An Appeal of Denial petition must be accompanied by additional documentation that was not submitted in previous petition submission, a new typed personal statement: documentation of extenuating circumstances; and any other information not provided for the initial petition that the student feels would help support their claim. Appeal of Denial petitions must be acted upon prior to the expiration of the two-year limitation for the previously denied petition.

Appeal of Dismissal

A student who has been dismissed for academic reasons may petition to be reinstated for the subsequent academic semester. A student may appeal their dismissal status a maximum of three dismissals; further appeals will not be considered. A student who is academically dismissed and has been separated from the college for one or more academic semesters must instead petition for Readmission.

Excess Credit Allowance

For students in good academic standing, the maximum number of credits for the Fall and Spring semester(s) is 18; for the Winter session, 6; for Summer session I and Extended Summer session, 6 credits; for Summer session II, 6 credits. A student may petition for an excess credit(s) allowance to exceed these limits. To be eligible for excess credit(s) allowance, a student must have a minimum of a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or better at York College, and have no outstanding Incomplete (INC) grades. The student must also submit a typed personal statement explaining the reason for wanting to petition for excess credits for the semester or session they are applying for.

Extension of Incomplete (INC) Grade

A student may petition to extend the deadline to complete work for course(s) in which an INC grade has been assigned. The student must submit documentation of the extenuating circumstance that is preventing completion of the coursework by the published deadline. Written instructor and/or department support of the student completing the work after the deadline must be attached to the petition.

Grade Appeal

A student may appeal a grade to the Committee on Academic Policy and Standards (CAPS) within the first six weeks of the academic semester after receiving the grade. Prior to submitting a petition appealing a grade, a student must attempt to resolve the issue by consulting with the instructor and the department chair for the course in question. If the issue is not resolved after consultation, a petition may be filed. In the Grade Appeal, the student must provide evidence that the instructor deviated from the published grading criteria and syllabus for the course. In addition, instructor and department chair input will be solicited by CAPS if not provided in the petition.

Decisions on grade appeals are advisory in nature, and decisions in the student's favor will be delivered to the student, the instructor, the department chair and the Office of Academic Affairs. A successful grade appeal indicates only that the student has submitted sufficient evidence to show that the instructor deviated from the course syllabus and the published grading criteria and/or that evidence of bias in grading exists, and that a grade change may be warranted. CAPS do not have the authority to require that the decision of the grade appeal be reflected on the undergraduate student's transcript.

Grade Change

The Committee on Academic Policy and Standards (CAPS) reviews the following categories of Grade Changes:

• Incomplete to final grade changes submitted after the tenth week deadline of the subsequent semester,

• Any other grade change that is past the one-year deadline.

Except for assigned INC grades, grading may only be based on work done during the semester the course was taken. There is a two-year limitation on appeals for retroactive change of transcript entry. Grades cannot be altered once a student has been certified for graduation. Petitions for late grade changes must be accompanied by the official change of grade form, along with documentation from the instructor as to the reasons for the delay in correcting the grade.

Readmission

Students must file for readmission through the CAPS Committee if they have been separated from the college for at least one academic semester and have a GPA of less than 2.0. Students with less than a cumulative GPA of 2.0 must receive CAPS approval prior to being readmitted to the college. To apply for readmission, the student must have passed the reading, writing and mathematics skills tests prior to filing for readmission.

Retroactive Leave of Absence

A student may petition for a Retroactive Leave of Absence from a particular semester. The student must request to withdraw from all courses in that semester.

Retroactive Withdrawal

A student may petition to change grades of FIN or WU to W, or to assign a grade of W in a course(s) during the current semester for which the deadline has passed. The academic department must certify the student's last date of class attendance, and the student must provide evidence of the extenuating circumstance that prevented official withdrawal by the deadline.

Retroactive Pass/Fail

A student may petition to elect a Pass/Fail Option after the 10-week deadline, or to rescind a Pass/Fail Option after the last day of classes for a particular semester. The student must submit supporting documentation of an extenuating circumstance causing the missed deadline.

NOTE: Failure in the course or missing the deadline to select the Pass/Fail option will not be considered grounds for an appeal.

Waiver of Degree Requirements

A student may petition for any of the following deviations from published degree requirements:

• Waiver of the York College residency requirement.

• Waiver of the York College major residency requirement.

• Waiver of a General Education requirement.

• Substitution of a course to satisfy a General Education requirement.

Petitions must include documentation of the exceptional circumstances that prevent the student from satisfying the published requirements. Petitions must also include evidence of support for the deviation from the relevant academic department. Substitutions of major and minor program requirements are provided by academic department certification to the Office of the Registrar, not by petition through CAPS.

Other

In addition to the previously described petition types, consideration of other types of policy waivers may be referred to CAPS by other units of York College. The same standards for supporting documentation and review will be applied to these petitions as to the previously defined petition categories.

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