Student government reached an agreement with the university to change the current Academic Probation Policy last Friday, after a year of working with faculty in the University Senate.
The university has an internal transcript, seen by those within NYU, and an external transcript, seen by prospective employers, for each student. In the past, when a student faced academic probation it was noted on both transcripts. Moving forward, it will only be mentioned on the internal transcript — and past students who have been on probation will have mention of it expunged from their external records.
Students are placed on academic probation when they fall below a 2.0 GPA — regardless of any family or health issues that may have been contributing factors. This status can affect their financial aid packages and their ability to study abroad. If the student is unable to raise their GPA above a 2.0 for two or more semesters, they can be dismissed from NYU.
Removing mention of academic probation from external records will, hopefully, allow students to apply to graduate schools and other positions without being penalized for past issues, according to CAS senior and Chair of the SGA Academic Affairs Committee Quentin Turner. Turner led discussions with the university on the policy.
University spokesperson John Beckman said, while records of past incidents are important, they often affect students’ mental health and, consequently, their academic performance.
“There are many ways that schools can track students who are on probation; notations on the official transcript are not only unnecessary for this purpose, but they can lead to increased student anxiety,” Beckman said in a statement to WSN. “In this regard, it is worth noting that poor academic performance that results in probation is often accompanied by, if not attributable to, significant wellness concerns.”
In an interview with WSN, Turner said he had a friend that was on academic probation who saw the negative effects Beckman mentioned, partially leading him to push for the policy.
“It’s about second chances,” Turner said. “No student wants to be put in this situation. They should not be penalized for life.”
If students previously faced or are currently facing academic probation, they can reach out to Academic Affairs on the Student Government website for more information.
Email Alexandria Johnson at [email protected].
