Students in Academic Difficulty

Students who are having difficulty meeting their academic commitments are monitored by the Office of the Dean of Studies in conjunction with the student’s don. The College works to support students experiencing academic challenges by connecting them with appropriate resources. Students, in turn, must make use of the resources if the resources are to be effective. Further information and access to many of the key academic support resources of the College can be found through the Learning Commons website. The College works with students to help identify the source of their academic challenges and identify appropriate sources of assistance.

The Committee on Student Work reads student evaluations at the end of each semester, and the Office of the Dean of Studies issues academic status letters to students of concern who have poor evaluations and/or have received grades of C- or lower. The Office of the Dean of Studies appraises students’ progress based on their evaluations and final course grades. Students who have a persistent pattern of poor evaluations or grades below C- or who have failed courses in a single semester may be placed on academic probation or suspension. The student’s parent(s) or legal guardian(s) may be notified.

Students on academic probation must adhere to the following terms for two academic semesters:

1. Timely submission of work that meets course expectations and quality of work normally expected for undergraduates at their level
2. Consistent attendance in class, conference meetings, and other academic obligations and applications
3. Grades of C or above earned and all courses completed on time (Permission to request an incomplete must be approved by the Office of the Dean of Studies.)
4. No violations of the College’s academic integrity policy—whether resolved formally or informally

Probationary students are expected to meet with their class dean at the start of the semester and demonstrate consistent commitment to academic work throughout the semester. Progress is reviewed at the midpoint and end of each semester; if the terms are met, students are permitted to return for the second semester but remain on probation.

A student on probation who does not meet the above criteria, either during or at the end of the semester, is suspended and ineligible to request reinstatement for two semesters. The student’s parent(s) or legal guardian(s) may be notified. A student who was previously academically suspended is ineligible to request reinstatement for four semesters. 

In some instances, students who have failed multiple courses in one term may be suspended without first being placed on probation, as such failures indicate that those students have not engaged with course instructors or with the available academic resources to address the impediments to their work.

Students who fail a course or whose evaluations note significant academic issues after coming off probation may be subject to immediate suspension.

Students on academic probation are prohibited from doing the following:

• register for more than 15 credits
• apply for study away
• sit on campus governance committees
• participate on athletic teams
• serve on Student Senate or on campus governance committees
• serve as resident advisers, orientation leaders, peer mentors, or admissions tour guides/interviewers

The College reserves the right to suspend students if they are not making satisfactory progress toward their degree, as demonstrated by their grades and evaluations. The student’s parent(s) or legal guardian(s) may be notified.

Students who have been suspended are eligible to apply for reinstatement after two academic semesters and must submit a Request to Return form available on MySLC. Requests must be submitted by April 1 for the fall semester and November 1 for the spring semester. Students are notified of the reinstatement procedures in the letter of suspension.

Students who have been suspended for academic reasons may not receive a Sarah Lawrence degree until they have been reinstated and have successfully completed additional full-time coursework on the Bronxville Campus. Academic suspension is permanently recorded in the student’s file.

Students who have been suspended do not have the rights and privileges accorded to full-time enrolled Sarah Lawrence College students. Suspended students may visit the campus only with permission, given in advance, by the Office of the Dean of Studies. Failure to abide by this expectation may adversely affect a request for reinstatement to the College.

A student wishing to be reinstated from academic suspension must submit a request to return, in writing, to the Office of the Dean of Studies. The Request to Return form should be sent to deanofstudies@sarahlawrence.edu by November 1 for spring return or April 1 for fall return. Requests should be accompanied by a letter from the student’s don. The letter requesting reinstatement should discuss the following:

1. the issues that led to suspension from the College and the measures taken to address them
2. the reasons the student feels ready to resume study
3. the plans made to support the student’s progress upon resumption of studies

Students applying for reinstatement are expected to have identified and addressed the issues that impeded their academic work and demonstrate a readiness to reengage with the academic demands of the College. As such, the committee strongly recommends that, if possible, students participate in meaningful activity (work, volunteer, take classes elsewhere) in preparation for a return to Sarah Lawrence College.

Students who are reinstated after suspension return to the College on academic probation. Students who have been reinstated are required to enroll full time and successfully complete at least one semester in order to receive a Sarah Lawrence degree.

Students who are suspended after having been reinstated may not apply again for reinstatement for two academic years (four semesters) and are required to appear before the Committee on Student Work. To initiate an appeal, the student should send a letter addressed to the Committee on Student Work, emailed to deanofstudies@sarahlawrence.edu, by November 1 for spring return or April 1 for fall return. The letter requesting reinstatement should discuss the following:

1. the issues that led to suspension from the College and the measures taken to address them
2. the reasons that the student feels ready to resume study
3. the plans made to support the student’s progress upon resumption of studies

The committee bases its decision on evidence that the student has identified and addressed the issues that impeded academic work in the past and demonstrates a readiness to reengage with the academic demands of the College. As such, the committee strongly recommends that, if possible, students participate in meaningful activity (work, volunteer, take classes elsewhere) in preparation for a return to Sarah Lawrence College.

Students who are reinstated after academic suspension return to the College on academic probation. Students who have been reinstated to the College following an academic suspension are required to enroll full time for at least one semester in order to receive a Sarah Lawrence degree.