Academic Success Program

The ISS has instituted an Academic Success Program geared towards undergraduate students who are not making “normal progress.”  Our goal is to promote student success and assist those who are facing academic and/or personal difficulties.

Immigration regulations state that a “student is …maintaining status if he or she is making normal progress toward completing a course of studies.”  Normal progress is defined as earning at least 12 credits with a minimum grade point average of 2.0 each quarter.  Students who fail to achieve that standard seriously jeopardize their immigration status.

While it is understood that students will experience a “bad” quarter every now and again, we will strive to intervene before a student slips into a pattern of failure.  Pre-major students are especially vulnerable.  They may perform poorly for multiple quarters before being noticed by the University’s probation system.

ISS advisers will review academic reports each quarter.  Students who failed to earn at least a 2.0 the previous quarter will receive a letter from their ISS adviser.  The letter will inform the student that they must meet with an ISS adviser by a determined date.  Following that meeting, students will be required to meet with an academic adviser.  We have found that students who “self-advise” are often worse off than those who seek regular advice from campus advisers.

Students will present a form to the academic adviser which needs to be signed and returned to the ISS.  The form will seek verification that the student followed through with meeting an academic adviser.  Students who fail to comply with these requirements will have a registration hold put in place the following quarter.

For questions or suggestions regarding this program, please contact us.