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2E Policy

With procedures regarding students receiving an “E” grade twice in a course (revised 20 August 2021)

The undergraduate catalog for the School of Music contains the following policy, under “General Information”:

Note
If a School of Music student receives an E grade twice in any one course within their major, the student will not be allowed to proceed in the major. Also, a registration hold will be placed on the student's record pending a meeting with an academic advisor to determine an alternative plan of study. Only in rare and extreme cases will the School of Music consider petitions to take a course a third time and have major status reinstated.

Outlined below are the procedures for enforcing and implementing this policy.

  1. After receiving a failing grade in any music major course, a student will be notified by letter that, according to School of Music policy, if the student receives an additional E grade in that course they will not be allowed to proceed as a music major. The letter will also instruct the student to meet with the professor(s) of the course(s) in question and the division coordinator for their major to outline a plan for academic improvement.
  2. If a student receives a second E grade in any music major course, a letter will be sent to notify the student that they can no longer proceed as a music major and that a registration hold will be imposed until the student meets with an academic advisor to determine an alternate plan of study. The letter will also inform the student that they may submit a petition to take the twice-failed course a third time in an effort to be reinstated as a music major, but that such petitions are granted very rarely and only for extreme circumstances.
  3. Petitions for reinstatement will be submitted to and considered by the School of Music’s director along with the associate director for undergraduate studies. In assessing a petition from a student wishing to take a twice-failed course a third time and have major status reinstated, they will consider three questions:
    1. To what extent, if any, was the student’s inadequate academic performance due in part to his or her successful participation in unusually high-level or professional activities, such as prestigious performances or competitions? Petitions may be approved if the student was involved in activities that diminished academic performance but that otherwise furthered their progress towards the stated goals of his or her major in unusually significant ways.
    2. To what extent, if any, was the student’s inadequate academic performance due to unusual or extreme personal circumstances, such as medical emergencies or similar crises? Such circumstances may warrant approval of a petition.
    3. To what extent, if any, did the student seek to mitigate the consequences of a) or b) through other prescribed curricular and administrative procedures? If a student presents viable criteria related to a) or b) above but could have reasonably dealt with such circumstances through prescribed curricular and administrative means (such as withdrawal from courses, incomplete grades, etc.), the petition should not be granted.