Grade Exclusion

Purpose. The Grade Exclusion Policy (GEP) allows students to exclude up to 12 course credits from their GPA calculation following a DOCUMENTED major or degree program change. The policy aims to assist students in recovering from academic setbacks and continuing their studies and professional aspirations with renewed confidence.

Scope: The policy applies to all UG students currently enrolled in Saginaw Valley State University, regardless of major or degree program.

Policy: Under the policy, a student with a declared major may request to exclude up to 12 course credits from their GPA calculation once. The following conditions must be met:

1. Currently enrolled in Saginaw Valley State University and has completed at least 24 credit hours at Saginaw Valley State University.
2. The student must have a DOCUMENTED change in major or degree programs. The Registrar’s Office will verify this.
3. The excluded course credits must have originated and were applied to a major or degree program from a prior academic major or degree program, regardless of the college. Therefore, eligible GEP credits will fall under the “Other Courses” section on an SVSU Academic Evaluation.
4. The student must have received a grade of D or below in the excluded course(s).
5. A general education course may be excluded if the course was required by the originating major or degree but is NOT required by the new documented major or degree. If excluded, the student still must complete another course from the associated general education category and fulfill the general education category.
6. Basic skills and courses necessary for major or degree progression are excluded from the policy; however, they are eligible for the SVSU Course Replacement Policy.

Procedures: Under the policy, the following actions must be met:

1. Initiate Electronic Form: The student must first initiate the grade exclusion request by completing the electronic form. The form should include the following information:

1. Student’s name and ID number
2. Course number(s) and title(s)
3. Semester(s) and year(s) the course(s) were taken.
4. Grade(s) received.
5. Reason(s) for requesting the exclusion of up to 12 course credits.

2. Consultation: After submitting the form, the student must consult with the Academic Advisement Center and the coordinator or department chair of their new major or degree program (when applicable) to discuss their eligibility for grade exclusion and potential impacts on academic progress. The student should provide a copy of the submitted form for reference during the consultation.

3. Approval from Dean’s Office: Following the consultation, the student must obtain approval from the Dean’s Office where their new major or degree program resides. The Dean’s Office may require additional documentation or information before approval. Once approval is obtained, the Dean’s Office will update the form to indicate the consultation with the Academic Advisement Center and approval from the new major or degree program coordinator, department chair, and the Dean’s Office representative.

4. Review: The Registrar’s Office will receive the submitted form and review the request (each course separately, based on originating and new major or degree requirements), verifying eligibility based on the policy criteria. Once the review is complete, the Registrar’s Office will notify the student of the decision within 20 business days.

5. Decision: Registrar’s Office decision will include:

1. Approved: GPA is modified based on course exclusion, but the course remains on official SVSU academic documents with a notation that the course(s) were excluded from the overall GPA.
2. Deny: GPA is not modified.

6. Notification of Decision: The student will receive written notification of the decision via their official university email address.

Implementation: The policy will be implemented beginning in the [Insert academic year] academic year. Students who wish to exclude a course or grade taken before implementing this policy may do so under the conditions outlined in this policy.