MIT Committee On Academic Performance
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End of Term Academic Review
   

End of Term Academic Review

Decisions of the Committee on Academic Performance

The department reviews each student's performance and prepares a recommendation for the CAP. CAP discusses each student's performance and makes one of the following decisions:

No Action

The CAP takes no official action in the case, leaving to the student's department the choice of taking action, such as a departmental letter, or no action.

Warning

A CAP warning is appropriate in the case of a student whose performance during the past term is considered unsatisfactory and who may be required to withdraw from the Institute if his/her performance does not improve during the next term. It is also the appropriate action when, in the opinion of the department and the CAP, the student is not making sufficient progress toward an academic degree. ("Sufficient progress" includes completion of Institute and department requirements, as well as accumulation of credits at a reasonable rate.)

This action should not be viewed as punitive, but rather as an expression of concern for a student's performance or progress. A warning does not appear on the student's external transcript, but it does appear on the grade report. It is entirely an internal action.

Students in academic difficulty would often like to make up for "lost time" or failed subjects by overloading on units and subjects in the next semester, but overloading usually hinders students' academic recovery. Therefore, the committee places a limit on the number of units for which a student may register during his or her next regular term at MIT following a warning. The usual limit is 48 units (51 units for upperclass students taking only four subjects), but at the time the warning is voted by the CAP, the department may request a higher or lower limit to fit a student's individual situation.

  • The CAP will take appropriate action concerning students falling behind the minimum required pace in the Communication Requirement:

    • Students who are in otherwise good academic standing will typically be flagged by the CAP and limited to a registration of one appropriate Communication Intensive (CI) subject plus 48 units during their next regular term. 

    • Students in poor academic standing (< 3.0 GPA and/or < 36 units satisfactorily completed) and behind in the Communication Requirement will typically be placed on Warning and limited to a registration of one appropriate CI subject plus 36 units during their next regular term. 

    See also:  http://web.mit.edu/commreq/background.html

    The letter notifying a student of his or her warning status specifies the exact credit limit voted. If such a student has a particular reason for wishing to exceed the credit limit, he or she may petition the CAP. Such petitions are rarely approved.

Required Withdrawal

This action is taken by the CAP when a student experiences serious academic difficulties over a period of one or more terms. Generally the CAP does not vote a required withdrawal for a student who has never been warned previously. Students who are required to withdraw are typically expected to take at least a year away from MIT.

Students who are required to withdraw from MIT should discuss a course of action with a dean in Student Support Services (S3), 5-104, and with their academic advisor, to facilitate possible readmission at a later date.

A required withdrawal does not appear on a student's external transcript.

Students who have received financial aid should contact the Student Services Center, 11-120, to discuss their obligations while not enrolled at MIT. If the student received financial aid that included student loans, or the student's parents borrowed from various parent loan programs, the student must meet with a loan representative.

Suspension of Services

An undergraduate who is required to withdraw may not use Institute student services. In particular

  • The right to live in MIT housing is suspended,

  • The MIT Card is deactivated, and undergraduates are not authorized to use the services for which the card provides access. These services include but are not limited to the libraries, the dining system, computing resources, and Institute housing,

  • Students are permitted to retain an mit.edu e-mail address which will be forwarded to a specified outside e-mail provider until the normal graduation date. All other computer services, including Athena access and use of MIT licensed software, will be suspended.

  • Undergraduates will be excluded from the student payroll and UROP,

  • Undergraduates will not be placed on class rosters. They will not be allowed to participate in class projects. Work that is turned in for the class will not be graded or returned. 

 

For additional detail, please see: http://web.mit.edu/acadinfo/undergrad/academic-guide/sec13.html#suspension.