Academic Forgiveness Policy

Academic forgiveness is intended for the student who is returning to university and who has not been enrolled as a fulltime student (12 or more credit hours) in any institution of higher learning during the four consecutive academic years immediately preceding the readmission semester. Only the students applying for readmission after the effective date of this policy will be eligible for forgiveness under this policy. When academic forgiveness is granted, failing grades earned prior to the four consecutive academic year period immediately preceding the beginning of the readmission semester are excluded from the computation of the grade point average. However, no failing grade will be removed from the permanent record. The academic forgiveness policy may be applied after a student has completed a semester as a fulltime student, has earned at least 12 credit hours that apply toward graduation, and has achieved a G.P.A. of at least 2.0 for that readmission semester.

Academic forgiveness will be granted only once for any student. The Registrar will consider a request for forgiveness upon receipt of a signed, written request from the student which certifies that the student has not been enrolled as a full-time student (12 or more credit hours) in any institution of higher learning during the four consecutive academic years immediately preceding the readmission semester. Should the student have attended any institution of higher education on a part-time basis during the specified four-year period, he/she must have earned at least a 2.0 G.P.A. in all course work attempted. If all conditions have been met, academic forgiveness will be granted at the time the G.P.A. is calculated officially by the Registrar upon completion of the readmission semester.

The academic forgiveness policy does not alter, change, or amend any other existing policies at WLU. This policy pertains only to the calculation of the G.P.A. required for graduation and does not pertain to the G.P.A. calculated for special academic recognition (such as graduating with honor) or to requirements for professional certification which may be within the province of licensure boards, external agencies, or the West Virginia Board of Education. The Regents’ Bachelor of Arts Program is governed by a different forgiveness policy.

West Liberty University is not bound by the decision of any other institution to disregard grades earned in university courses. Similarly, students should be aware that academic forgiveness extended by this institution may not be recognized by other institutions to which they may transfer.

This policy went into effect with the second semester of the 1991-92 academic year and is not retroactive. The policy is not applicable to any student who has completed a baccalaureate degree. It is applicable only to those students who meet the requirements listed above who transfer into or reenter West Liberty University in the Spring of 1992 or later.