Last update: September 2014

Scope of Policy & Rationale

Former undergraduate, baccalaureate degree-seeking students who have not taken any coursework at Temple University for a minimum of four consecutive years are eligible for Academic Forgiveness. Students electing Academic Forgiveness must choose the option before the end of the drop/add period of their first semester following their absence.

Definitions

  1. Re-enrolled — Students are re-enrolled when they are approved to return to the university after leaving of their own accord.
  2. Reinstated — Students are reinstated when they are approved to return to the university following dismissal.
  3. Academic Forgiveness — Academic Forgiveness is a status that enables students to return to the university with a renewed cumulative grade point average (GPA).
  4. Four Consecutive Years — A total of eight consecutive fall and spring semesters.

Policy Statement

Undergraduate, baccalaureate degree-seeking students who re-enroll or are reinstated following a four-year consecutive absence from the university may petition to have their cumulative GPA recalculated from the time of re-enrollment/reinstatement to the university.

Upon successful petition:

  • Cumulative GPA will be reset to 0.00.
  • All prior courses and grades will remain on the student's academic record and transcript.
  • The notation of "Academic Forgiveness" will be recorded on the student's transcript.
  • Courses previously earned at Temple University with grades of D+, D, D-, F and NC will not be used for credit. Credit will be considered for courses with grades of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C- and CR. The student's department has final approval of credits that will count towards graduation. Schools/Colleges may disallow credits towards graduation for some older courses.

Re-enrolled or reinstated students electing the forgiveness option may repeat a course one additional time if they previously exhausted their repeat options for that course under the Policy Statement on Repeating a Course.

Once enacted, the reset GPA cannot be reversed.

Students are afforded one opportunity for Academic Forgiveness.

Academic Forgiveness students wishing to qualify for Latin honors at Graduation must complete a minimum of 60 earned credit hours at Temple following their reinstatement (i.e., excluding their earned credit hours allowed at the time of academic forgiveness).