Academic Amnesty
Herkimer College's Academic Amnesty program is designed to give a fresh start to students who have been away from the college for three years or more and who return to complete a degree or certificate. Such students may apply to have unsatisfactory grades excluded from the calculation of the grade point average (GPA).
Eligibility Requirements:
- The student has not enrolled at Herkimer College for at least three years.
- The student has re-matriculated into a degree or certificate program at Herkimer College.
- The student's current cumulative GPA must be below 2.00
- The student must submit the application after registering for the returning semester and no later than the end of the returning semester (prior to semester grades being received from faculty).
- The student must register and complete at least 9 credit hours in their returning semester, with no F's or W's and have a semester GPA of at least 2.00.
- Academic Amnesty may be granted only one time in a student's academic history at the college.
Procedure:
- The student submits the application for Academic Amnesty to the Registrar's Office after registering for the returning semester. The Registrar's Office will notify the student if they are eligible; however approval can't be determined until final grades are received and processed for the returning semester.
- The student should send the application by mail to: Registrar's Office, Herkimer College, 100 Reservoir Road, Herkimer, NY 13350 or by fax to 315-866-1657.
- Normally D and F grades earned prior to approval of Academic Amnesty will be excluded from the GPA calculation. Any D or F grades earned during or after the returning semester will not be excluded from the GPA calculation. Any D grade excluded from the GPA but required for a degree must be repeated.
Limitations of Academic Amnesty
- Courses that were previously applied to a program for the purpose of graduation are not eligible for Academic Amnesty.
- Academic Amnesty does not change or adjust financial aid eligibility. Federal and state standards for the evaluation of academic history may supersede the College's Academic Amnesty policy.
- Outstanding financial obligations incurred by the student prior to approval of Academic Amnesty remain the responsibility of the student.
- There is no guarantee that Herkimer College's Academic Amnesty will be recognized by any other college or university.
- Grades/courses excluded from GPA calculations as part of the Academic Amnesty will remain on the student's transcript.
- If approved for Academic Amnesty, the student must maintain a semester GPA of 2.00 or higher in each semester after resuming study, failure to do so will result in dismissal from the College