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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 two 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:

  1. The student has not enrolled at Herkimer College for at least two years.
  2. The student has re-matriculated into a degree or certificate program at Herkimer College.
  3. The student's current cumulative GPA must be below 2.00
  4. 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).
  5. The student must register and complete at least 12 credit hours in the first calendar year after their return with no F's or W's and maintain a GPA of at least 2.00 each semester.
  6. Academic Amnesty or Academic Reset may be granted only one time in a student's academic history at the college.

Procedure:

  1. 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 student’s first 12 credit hours following their return. Note: if the student fails to achieve the requirements at any point prior to the completion of their first 12 credits upon their return, they will be notified that they are no longer eligible for amnesty and that their amnesty application has been rescinded.
  2. The student should submit the application to the Registrar’s Office by dropping it off in RMCC 216, emailing it to registrar@herkimer.edu, or mailing it to Registrar's Office, Herkimer College, 100 Reservoir Road, Herkimer, NY   13350 or by fax to 315-866-1657.
  3. 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

  1. Courses that were previously applied to a program for the purpose of graduation are not eligible for Academic Amnesty.
  2. 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.
  3. Outstanding financial obligations incurred by the student prior to approval of Academic Amnesty remain the responsibility of the student.
  4. A notation will be added to the student’s transcript indicating that Academic Amnesty has been applied. There is no guarantee that Herkimer College's Academic Amnesty will be recognized by any other college or university.
  5. Grades/courses excluded from GPA calculations as part of the Academic Amnesty will remain on the student's transcript.
  6. 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.