Academic Standards

Student Rights and Responsibilities

The Program in Environmental Design is part of an academic community whose mission requires an open learning and working environment for students, faculty, staff, and administrators. An open learning and working environment values and protects individual dignity and the integrity of human relationships, and is based upon mutual trust, freedom of inquiry, freedom of expression, and the absence of intimidation and exploitation. Any infringement upon these freedoms and rights may be cause for review by the program or by other university offices. Students in the program are subject to the policies and procedures governing student rights and responsibilities published in this catalog. Please refer to the relevant sections outlining explicit policies governing issues of sexual harassment and discrimination, and review the full code of student conduct.

Ethics and Academic Dishonesty

Students in the Program in Environmental Design are subject to the Boulder campus Honor Code and are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the highest standards of honesty and integrity. Any act of academic dishonesty may receive sanctions from individual faculty and also be reported to the Honor Code Office. For a full description of Honor Code expectations and policies please refer to the Honor Code section of this catalog or to www.colorado.edu/policies/student-honor-code-policy.

GPA Requirements, Probation, and Scholastic Suspension

A student must achieve a grade of C- or better in all courses applied toward graduation requirements. A limit of 6 credit hours of general electives that receive a minimum grade of D- may be credited toward the degree if the student has maintained a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00.

If a student takes a course for credit more than once, all grades are calculated into the grade point average. However, the course is only counted toward graduation once, unless a course description specifically states that it can be taken more than once for credit. If a course is repeated, the last grade earned is the grade used for degree requirements, no matter if the last grade earned is lower than the initial grade.

As a general rule, students who fail to meet the minimum cumulative grade point requirement (2.00) are permitted to continue their studies on a probationary basis during the following semester. Scholastic records of students are reviewed as soon as possible after the close of the probationary semester, and students are informed in writing if they are to be suspended.

When a student is suspended, the student is notified in writing with a copy of the letter placed in the student’s file, which directs the student to contact their advisor so that an academic plan may be put into place. It is the responsibility of the academic advisor to monitor the student’s progress.

Students on suspension are not allowed to register on any campus of the University of Colorado while on suspension, except continuing education or main campus summer sessions. A suspended student must raise his or her CU cumulative grade point to a 2.00 or higher to be eligible for re-admittance into the program. Suspended students are readmitted on a case-by-case basis by review of the program.

Students in the Program in Environmental Design who withdraw from their registered courses two semesters in a row will have a stop placed on their registration. Summer Session is not counted as a regular semester. They will not be readmitted to return to the University of Colorado Boulder before one full academic year has elapsed (not including the semester of withdrawal). 

Students suspended a second time are reinstated only under special circumstances. Students who believe that their situations warrant a departure from these normal stipulations may petition for reinstatement. The program looks with favor on such petitions only if the student has shown marked improvement in academic work or if there are remarkable circumstances that have contributed to the student’s academic difficulties.

Attendance

Students are expected to attend all classes and to comply with the attendance regulations specified by their instructors. At the beginning of each semester, instructors inform students of policies governing grading policies and attendance in each class. Students who miss a final examination for illness or other good reason must notify the instructor or the program office no later than the end of the day on which the examination is given. Missing a final examination is grounds for failing the class.