Class Attendance

The student is expected to attend all classes and laboratory sessions and attendance is mandatory for all freshman-level courses (1XXX).  It is the responsibility of the student to inform each instructor of extended absences. When, in the judgment of the instructor, a student has been absent to such a degree as to impair his or her status relative to credit for the course, the instructor can drop the student from the class with a grade of W before the course drop deadline and with a grade of F after the course drop deadline.

Excused Absences for University-Recognized Activities

Students who will be absent while representing the University in officially recognized University activities (sports, band, professional conferences, etc.) must notify the Dean of Students not less than ten (10) days prior to the absence. The Dean of Students will provide the student with a letter of excuse for the professors. It is the student’s responsibility to give the letter to the professors prior to the official recognized activity. Students following these procedures will be permitted to make up both assignments and examinations in consultation with faculty.

Absence for Religious Holy Days

Religious holy day means a day observed by a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property taxation under Section 11.20, Tax Code. Section 51.911 of the Texas Education Code and 19 Texas Administrative Code 4.4 related to absences by students for observance of religious holy days states that the institution shall excuse a student from attending classes or other required activities, including examinations, for the observance of a religious holy day, including travel for that purpose. A student whose absence is excused under this subsection cannot be penalized for that absence and shall be allowed to take an examination or complete an assignment from which the student is excused within a reasonable time after the absence. The student must provide written notice to the instructor of each course that he or she will be absent for a religious holy day not less than 10 days prior to the absence. If a student and an instructor disagree about the nature of the absence being for the observance of a religious holy day as defined therein, or if there is similar disagreement about whether the student has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor can request a ruling from the Provost or the Provost’s designee. The student and the instructor shall abide by the decision of the Provost or designee.

Military Leave

Section 51.9111, Texas Education Code, and 19 Texas Administrative Code 4.9 provides that students be excused from scheduled classes or other required activities if the student is called to and participates in active military service for a reasonably brief period and that the student shall be allowed to complete an assignment or exam within a reasonable time after the absence. The excused absence is permitted only if the student will not miss more than 25% of the total number of class meetings or the contact-hour equivalent (not including the final examination period) for the specific course or courses in which the student is enrolled at the beginning of the period of active military service.

Students called to active military service must provide a copy of their military orders to the instructor of each course. Further information is available under Complete Withdrawal Due to Active Military Service.

Absence From Examinations

A student absent from a test during the semester is graded zero (0) unless another policy is set by the instructor.

Dead Day

This specific day will be scheduled one day after the last day of classes during the fall and spring semesters. The following policy will be observed:

1. No classes will be held on this day, except classes which meet once a week on that day.
2. Make-up exams should be left to the discretion of each individual instructor.
3. All student work (e.g., research papers, lab reports, term paper, etc.) should be due prior to this day.
4. If a comprehensive final is given, no new material, quizzes, or exams should be given two calendar days prior to Dead Day, and attention should be given to review of semester material. Implementation of this recommendation is to be left to the discretion of the individual instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Texas at El Paso prides itself on its standards of academic excellence. In all matters of intellectual pursuit, UTEP faculty and students must strive to achieve excellence based on the quality of work produced by the individual. In the classroom and in all other academic activities, students are expected to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity. Any form of academic dishonesty is an affront to the pursuit of knowledge and jeopardizes the quality of the degree awarded to all graduates of UTEP. It is imperative, therefore, that the members of this academic community understand the regulations pertaining to academic integrity and that all faculty insist on adherence to these standards.

Any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty is subject to discipline. Academic dishonesty includes, and is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another person, and any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts. Proven violations of the detailed regulations, as printed in the Handbook of Operating Procedures (HOP) can result in sanctions ranging from disciplinary probation, to a failing grade on the work in question, to a failing grade in the course, to suspension or dismissal, among others.

Textbooks

Textbooks may be purchased through university-affiliated bookstores. However, a student of this institution is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from a university-affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may be available from an independent retailer, including an online retailer, per Texas Education Code, sec. 51.9705.

Grades and Grade Point Averages

Courses in which the above grades were earned are included in the grade point average (GPA), which is calculated as follows: (1) determine grade points by multiplying the number of semester hours each course is worth by the grade point value of the grade received; (2) divide the total number of grade points earned by the total number of semester hours attempted in which the above grades were earned. (Total Grade Points/Total Attempted Hours = GPA).

The following grades are not included in grade point average calculations:

Midterm Grades for Freshmen

At mid-semester, all students with fewer than 30 cumulative semester hours, and all other undergraduate students with a grade of D or F regardless of cumulative hours, will receive midterm grades. The midterm grade report is designed to give beginning students an early indication of their academic progress. Midterm grades are not recorded on the student’s academic record, computed in the cumulative grade point average, or calculated in the academic standing.

Incomplete Progress Work

Assignment of the grade I is made only in exceptional circumstances and requires the instructor to submit a form online indicating work to be completed and relevant due dates (not to exceed one calendar year). A copy of this form will be sent to the instructor, the student, Records, and the advising lead. In no case may repetition of the course be assigned as work to be completed. If the work has not been completed by the end of the specified time, the grade I will be changed to an F.  A student may not enroll in a course in which he or she has an unresolved grade of I.  A student may not graduate with an incomplete on his or her record. If a student wishes to graduate and if the course is not needed for a degree requirement, the incomplete will convert to an F, regardless of whether a year has elapsed from the date the incomplete was assigned.  

Grade Changes

Students must submit to the faculty of record a written request for a grade change as soon as possible after the receipt of the grade but not later than one year after the semester in which the course in question was taken. A graduating student must request a grade change within three months after the last day of final examination of the last semester enrolled. After this time, all grades become part of the student's official academic history and cannot be altered unless approved by the academic dean.

A grade change must be approved by the faculty of record, the department chair, and the college dean. Additional approval is required from the Graduate School for thesis/dissertation and project courses (5396-5397, 5398-5399, 6320-6321, and 6398-6399). Students will receive notification of approved changes. Exceptions to the grade change policy will be at the discretion of the faculty member, department chair, and final approval from the academic dean.

Grades can be changed as a result of the following:

1. grade change initiated by the instructor and approved by the appropriate department chair and the college dean;
2. grade change initiated by the department chair for cases in which the instructor is no longer affiliated with the University and cannot be contacted and there exists clear and convincing evidence for a grade change;
3. grade change because of disciplinary action imposed by the Office of Student Life or Hearing Office for violation of University rules;
4. action taken by the Student Welfare and Grievance Committee in grade-appeal procedures.

Grades determined as a result of actions taken in items (3) or (4) above are final and not subject to change.  No other grade change shall occur without the consent of the instructor.  The Registrar will notify the student and the instructor of any change in grade.

College/Major Academic Standing

Selected colleges or majors can also require students to maintain a 2.0 GPA for courses taken within the college or within the major. A student whose college or major GPA falls below a 2.0 after completing a specified minimum number of hours of the designated course work in the college/major will be placed on probation within the college/major. This minimum shall be nine (9) hours unless specified differently in the degree requirements for the college/major.

If the student's college/major GPA remains below a 2.0 after completing nine additional hours of course work in the college/major (or the designated college/major probationary period: students should refer to the individual degree requirements to determine the applicable probationary period), the student will be placed on suspension from the college/major for a minimum of one semester. A student who is on suspension from a college/major can continue to enroll in the University if the student changes majors and meets the GPA requirements of the new college/major. A change to a new major in the same college will require permission from the dean. A student who wishes to re-enroll in the same major after a suspension must submit to the student’s academic dean a Petition for Reinstatement to the College/Major. If the petition is approved, the student will be permitted to re-enroll under academic probation, plus any special conditions which might be imposed by the academic dean. It is recommended that students who are suspended from the college/major receive career counseling through the University Counseling Center.

Students who have been suspended for a period of one semester and have been allowed to re-enroll in that college/major must attain a GPA of 2.0 in the college/major after the completion of nine additional hours of course work in the college/major (or the designated college/major probationary period: students should refer to the individual degree requirements to determine the applicable probationary period); failure to do so will result in suspension from the college/major for a minimum of one year. A student who is allowed to re-enroll after this suspension and does not achieve a 2.0 GPA in the college/major (or the  designated college/major probationary period: students should refer to the individual degree requirements to determine the applicable probationary period) will be dismissed from the college/major. A change of major will be required if the student wishes to continue to enroll in the University.

Any appeal from the regulations governing academic performance shall be directed to the dean of the college in which the student is a major. The dean is empowered to grant relief in unusual cases if the circumstances warrant such action. This is in addition to the policies concerning academic standing within the University. Any penalties concerning eligibility to re-enroll arising from the University's academic standing policy shall take precedence over any provisions within this policy.

Standards of Academic Performance

Undergraduate students are expected to maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 (C average) for all work attempted at UTEP, and a GPA of at least 2.0 for all course work required in the major field of study. These are University-wide minimum requirements for the conferral of any bachelor’s degree; higher minimum standards of performance are required in some programs.

When final grades of each term are posted to the student’s academic record, both term GPA (for the semester or session just ended) and cumulative GPA (for all work attempted at UTEP) are included. In addition, designations appropriate to the student’s past academic performance and eligibility to re-enroll at the University are included. These designations are as follows:

Eligible to Re-enroll

A student whose cumulative GPA is 2.0 or higher is eligible to re-enroll.

Academic Probation

A student whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 will be placed on academic probation. A student on academic probation must have permission to re-enroll. Students in an entering student program should seek this permission from their entering student advisor. Other students should seek this permission from their academic dean. A student will remain on academic probation as long as the term GPA is at least 2.0 and the cumulative GPA is below 2.0.

Academic Suspension

Academic Suspension for One Semester

A student on academic probation whose term GPA is below 2.0 will be placed on academic suspension for one semester. A student thus suspended cannot re-enroll at the University until one long semester or a full summer session has elapsed.

Academic Suspension for One Year

A student on academic probation who has already been placed on academic suspension for one semester, and whose term GPA is less than 2.0, will be placed on academic suspension for one year. A student thus suspended cannot re-enroll at the University until one full calendar year has elapsed.

Academic Suspension for Two Years

A student who has been placed on academic suspension for one year and whose semester and cumulative GPA is below 2.0 will be placed on academic suspension for two years. A student thus suspended MAY NOT re-enroll at the University until two full calendar years have elapsed.

Re-enrollment Following Academic Suspension

A student wishing to re-enroll after his/her academic suspension period is over must submit a Petition for Reinstatement with the academic dean of the previous major or, if the student is selecting a new major, with the dean of the intended new major. If reinstated, the student will be permitted to re-enroll under academic probation, plus any special conditions of the Petition for Reinstatement.

Any appeal from the regulations governing academic performance shall be directed to the dean of the college in which the student is a major. The dean is empowered to grant relief in unusual cases if the circumstances warrant such action. Any student who attempts to circumvent the academic performance regulations is subject to disciplinary action.

Reinstatement of Students After Extended Absence

At the time of reinstatement to the University after an absence of at least two academic years, a student has the options of: 

1. Continuing Student. Continuing with the academic record and GPA as they stand, and completing all remaining requirements for graduation; or 
2. Second Start. Maintaining UTEP credit hours with grades of C and above, while excluding previously-earned courses in which grades of D or F were earned. To qualify for Second Start, students must complete at least 12 credit hours with a minimum 2.5 GPA after reenrollment, after which Second Start will be applied and academic standing will be re-calculated. Students will have up to two semesters of enrollment with a 12-month period to meet this obligation (all courses taken after reenrollment up through the semester in which the 12th credit is earned will be included in the GPA calculation). 

Second Start may be elected only once and may not be revoked once processed. Students who have earned a degree in which the courses from UTEP were accepted as part of the degree are ineligible to qualify for this option. If the student was not eligible to re-enroll at the end of the last period of enrollment at the University, submission of a Petition for Reinstatement with the academic dean of either the previous or intended major is required at the time of reinstatement (as described above). The petition will specify which of the two aforementioned options has been chosen.

In each case, all courses taken and grades earned will remain on the official academic record. Pursuit of the degree under each option does not exempt the student from provisions of the "seven-year rule".

Notes: Please contact UTEP's Financial Aid Office of the Military Student Success Center to understand how your academic record will impact your eligibility for federal aid and/or military benefits. Any student transferring to another institution should check with that institution to determine how credits earned prior to Second Start will be evaluated.   

 Grades and Grade Point Averages

Graduate students must maintain a 3.0 or higher program grade point average (PGPA) in their major field. Graduate students (except those enrolled as post-baccalaureate students taking largely undergraduate courses) must maintain a 3.0 GPA. Credit is given in the Graduate School for the grades A, B, and C only. In the graduate course grading scale, faculty members should award grades of A or B to students who perform at an acceptable level. Dissertations and theses that are acceptable must be awarded a grade of A or B.

A grade of C represents unacceptable performance. In cases where a student should receive no credit whatsoever, an F grade should be awarded. At the graduate level D grades should not ordinarily be awarded.

In some courses, the standard grading system is not practical; such grades are not used to compute the GPA. These grades include I (incomplete), P (in progress), W (withdrawal), and S or U (pass/fail). In courses such as dissertation and thesis, that represent work toward completion of a larger project, students should be awarded a grade of P [progress] if students are making satisfactory progress or U [unsatisfactory] if the progress is not satisfactory. When the project is complete, the supervising faculty will award an appropriate letter grade. That letter grade will apply to the final thesis/dissertation course and to previous thesis/dissertation hours up to a maximum of twelve (12) hours (dissertation) or six (6) hours (thesis) unless the specified requirements for hours in those courses is higher.

For information on the grade appeal process, students should refer to the Student Grievance Procedures in the Student Life Policies and Procedures section of this catalog.

Incomplete or In-progress Work

Assignment of the grade Incomplete (I) is made only in exceptional circumstances and requires the instructor to file an outline of the work to be completed and the time span (not to exceed one calendar year) allowable for completion with the academic dean. In no case can repetition of the course be assigned as work to be completed. If the work has not been completed at the end of the specified time, the I will be changed to an F. A student cannot enroll in a course in which he or she has an unresolved grade of I. The grade of in progress (P) is limited to thesis and dissertation courses. A student may not graduate with an incomplete or in progress work on his or her record. If the student wishes to graduate and if the course is not needed for a degree requirement, the incomplete will convert to an F, regardless of whether a year has lapsed from the date the incomplete was assigned. In the case of in progress work, if the course is not needed for a degree requirement, the P must be changed to a W.  The instructor must submit a Change of Grade form to the department chair and college dean. The college will file the form with the Registration and Records Office.

Grade Changes

Students must submit to the faculty of record a written request for a grade change as soon as possible after the receipt of the grade but not later than one year after the semester in which the course in question was taken. A graduating student must request a grade change within three months after the last day of final examination of the last semester enrolled. After this time, all grades become part of the student's official academic history and cannot be altered unless approved by the academic dean.

A grade change must be approved by the faculty of record, the department chair, and the college dean. Additional approval is required from the Graduate School for thesis/dissertation and project courses. Students will receive notification of approved changes. Exceptions to the grade change policy will be at the discretion of the faculty member, department chair, and final approval from the academic dean.

Grades can be changed as a result of the following:

1. grade change initiated by the instructor and approved by the appropriate department chair and the college dean;
2. grade change initiated by the department chair for cases in which the instructor is no longer affiliated with the University and cannot be contacted and there exists clear and convincing evidence for a grade change;
3. grade change because of disciplinary action imposed by the Office of Student Life or Hearing Office for violation of University rules;
4. action taken by the Student Welfare and Grievance Committee in grade-appeal procedures.

Grades determined as a result of actions taken in items (3) or (4) above are final and not subject to change.  No other grade change shall occur without the consent of the instructor.  The Registrar will notify the student and the instructor of any change in grade.

Academic Standing

Students admitted into graduate programs must remove all admissions conditions within one semester. Failure to meet conditions within one semester can result in dismissal from the Graduate School. Students admitted into a graduate program must maintain a 3.0 or better program grade point average. Post-baccalaureate non-degree, teacher and professional certification, and/or endorsement students must maintain a program grade point average of 2.5 or higher. Students enrolled in cooperative (COOP) courses must maintain a minimum program grade point average (PGPA) of 3.0.

Individual departments can impose more rigorous grading standards.

Academic Probation and Dismissal

A student admitted into a graduate program whose program grade point average drops below 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. The student must return the program grade point average to a 3.0 after completion of the next nine (9) hours of study. Failure to meet the 3.0 grade point average requirement during the probationary period will result in dismissal from the Graduate School.

A dismissed student will remain on suspension for one full semester before appealing for reinstatement. Appeals for reinstatement are submitted by the respective graduate studies program committee to the Dean of the Graduate School. Only the Dean of the Graduate School can approve reinstatement of dismissed students.

Appeals must include a plan of action describing intervention to ensure student success. If readmitted, the student must raise the program grade point average to a 3.0 by the end of the first semester of reinstatement or face permanent dismissal from the Graduate School.

Post-baccalaureate non-degree, teacher and professional certification, and/or endorsement students whose program grade point averages drop below 2.5 will be placed on academic probation. The program grade point averages must be raised to at least a 2.5 after completion of the next nine (9) hours of study. Failure to meet the 2.5 grade point average requirement during the probationary period will result in dismissal from the Graduate School.

Dismissed non-degree, teacher and professional certification, and/or endorsement students will remain on suspension for one full semester before appealing for reinstatement. Appeals for reinstatement are submitted by the respective college dean to the Dean of the Graduate School. Only the Dean of the Graduate School can approve reinstatement of dismissed students.