Dismissal from the College

Academic dismissal results from a low cumulative GPA. The more credits a student has (including transfer credits), the lower the threshold that warrants dismissal. The index reads as follows: 

             
Category 0-22 credits 23-37 credits 38-52 credits 53-67 credits 68-82 credits 83or more credits
Dismissal Below 1.00 Below 1.50 Below 1.60 Below 1.70 Below 1.80 Below 1.90

Any student dismissed from the College for poor scholarship may not apply for readmission unless he or she has attended a recognized college for one year and has attained a record of satisfactory scholarship. Documented continuous full-time employment or service in the military will be considered as possible substitutes for academic accomplishments. However, in all cases the final decision for readmission shall be at the discretion of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.


First Year Seminar

All First Year students must take both FYSM 100 and 101. (They take FYSM 101 regardless of grade in FYSM 100). Students typically have the same professor for both courses. Students cannot drop FYSM 100 or 101. Transfer Students with 24 or more credits earned while matriculated at another college or university replace the First Year Seminar requirement with two additional Core courses (3 credits each from any two areas).


Major, Minor, Certificate Requirements

All students must declare a major prior to the start of their junior year.  Students can double major and add one or two minors. Minors are optional, and most require 18 credits. Students can also receive a double degree provided that the majors are in two different schools and, in addition to the major and core requirements, have completed at least 150 credits. 

Notes:

  • Students may use a maximum of one major course to satisfy the Disciplinary Core requirement and may use one additional major course to satisfy a Franciscan Concern Core requirement. 
  • Students can take additional courses in their major that are designated as "Core" to fulfill their major requirements - these will not count as Core. 
  • All departments, except Biology, allow their majors to count one major course as a Disciplinary Core course. 
  • All departments, except Religious Studies and Social Work, allow their majors to count one major course as a Franciscan Concern course.
  •  No more than one course from a subject can be taken to meet the Franciscan Concern requirements. They can count for a Certificate. 

Pass/Fail Option

This option is designed to encourage students to take courses outside their major fields. Students must request to pass/fail a course by the published deadline by completing a form in the Registrar’s Office.

Notes:

  • Students may select one course each semester as pass/fail - up to 8 courses in total. This option may not be applied to a course in the student's major, minor, auxiliary for the major, college core, or common business core. 
  • Some certificate programs do allow students to use the pass/fail option in their courses. Students should check with the program's Director. A "D-" is a passing grade. Students must declare this option in the Office of the Registrar before the published deadline each semester. 

Academic Probation

All students who have less than a 2.0 cumulative GPA are placed on Academic Probation.  

Students on academic probation for the first time are required to take LEAP 1, a one-credit hour, pass/fail study skills course in the semester following their placement on probation.  

Students on academic probation for a second or third semester are required to take LEAP 2 and 3, respectively, and will have individual meetings with the Associate Director of Student Academic Success and Engagement to review academic progress and strategies for success.


Repeated Courses

Students can retake courses if they earned a C- or less. These courses can be taken at Siena or transferred in from another institution, with approval from the student’s school office. If a course is retaken at Siena, both grades appear on a student’s transcript, but only the higher grade counts in the cumulative GPA. If a course is transferred in from another institution, the student will receive a “T” instead of a new grade, and the original grade will not be counted in the cumulative GPA.

Note:  If a student repeats a course that is not a degree/graduation requirement for the student, the course will not count toward full-time status and may affect financial aid eligibility and other eligibility. 


W, WP, WF Options

If a student drops a course during the first week of classes, the course will not be reflected on the transcript. 

W: Students who drop a course after the first week of classes, and until the date set in the Academic Calendar for dropping with a “W”, will receive a grade of “W” on the transcript. 

WP/WF: After the W deadline, up until the date set in the Academic Calendar (approximately two weeks before the last day of classes), student may drop a course with either the grade WP (withdrawn passing) or WF (withdrawn failing, not computed in the GPA) based upon the student’s academic status in the course at the time it is dropped. To request a WP/WF, a student must complete  the WP/WF form online. 

Dropping a course is not allowed after the last date for WP/WF specified in the Academic Calendar.

The student is responsible for understanding the implications that may occur from dropping one or more courses (examples: financial aid, housing, health and/or auto insurance eligibility, NCAA regulations, and others).

 


Advisement Support Contact Information

SASE Office - SH 215
studentsuccess@siena.edu
(518) 783-2341

School of Business - SH 301
(518) 783- 2321

School of Liberal Arts - SH 204
artsoffice@siena.edu
(518) 783- 2325

School of Science - RB 212
(518) 783- 2440


Summer/Winter Term Courses

Students can take courses at Siena, or at other institutions and transfer the credit back to Siena.

If taking courses at another institution:

  • Students must receive approval from their School Office BEFORE taking these courses.
  • Forms are available in School offices and online.
  • No credit can be processed until official transcripts are received in the Office of the Registrar (SH102). 

 


Study Abroad Advising Assistance

Students who have been accepted into a semester abroad program should work with the designated administrator in their school office to choose courses that will successfully transfer back to Siena. 

School of Arts: Diana King

School of Business: Diane Hannahs

School of Science: Angela McKeever


Full Time Student Status Requirements
  • Students enrolled for 12 or more credit hours are considered to be full-time students.
  • Students who enroll in 18 or more credits will be charged for each additional credit at the per-credit hour rate.
  • Students cannot enroll in more than 19 credits without approval (students can initiate this request in their school office).