Skip to Content

Reinstatement and Renewal

This is an archived copy of the 2015-2016 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.iastate.edu.

View PDF

Reinstatement

The procedures delineated in this section apply to students who were dismissed from Iowa State for academic reasons. Students who left Iowa State in good academic standing and who are seeking reentry should see Index, Reentry for more information.

  1. Reinstatement is not automatic. Students who have been dismissed for academic reasons should contact the dean's office in the college they wish to enter for instructions specific to that college.
    The college Academic Standards Committee reviews each petition and other relevant information, and reinstatement is based upon that review. As part of the petition process, students must submit a plan for academic success that identifies the causes of their poor academic performance and demonstrates that they have taken actions to avoid or eliminate these causes.
  2. Students can only be reinstated after at least one academic semester has elapsed since they were academically dismissed. The summer session is not a semester for the purpose of being out of school one semester.
  3. Students who have been dismissed from enrollment two or more times are not eligible for reinstatement until at least two academic semesters have elapsed since their last academic dismissal.
  4. Students who were dismissed by one college and subsequently reinstated by another college cannot transfer back to the original college unless permission is granted by the Academic Standards Committee of the original college. This procedure applies regardless of the student's academic standing when the transfer is requested.
  5. To be considered for reinstatement to the university, students must submit a petition to the Academic Standards Committee of the college in which they desire to enroll at least 45 days before the beginning of the semester. Students who have not been enrolled for a period of 12 or more months or who are international students must also file a reentry form prior to their return. For more information see the Reentry web site at http://www.registrar.iastate.edu/info/reentry.html . (Students dismissed for the second time and requesting reinstatement in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences must submit their petition 70 days before the beginning of the semester.)
  6. As a condition of reinstatement, students will reenter on academic probation and must accept whatever additional requirements are stipulated by the college Academic Standards Committee. Examples include full- or part-time status, specified credit hours, specific courses, specific GPAs, restriction on choice of major, and required counseling.

Student Appeal

Students may appeal a decision regarding their academic status if they believe that new information can be provided or extenuating circumstances exist that would alter the application of any rule in this section. The appeal should be made in writing to the Academic Standards Committee of the college in which the student is enrolled. The written appeal must include the reasons for the appeal and the evidence to substantiate these reasons.

The student should initiate the appeal process by contacting the secretary of the college Academic Standards Committee in the administrative office of her or his college immediately upon receipt of notification of the committee's action, and at least ten calendar days before the beginning of the semester. The secretary will then inform the student of the deadline for submission of the written appeal.

If the student is dissatisfied with the committee's action, he or she may submit an appeal in writing to the dean of her or his college within seven calendar days after they are notified of the committee's action. The dean must respond in writing within seven calendar days of receipt of the appeal.

If the issue is not resolved within the college, further appeals may be made in writing to the provost and subsequently to the president of the university. Appeals beyond the college level will, however, be considered only if based on one or both of the following contentions: (a) appropriate procedures were not followed at the college level; (b) academic rules were not applied correctly at the college level.

Academic Renewal Policy

Students who are returning to Iowa State University to pursue an undergraduate degree after an extended absence may request permission to remove one or more of their complete academic terms from future degree and GPA considerations.

  1. Eligibility. To be eligible for academic renewal consideration, students must meet these requirements:
    1. Students must not have enrolled at Iowa State University for five or more consecutive years.
    2. Students must not have graduated from Iowa State University.
    3. Students must currently be in good academic standing. (If the student was previously dismissed, he or she must be reinstated.)
  2. Conditions. Academic renewal is based on the following conditions:
    1. All courses and credits that were taken during the chosen terms will be removed from consideration for GPA and degree requirements. Students may not combine courses from multiple terms to comprise the semester(s) or quarter(s) dropped. Degree requirements met during the dropped terms will ordinarily have to be repeated.
    2. Renewal may be applied only to academic terms completed prior to the students' extended absence.
    3. All courses and grades for the chosen terms will remain on the students' academic record.
    4. Designated repeats, drops and P/NP options will be reinstated for the terms dropped.
    5. Students who have used all of their drop options will be given one extra drop.
    6. Students may be granted only one academic renewal. To be eligible for a degree after academic renewal is granted, students must complete a minimum of 24 credit hours after re-enrolling at Iowa State University.
  3. Procedures.
    1. Students should discuss their desire to pursue academic renewal with an adviser in the college they wish to enter.
    2. The student must complete the Academic Renewal Petition form available from www.registrar.iastate.edu/forms .
    3. After the form is signed by the student and academic adviser, it is submitted to the Records area in the Office of the Registrar, 214 Enrollment Services Center.