Office of Graduate Education
Division of Academic Affairs
1000 E. University Avenue
Dept. 3302, 312 Old Main
Laramie, WY 82071
307.766.4286 • fax: 307.766.2606
MEMO
DATE:
July 3, 2018
TO:
Deans, Directors, Department Heads, Graduate Coordinators, Faculty,
Registrar, Provost, Associate Vice Provosts, Associate Vice President for
Human Resources, Director of Athletics, Vice President for Student Affairs
FROM:
Jim Ahern, AVP for Graduate Education
RE:
Graduate students on academic probation and suspension
UW policy, as given in the Catalog (http://www.uwyo.edu/registrar/university_catalog/grad_students.html),
is clear regarding probation and suspension and the prohibition of employment of graduate students who are
not making sufficient academic progress. Currently, probation and suspension are processes that are handled
at the institutional level; i.e., when the Registrar detects the proper GPA criteria, probation or suspension is
enacted. Graduate students may petition for academic reinstatement, and reinstatement may be granted by the
dean (or designee) of the college in which the student wishes to enroll. Reinstatement of non-
degree/undeclared graduate students may be granted by the Provost (or designee). A reinstated graduate
student shall be on academic probation during her/his first semester or summer term of reinstatement.
UW policy, as enacted in 2017, is also clear that graduate students on academic probation may not be
employed at the university: No student in their semester of probation will be employed on the UW
campus.” (http://www.uwyo.edu/registrar/university_catalog/grad_students.html)
Furthermore, suspended graduate students may not be employed as Graduate Assistants. Although UW does
have some institutional mechanisms in place to prevent the hiring of suspended students, UW currently relies
on departments/programs to enforce the prohibitions of employment for students on probation.
Unfortunately, enforcement of this policy has been inconsistent, and this has resulted in inequities regarding
graduate student employment. All units are expected to enforce and implement UW regulations and
policy. If and until UW policy changes, no graduate students on academic probation or suspension
shall be employed as graduate assistants by the University of Wyoming. Under extraordinary
circumstances, the Office of Graduate Education may grant exceptions to the employment prohibition policy
in the case of students on academic probation. An exception request form is attached to this memo.
Beginning in Fall 2018, the Office of Graduate Education will run GPA/academic status reports each term
following GA hiring. Any students hired as graduate assistants who do not meet the requirements laid out in
UW regulations and policies will be terminated unless an exception has been granted by the Office of
Graduate Education.
Exception Request for Employing a Graduate Student on Academic Probation as a
Graduate Assistant.
Please answer and complete the following, and email to the Office of Graduate Education
(mpeck@uwyo.edu).
1) Student’s name, current cumulative GPA, last semester GPA, degree program*
*If the student is not in a degree program, explain why not and explain when the student will apply for admission to a
degree program. Please note that non-degree students are much less likely to be granted exceptions.
2) GA position and explain why it is mission-critical to the university and why the student
in question is the only student who can reasonably fill the position.
3) What is needed for the student’s GPA to reach at least 3.0 by the end of the next
semester or term? Is this feasible if the student is employed in the position requested?
What class or classes will the student be enrolled in during the next semester or term?
4) How will the student be academically supported so that they can excel, academically?
5) How will your unit continue to support this student academically as long as it employs
her/him as a GA?