A. Purpose

To establish criteria, guidelines and processes for the administration of an Academic Fresh Start program to be used to allow returning students to recover from a deficient grade point average (GPA) at Ozarks Technical Community College.

B. Policy

Students who return to the college after an extended absence with a GPA that does not reflect their current level of maturity with respect to motivation, attitude and ability may be eligible to apply for academic fresh start. This allows students who have proven successful upon their return to OTC to recover from a deficient OTC GPA. For students whose applications for academic fresh start are approved, the grades earned on certain completed coursework will not be calculated as part of the student’s cumulative GPA at the college. However, the records of these courses will remain on the students’ transcripts.

C. Procedures

Students returning to the college after an absence of three years or longer (not including continuing education coursework) with an OTC cumulative GPA of less than 2.0, may apply for academic fresh start.

Upon re-enrolling at the college, the student must complete 15 hours of college credit (excluding pass/fail courses) with a GPA of 2.50 or better before beginning the application process. The Registrar’s Office will provide an application for Fresh Start on their website including a step-by-step process.

Academic fresh start will apply only to OTC coursework. It cannot apply to transfer credits.

Academic fresh start may be granted only once. Once applied, it cannot be undone, and students cannot apply again.

Coursework falling under academic fresh start cannot be used to meet academic requirements (graduation, certification, prerequisites, etc.).

Students who have an outstanding financial balance owed to the college cannot apply for academic fresh start until the balance has been paid.

Academic fresh start is an OTC college policy that may not be recognized by other colleges or universities upon transfer.

OTC does not honor academic fresh start or similar policies applied to courses transferred from another college or university. The original grades will be included in the transfer record.

Students applying for academic fresh start will identify a semester/year on their transcript prior to the three-year absence. If approved, academic fresh start will apply to all coursework prior to and including that semester.

Coursework falling under academic fresh start will remain on the student’s transcript, but will not be calculated into the student’s cumulative GPA.

The office of the registrar will verify eligibility for academic fresh start and notify the student in writing the results of the review.

Students may appeal the decision of the registrar to the vice chancellor for student affairs. The decision of the vice chancellor for student affairs is final.

D. Definitions

N/A

E. Authority

This policy and these procedures are maintained under the authority of the vice chancellor for student affairs.

F. Related Policies

2.04 Transfer of Credit
2.63 Repeating Courses
2.70 Grading System

G. Implementation

Policy approved and adopted by the Board of Trustees on 12/6/08. Revision approved by the board of trustees on 12/6/17 and 12/14/2020.

Purpose, procedures, responsibilities and definitions approved and adopted by the chancellor’s cabinet on 11/7/17 12/01/2020. Set for review in 2023 — 2024.