Academic Progress

CCA has policies and standards to help students know what to expect of CCA and what CCA expects of students. The following is a summary of the information students need to know. A Pathway Advisor can help students understand these policies, standards and rights as a CCA student.

Academic Standing describes a student’s successful progression with respect to maintaining progress toward their degree or certificate program. Academic Standing applies to all students who have completed 9 or more credits at the Community College of Aurora.  CCA will determine Academic Standing following the posting of the majority of term grades for each semester, and academic standing may be recalculated based on late or adjusted grades. For students who have completed fewer than 9 credit hours, the College will monitor satisfactory academic progress through an Academic Alert process. These students are not subject to Academic Standing.

Academic Standing values include the following:

• Initial Standing – Student has completed fewer than 9 cumulative credit hours with a cumulative GPA greater than or equal to 2.00 for all classes completed.

• Academic Alert – Student has completed fewer than 9 cumulative credits with a cumulative GPA less than 2.00 for all classes completed.
• Good Standing – Student has completed at least 9 cumulative credit hours and has a cumulative GPA greater than or equal to 2.00 for all classes completed.
• Performance Support (Previously called Academic Probation)– Student has completed at least 9 cumulative credit hours and has a cumulative GPA less than 2.00 for all classes completed.
  • By the conclusion of the Performance Support term, the student must raise their cumulative GPA to at least 2.00. If this condition is met, the student returns to Good Standing. Otherwise, the student will be Performance Improving or on Academic Suspension as outlined below.
• Returning Support - Student is returning from Academic Suspension.
  • By the conclusion of the Returning Support term, the student must raise their cumulative GPA to at least 2.00. If this condition is met, the student returns to Good Standing. Otherwise, the student will be Performance Improving or on Academic Suspension as outlined below.
• Performance Improving (Previously called Probation Continuing) – If a student on Performance Support or Returning Support earns a term GPA of at least 2.00 for all classes completed during the term but fails to raise their cumulative GPA to at least 2.00 for all classes completed, the student will be allowed to attend the next term as Performance Improving.
  • As long as the student continues earning a term GPA of at least 2.00 during each term, they will be permitted to continue attending. The student will remain on Performance Improving until the cumulative GPA is at least 2.00, at which time they will return to Good Standing.
  • If the student does not earn a term GPA of at least 2.00 while on Performance Improving, they will be placed on Academic Suspension.
• Academic Suspension – If a student on Performance Support, Returning Support or Performance Improving earns a term GPA of less than 2.00 for all classes completed during the term, the student will be suspended and will not be allowed to enroll at the College issuing the suspension for the next term unless an appeal is approved. The student may be dropped from all registered courses for an upcoming term at the College based on the College’s procedures.

Academic Suspension: All academic suspensions are for one term only. If a student who has served a suspension wishes to return, the student will be allowed to re-enroll only after meeting with an academic advisor. The student will be placed on Returning Support for their return semester. Students suspended from one College are not suspended from other Colleges within the System. 

Appeals Process: Students placed on Academic Suspension will be notified of their status and given the opportunity to appeal. Students must appeal their suspension based on procedures developed by the College issuing the suspension in order to continue enrolling at that College. Each College’s appeal process should incorporate an element where the student demonstrates what has changed and why they will perform better in the future. Appeal consideration will be based on statements and documentation as submitted by the student. College processes for approving or denying appeals must be based upon objective factors.

If the College approves an appeal, appeals for subsequent Academic Suspensions should address why the student was unsuccessful on the prior appeal, and what additional measures have been taken to ensure success.

If the student’s suspension appeal is approved, the student will be placed on Returning Support.