Brina Barrientos
Academic probation has become a daunting reality for many struggling students.
The program is divided into two sections: academic probation for students who receive a GPA lower than 2.0 with 12 units, and the progress probation for students who have attempted 12 units but have earned 50 percent or more W’s, incompletes or no credit.
Students placed on probation are notified by mail during the first two semesters they begin receiving poor grades.
After three semesters on probation the student is subject to dismissal from Pierce College. They will also not be allowed to enroll at any campus in the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD).
Students are, however, allowed to appeal probation. After a year, the student is allowed to reapply for admission through petition.
During that year, the student is allowed to take classes at any college outside the LACCD.
Mita Noor, a counselor who works in the program suggests that students repeat classes that they have taken.
They are allowed to take up to 15 units of repeated courses and it is the “fastest way” to improve their grade point average.
Students should aim for an A or B in the course. Receiving C’s will not change their grade point average. It is considered a neutral grade and therefore has no effect.
Their other option is to apply for the Academic Renewal Petition.
In this case students will drop 18 units of D’s and Fails but it will not be removed from their records. Transcripts will point out that academic renewal has been granted.
The petition requires that two years must have elapsed since that class was taken and their GPA needs to be 2.5 with 15 units attempted or a 2.0 with at least 30 units.
The petition will go through Dean of Admission and Records Shelley Gerstl.
She said if students meet the requirements then they will be granted renewal. “It is important to read the mail from Pierce and follow instructions,” said Gerstl. Students should go to the workshops and make an appointment with a counselor.
For students at Pierce, there are many causes of such academic behavior.
Some students are going through family problems, are working a demanding job or have placed education too low in their priorities.
“Students are working and going to school at the same time. It is hard to juggle work and school,” said Gerstl.
If a student is studying full time then Noor suggests that 12 units will be enough. Part time students should be taking six units.
“Students need to be picking the right courses in the right sequence,” said Gerstl. “Many students don’t have the understanding of basic elements.”
Pierce is able to help many students through personal counseling. If students feel they need more help, they have the option of seeing the school psychologist, Deborah Barber.
Beth Benne, Health Center director, said that they offer eight free sessions of short term counseling each year. Each confidential session is 45 minutes.
When a counselor becomes aware of a students unsatisfactory progress they will send out a letter of notification, which also includes the dates of upcoming workshops.
Due to the high numbers of students in this program, counselors are not able to speak with each one individual but suggest that by attending any workshop they will be provided with all the help they have to offer.
Noor also advises students to take Personal Development 40 in which they are taught college success and basic study skills.
“Many students go on probation because they don’t have a clear goal,” said Noor.
Many students decided to just take general education classes and then figure out what they want to major in.
Others are at Pierce because everyone else is at school and why shouldn’t they be too. Education is not a priority.
Gerstl, a member of the committee that reviews all the petitions, sees many students taking classes that require a lot of writing but have not even taken the basics.
Students are placed on academic probation when they receive a grade point average (GPA) lower than 2.0 for two consecutive semesters. (Alex Funes)