Academic and Judicial Discipline

Academic Probation

Students are placed on academic probation at the end of any semester if: 

• Their grade point average for that semester is less than 1.67, or 
• Their cumulative grade point average is less than 1.67 (this requirement is waived if the grade point average for that semester is at least 2.00) 

The period of probation extends to the end of the next semester in which the student is enrolled. Students on academic probation may not be candidates for, or hold, any elected or appointed office, nor are they allowed to enroll in more than 17 semester hours. 

Academic Suspension

Students are academically suspended from the university at the end of any semester if they: 

• Earn grades that will place them on academic probation a third time, or 
• Have a grade point average for the semester that is less than 1.00 (exceptions are made for students completing their first semester at Rice).

Students readmitted after a previous academic suspension will again be suspended if in any succeeding semester they fail to achieve at least one of the following requirements: 

• a cumulative and semester grade point average of at least 1.67, or 
• a semester grade point average of at least 2.00.

The first academic suspension period is normally one semester; the second suspension period is at least two semesters. Students may only return for a fall or spring semester following suspension, not for summer school. Students are not readmitted after a third academic suspension.   

Students placed on academic suspension are notified by the Office of the Registrar after all final grades have been received and posted to their record. Suspension is lifted the first day of class of the semester when the student returns to the university. When students serve the nominal term of suspension but do not intend to return to Rice, suspension is lifted after permission from the Committee on Examinations and Standing is granted.  

Students facing a first or second academic suspension who verify with the Office of the Registrar, the Office of Academic Advising, and their department that successful completion of their proposed academic plan would satisfy their degree requirements in one semester if allowed to return, may petition the dean of undergraduates for immediate readmission. This is known as the “senior exception rule”, and students may be granted this exception only once. If granted, both the immediate readmission and the exception will be noted on the student’s academic transcript.     

Senior exception students that do not complete their degree requirements in the one semester for which they were readmitted, but finish with a GPA which allows for good academic standing may be allowed to continue with their studies at Rice, but only by petitioning and receiving approval from the dean of undergraduates.    

Senior exception students should note that if they do not complete their degree requirements in the one semester for which they were readmitted, and finish with a GPA resulting in an academic suspension, that second or third suspension will be applied to their academic record.  

Students who fulfill all of their degree requirements at the end of a semester under academic circumstances that would normally place them on probation or suspension will not have the terms “academic probation” or “academic suspension” placed on their transcript for that semester, but will instead have the notation of “Good Standing with Exception” and be permitted to graduate. 

Readmission After Academic Suspension 

Students seeking readmission after academic suspension should address a letter of petition to the Committee on Examinations and Standing, in care of the Office of the Dean of Undergraduates, which must be received by June 1 for readmission in the fall semester and November 1 for readmission in the spring semester. The petition should demonstrate what the student did while they were separated from Rice and how they have prepared themselves to function successfully as a student at Rice. The petition must include two supporting letters from persons for whom the student has worked during the suspension period as a student or an employee, as well as an academic plan. Academic plans must be reviewed and approved by the Office of Academic Advising by June 1 for readmission in the fall semester and November 1 for readmission in the spring semester. To allow time for review and revision of the academic plan, students must submit their first draft academic plan at least three weeks in advance of the deadline. Guidelines for completing an academic plan can be found on the Readmissions page of the Office of Academic Advising website. If the problems causing the previous difficulty appear to be resolved, the student generally is readmitted. Students returning from academic suspension must maintain regular contact with the Office of Academic Advising or a designated faculty advisor throughout the semester. In the first semester upon return from an academic suspension, students may not become candidates for, or hold, any elected or appointed office, nor are they allowed to enroll in more than 17 semester hours. 

In some instances, the committee may postpone approval of readmission or rule that suspension is permanent. Although it may do so at its discretion, the Office of the Registrar does not normally place on probation or suspension students who perform poorly in the Rice Summer Sessions. Students should be aware, however, that Rice Summer Sessions grades are included in their grade point averages. 

Disciplinary Probation, Suspension, and Expulsion

The Code of Student Conduct applies to all Rice students and applies to conduct both on and off campus. The Office of Student Judicial Programs may sanction students, including implementing disciplinary probation or suspension or expulsion for violations of the Code of Student Conduct or the Honor Code. Students who have been expelled, who are serving a suspension, who are under investigation for disciplinary violations, or who have Code of Conduct or Honor Code proceedings pending against them may not receive their degree even if they have met all academic requirements for graduation. Students who are suspended or expelled must leave the university within the time frame specified by Student Judicial Programs, generally 48 hours of being informed of the decision, though in cases of unusual hardship, Student Judicial Programs may extend the deadline. Any tuition refund will be calculated from the official date of suspension or expulsion based on the refund schedule noted in the Academic Calendar, published by the Office of the Registrar. A grade of “W” will be assigned to all enrolled courses regardless of when the suspension or expulsion began. Expelled students will have the expulsion noted on their transcript. 

While on disciplinary probation or suspension, students may not run for or hold any elective or appointed office in any official Rice organization. 

Students seeking readmission after a suspension for Honor Code or Code of Conduct violations or other nonacademic action should submit a petition in writing to the Office of Student Judicial Programs by emailing SJP@rice.edu. That petition should include information on what the student did while away from Rice, including any schooling or employment; how the student met any requirements described by Rice at the time of separation; what the student did to address any issues leading to the separation; and what the student learned from the separation. Once approved by Student Judicial Programs, petitions are forwarded to the dean of undergraduates (for undergraduate students) or to the dean of graduate and postdoctoral studies (for graduate students) for final readmission approval and action.

Due to the nature of graduate programs, reinstated students may not be able to return to the same advisor or secure the same level or source of financial aid. If reinstated graduate research students cannot identify a suitable advisor who would financially support them, they may be dismissed outright. 

Degree Revocation

Rice University reserves the right to revoke any degrees granted. A degree awarded may be revoked if the university becomes aware that the degree should not have been granted, such as a degree that was obtained by violating the Honor Code or Code of Student Conduct or by deception, misrepresentation, falsification of records, academic misconduct, research misconduct, or if the work submitted in fulfillment of — and indispensable to — the requirements for the degree are determined to fail to meet the academic standards that were in effect at the time the degree was awarded. Notification of the date of revocation will appear on the student’s transcript, and the student will be asked to return the diploma. The provost reviews all recommendations for revocation of degrees and forwards to the president any recommendations deemed to be warranted. The president will consider all recommendations forwarded by the provost and effectuate those determined to be warranted. Procedures governing degree revocations may be obtained from the Offices of the Registrar, Provost, or President.

The university also reserves the right to withdraw a degree to correct an administrative error, such as an incorrectly listed degree, or in a situation where it was found that a student had not actually fulfilled all graduation requirements.

All Separated Students, Presence on Campus

All students separated from Rice, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, withdrawn, resigned, or due to academic or disciplinary suspension, must leave campus within 48 hours. Exceptions are granted by the dean of undergraduates or, in the case of disciplinary suspensions, the Office of Student Judicial Programs. All separated students must return their college key to their college coordinator and their student ID to the dean of undergraduates. Participation in student activities on and off campus and use of Rice facilities, including, but not limited to, the student center, the colleges, the playing fields, the recreation center, and the computer labs, are limited to enrolled students. Separated students are expected to be away from Rice during the term of the separation. If the student is employed by Rice at the time of separation, the student must relinquish such employment or petition the dean of undergraduates for written permission to continue the on-campus employment; separated students may not begin employment with Rice during the separation. Noncompliance with these requirements may delay readmission.