Nov 10, 2024  
2018-2019 Cal State East Bay Catalog 
    
2018-2019 Cal State East Bay Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Grade Forgiveness of Previous Terms


Under the most extenuating circumstances, a student can petition to exclude from degree requirements and GPA computations up to two semesters (or up to three quarters) of coursework taken at any institution*. To have the petition approved, the student must meet certain conditions and follow the process described below. (*See Errata - Non-curricular  page for content correction)

  • The student must formally request such action and present evidence that substantiates that the work in question is substandard and not representative of the student’s current scholastic ability; 
  • The previous level of scholastic ability was due to extenuating circumstances; and,
  • All degree requirements except the earning of at least a 2.0 grade point average have or will soon be met.

Petitioning students must complete the following steps:

  • complete the student’s portion of the “Petition for Forgiveness of Previous Term,”
  • obtain the major advisor’s approval on the petition,
  • file the petition in the Department of General Education.

If the petitioner is eligible, the Chair of General Studies shall certify that the conditions are met, attach a copy of the student’s academic record, and forward the package to the Grade Forgiveness committee. The committee, chaired by the Dean of Academic Programs and Services and consisting of at least three members with the majority being faculty, acts upon all petitions by majority vote.

If the Chair of General Studies determines the petitioner does not meet the conditions, the petitioner will be notified and no action is taken. Final determination shall be made only when:

  • Five years have elapsed since the most recent work to be disregarded was completed;
  • The student has earned in residence at Cal State East Bay since the most recent work being considered was completed:

o 15 semester units with at least a 3.0 GPA, or
o 30 semester units with at least a 2.5 GPA, or
o 45 semester units with at least a 2.0 GPA;

  • When such action is taken, the student’s record shall be annotated so that it is readily evident to users of the record that no work taken during the disregarded term(s), even if satisfactory, has been applied towards the meeting of degree requirements. However, all work must remain legible on the record.

If another institution has acted to remove coursework from consideration, such action shall be honored in terms of that institution’s policy. But, elimination of any coursework’s consideration shall reduce by one semester the two semester maximum on the application of academic renewal to an individual Cal State East Bay’s student’s record.