4. CLASSIFICATION AND ATHLETIC ELIGIBILITY

• 4.1 PROGRESS TOWARD DEGREE
• 4.2 CLASSIFICATION OF STUDENTS
• 4.3 ATHLETIC ELIGIBILITY FOR RETURNING STUDENTS

4.1 PROGRESS TOWARD DEGREE:

(revised 12/05/2018 faculty meeting)

Each full-time student is expected to make normal progress toward the completion of the degree.  A course load of 16 credits per semester, plus one May Term course every other year, constitutes the normal course load necessary to complete the degree in four academic years for an undergraduate student.  Minimal progress means the successful completion of at least 12 credits each semester.  Graduate students taking 6 or more credit hours are considered full-time.  Graduate students take 3 or more credit hours are considered part-time. 

4.2 CLASSIFICATION OF STUDENTS:

(revised 12/05/2018 faculty meeting)

Undergraduate students are classified as follows:

4.3 ATHLETIC ELIGIBILITY FOR RETURNING STUDENTS:

(revised 03/09/2022 faculty meeting)

To be eligible for intercollegiate athletics at Simpson, a student must meed the following standards. 

4.3.1 Enrollment in Current Semester:

The student must be a degree-seeking or certificate-seeking, full-time student (that is, the student must be enrolled in 12 or more credits, and must be making minimal progress toward a degree as defined above in 4.1.)

4.3.2 GPA Requirement:

A student with freshman standing must have at least a 1.8 cumulative grade point average; a student with sophomore standing must have at least a 1.9 cumulative grade point average; a student with junior standing must have at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average; and a student with senior standing must have at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average.  Students enrolled in graduate programs should refer to the handbook for their program for GPA requirements.  Note: The minimum cumulative grade point average for athletic eligibility is not to be confused with the minimum grade point average for academic progress toward the degree. 

4.3.3 Progress toward a Degree:

The student must be making minimal progress toward a degree.  This means that after one full academic year, fall semester and spring semester, a student must have successfully completed a minimum of 24 credits.  At the conclusion of two full years a student must have accumulated 48 credits and after three full years, 76 credits, which includes at least one May Term through the third year. 

4.3.3.1 Athletic Eligibility for Transfer Students: (added 11/15/2011 faculty meeting)

1. Initial Eligibility for Transfer Students (added 03/09/2022 faculty meeting).  Once the transfer student athletic eligibility standards requirements outlined below are met, a transfer student is initially eligible for a complete academic year, unless no longer in good academic standing. 
   1. If a student is a transfer but did not participate in athletics at their previous school, then the student is eligible regardless of their GPA at the previous school. 
   2. If a student was an athlete at the previous school, then the student must have been academically and athletically eligible had they returned to the previous school OR
   3. If the student transfers from a four-year to a two-year college and then transfers to Simpson, he or she successfully must have completed at least 24-semester or 36-quarter hours of transferable credit at the two-year college and spent at least two full-time semesters or three full time quarters of attendance at the two-year college to be eligible. 
   4. If the transfer student, from either a two-year of four-year institution, does not meet one of the preceding exceptions for immediate eligibility, he or she must complete an academic year of residence at Simpson College to gain eligibility status. 
2. Continued Eligibility of Transfer Students (added 03/09/2022 faculty meeting)
   1. ​Progress toward a Degree: The student must be making minimal progress toward a degree.  This means that after one full academic year, fall semester and spring semester (any order), a student must have successfully completed a minimum of 24 credits.  At the conclusion of two full years a student must have accumulated 48 credits and after three full years, 76 credits, which includes at least one May Term through the third year. 
   2. 4.3.2 GPA Requirement: A student with freshman standing must have at least a 1.8 cumulative grade point average; a student with sophomore standing must have at least a 1.9 cumulative grade point average; a student with junior standing must have at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average; and a student with senior standing must have at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average.  Students enrolled in graduate programs should refer to the handbook of their program for GPA requirements.  Note: The minimum cumulative grade point average for athletic eligibility is not to be confused with the minimum grade point average for academic progress toward the degree. 

4.3.3.2 Student-Athlete and Academic Honesty: (added 11/15/2011 faculty meeting)

A student who has been placed on academic probation at Simpson due to academic dishonesty is no longer in good academic standing and is ineligible for that term. 

4.3.4 Summer Enrollment:

(revised 11/15/2011 faculty meeting)

Summer school credits taken at Simpson College may immediately be applied to satisfy the minimal progress and GPA requirement for eligibility.  If credits are not from Simpson, only the credits will be applied and not the GPA.