College of Letters & Science

Advising Help Desk – Academic Standing

Probation and Dismissal

What is probation? How does a student get off probation?

Students are placed on academic probation when their cumulative UC GPA falls below 2.0 OR when their Berkeley GPA falls below 1.5 for a single semester (even if their cumulative GPA remains above a 2.0).

Encourage students who are on probation to visit the L&S advising office early in the semester, to complete an on-line probation workshop, to attend an in-person probation workshop, and to use resources such as the probation website and the Student Learning Center.

Students on 2.0 probation have the following fall or spring semester to raise their cumulative UC GPA to 2.0.

Students on 1.5 probation have the following fall or spring semester to earn a term Berkeley GPA of 2.0 and maintain a cumlative GPA of 2.0.

There are numerous strategies for getting off ("clearing") probation that include repeating D or F grades and attending summer session (although a student cannot clear probation based on summer grades alone). Again, probation students should consult with an L&S adviser for program planning advice.

Students who do not clear 2.0 or 1.5 probation at the end of their probationary semester become "subject to dismissal" and after review, may be dismissed from the College.

A few students each semester are allowed to continue at UC Berkeley even though they did not clear probation. Students may submit written appeals which include explanations of their academic record and the steps they have taken and will be taking to improve their situation and redeem their GPAs. Contact the L&S Advising Office for more information.

Probation and Dismissal

What is dismissal?

When students are unable to improve their academic performance and clear probation (described above), they will be subject to dismissal from the University. Each student's case is reviewed individually to determine if dismissal is the appropriate action. Dismissal often gives students the break they need to get their lives back together before continuing their education.

Students in dismissal status cannot continue their studies at UC Berkeley. They may decide to pursue their education at another institution or may pursue other interests.

Dismissed students are welcome to schedule an appointment with an L&S advisor to discuss their situation and the options available to them.

Probation and Dismissal

Can students get readmitted after they've been dismissed?

While dismissal status is considered permanent, some students request special permission to return to UC Berkeley after successfully attending a different educational institution.

The dean will only consider readmission after dismissal if a student demonstrates tangible readiness to return by significantly improving academic performance, resolving personal problems, and providing evidence of a sound academic plan for the future.

Students should review information about readmission after dismissal before speaking with an L&S adviser about their options.

Probation and Dismissal

What is Probation and Dismissal in the Major?

Students may be placed on probation in the major and subsequently dismissed from the major if their GPA in upper-division major coursework falls and remains below 2.0. Students placed on probation in the major who cannot raise their major GPA to at least a 2.0 by the end of the following semester can be dismissed from the major.

Students are notified by their major department in writing when they are placed on probation or dismissed from the major. Department advisors should notify the L&S Advising Office promptly (forward a copy of the letter sent to the student) when a student is placed on probation or dismissed from the major.

When students are dismissed from the major, an L&S adviser will contact them and ask that they declare another major or re-declare the same major once back in good standing (students are given one semester to get back to "declared" status). If students are unable to meet these conditions, uture registration is not allowed. L&S advisers work with these students to determine their options, such as completing the prerequisites for a new major at a community college.

Unlike probation and dismissal in the College, probation and dismissal in the major are not noted on the transcript.

Honors

How are Honors in the Major determined?

Each department develops its own policies for determining honors in the major. See the major department for details.

Students must have at least a 3.3 overall GPA to be eligible for Honors in the Major.

Honors in the Major is noted on the transcript and a gold foil is attached to the diploma.

Honors in the Major cannot be granted retroactively. Students who plan to get Incompletes in the thesis course should drop themselves from the current degree list. Otherwise, in cases where the thesis course is not a requirement for the major, students will be processed for graduation without Honors in the Major.

Honors

What is Honors to Date?

After each term, "Honors to Date" is noted on the student's transcript automatically by the Registrar for students who meet the following criteria:

At least 12 units for the semester must be completed at Berkeley for a letter grade.
The overall GPA must be equal to or higher than the GPA established for Distinction in General Scholarship (average GPAs of top 20% of L&S graduates for the previous four years).

Honors

What is the Dean's Honors List?

The Dean's Honors List is posted after each fall and spring semester. There is no official notation on the transcript for the Dean's Honors List.

Honors

How does a student qualify for Honors at Graduation?

Students can graduate with Distinction in General Scholarship. The level of distinction (Honors, High Honors, or Highest Honors) is noted on the student's transcript and diploma.

Graduation

How do students put themselves on the degree list? What are the deadlines?

Students can put themselves on the degree list via Tele-BEARS when registering for their last term. This feature is available untll the Adjustment Period ends. After that, students can put themselves on the degree list by submitting the Petition to Add to the Degree List at 206 Evans Hall.

The deadline to add to the degree list without a fee is Friday of the third week of classes. The deadline to add with a $5 fee is the Friday of the eighth week of classes.

After the eighth week and through the last day of classes, students can add to the degree list by submitting the Petition to Late Add to the Degree List, a $5 check made out to UC Regents, and a major approval memo signed by the major adviser, to 206 Evans. The major approval memo must indicate what courses (if any) the student needs to complete and the grades that must be earned in order for the student to finish all requirements for the major.

When students place themselves on the degree list, they should also come to the L&S Advising Office for a degree check to make sure they have completed all college requirements. Encourage students to request degree checks one semester before they intend to finish so they can register for appropriate classes during their final term.

Students who forget to add themselves to the degree list do not graduate, even if all requirements are complete. These students need to place themselves on the next term's degree list.

The official date of graduation is the last day of finals.

Students who wish to drop from the degree list must submit the Petition to Drop from Degree List at 206 Evans Hall.

Click here for more information on graduation.

Graduation

What do departmental advisors need to do for students on the degree list?

Departmental advisors must tell their students whether they have completed or will complete major requirements with their current study list.

The College sends out the Statement Concerning Completion of the Major to each department after the eighth week of the term. This form contains the names of majors who have added themselves to the degree list. Use this form to specify the coursework, units and grade points needed by each student to complete major requirements.

Graduation

What's a Letter of Intent?

A Letter of Intent verifies that successful completion of current courses will fulfill the student's remaining requirements for the degree.

Students must bring a Request for Letter of Intent to Graduate, and a statement from their major department confirming that they are completing all major requirements, to 206 Evans Hall.

Graduation

What's a Certificate of Completion?

A Certificate of Completion is a statement of degree completion generated by the Registrar's Office. It is considered just as official as a final transcript or diploma.

Students may Request a Certificate of Completion to verify graduation status to employers and graduate schools during the 8-10 week gap between the end of a term and the posting of final degrees to transcripts, and the 3-4 month gap until diplomas are issued.

Students waiting for transfer work or incomplete grades to be posted cannot receive a certificate.

The certificate is a statement of degree completion, not a transcript, and thus does not list grades, courses, or GPA.

Graduation

Where and when can students get their diplomas?

Approximately four months after the date of graduation (the last day of finals), students may obtain their diplomas in person at the Office of the Registrar, 120 Sproul Hall, or may submit a Diploma Request Form to have it mailed to them.

Students may also order their diplomas on Tele-BEARS when enrolling in classes for their final semester.

Commencement

What do departmental advisors need to do for Commencement?

Each department runs its own commencement in its own way. In some departments, the major adviser is responsible for organizing the event. In others, the manager, faculty or students may coordinate it. Some departments allow anyone to "walk" who may graduate spring, summer, or the following fall, while others limit attendance to those on the spring and previous fall degree lists.

There are a lot of details so it's really important to know which ones you are responsible for tracking. Depending on your department, you may be responsible for any of the following:

Making sure that students understand the difference between participating in commencement ("walking") and officially graduating (earning a degree).
Reserving a location, renting tables and chairs, renting A/V equipment, overseeing the delivery/setup/pickup of such equipment.
For an outdoor ceremony, working with Physical Plant - Campus Services to have sprinklers turned off and to get extra garbage cans.
Putting together invitations, programs, scrolls, and other printed materials, and arranging to have them printed.
Working with a caterer or buying and preparing food.
Making sure faculty orders for regalia are in on time (Cal Student Store).
Arranging for a photographer.
Arranging for a clean-up crew.
Arranging students and faculty at the event: making sure that all graduate students have someone to hood and announce them (coordinate with the Grad Asst. if necessary), confirming which faculty will be in attendance, where they will sit, what time they must show up, how they will hood (e.g., which direction to walk, when to sit and stand), etc.

For helpful resources in planning the commencement ceremony, visit seniors.berkeley.edu.

Commencement

Sample timeline for coordinating a commencement ceremony for your department

Please note that some of this information may not apply to your department. Use this outline as a guideline.

July

If you will be holding the ceremony in the Greek Theatre, Zellerbach Auditorium or Zellerbach Playhouse, submit a memo to Cal Performances requesting three choices for dates and times to the Cal Performances Event Manager/Facility Rental Manager (currently Nicki Harper).

August

Find a keynote speaker or remind department faculty to invite a keynote speaker.

September

Inform students when the ceremony will be held so they can inform their families.
Give the date to University Events and Ceremonies for the official university website.
Put the date on your departmental website.

October

Have an early planning meeting with key players to review plans and decide on a meeting schedule.
Update your Commencement Application and Information to post on your website in January. The application can include how students want their names noted in the program, how to pronounce names, what honors students have earned, the title of their honors thesis, etc.

November

Attend the Commencement Coordinators' meeting to discuss venues, catering, parking, caps & gowns, speakers, and other logistics. The Office of University Events and Ceremonies coordinates the meeting. The contact is Helena Weiss-Duman (hwd@berkeley.edu). Notice about this meeting goes out in October via e-mail.

December

Contact the keynote speaker with a welcome letter and request the person's height, weight, cap size, and the name of the school s/he attended. You'll need this information to order regalia.

January

Contact vendors (caterer, photographer, florist) for date verification.
Begin logistics lay-outs and volunteer duty cards.
Send allocations form indicating the approximate number of walkers you expect to University Events and Ceremonies by the deadline.
Ask faculty if they are attending and if they need regalia. Determine who will pay for it (the faculty member or the department). Get payment up front.
Submit a faculty regalia purchase order to the Cal Student Store.

February

Cal Performances reservation request form is due.
Reserve room for speaker auditions if needed.
Submit request for funding (and program cover and scroll order) to University Events and Ceremonies.
Submit request for program covers, scrolls, regalia, flags and banners to University Events and Ceremonies. Order enough scrolls for graduates and enough covers for guests.
Contact other departments to share flowers.
Finish volunteer duty cards.
Make a draft of the commencement program and post it on the web.

March

Contact keynote speaker for speech title, guests, parking needs, etc.
Recruit volunteers and have volunteer meeting.
Last chance to order regalia.
Create/order/print tickets and announcements.
Commencement Cards due to Cal Student Store.
Select student speaker.
Nominate outstanding GSI's.
Make catering arrangements.
Order champagne. Estimate a 5 oz pour per guest plus 1/2-1 case extra. (College Ave. Wine-Spirits chills and delivers to the site on the day of. $7 French wine is fine. Get sodas and cups at Costco).
Calculate honors in the major. Check degree list and developing commencement list to see which students get honor cords. Departments determine honors cord eligibility. All students with cumulative or major GPAs above 3.5 is typical, though some cords are reserved only for students who write honors theses. Fax the honors cord list to Cal Student Store Special Services department so they know which students can buy them, or have the department purchase all the cords for distribution to eligible students.
Obtain Phi Beta Kappa information. This information is distributed by email.
Inform students how they qualify to "walk." Explain the difference between the RITUAL of attending a ceremony, and the REALITY of being on a degree list and actually graduating.
Tell students what they have to do:
Cost
Caps and gowns
How to get a diploma
Date/time/location of ceremony
Ticket sales dates
Line up
Rehearsal
Speeches

April

Attend Commencement Coordinators' meeting for events at Zellerbach and the Greek Theatre.
Post commencement names for proofing.
Pick up scrolls and start rolling.
Sell tickets, collect questionnaires.
Submit Commencement Questionnaire to Cal Performances.
Submit food permit to Environmental Health and Safety.
Submit alcohol permit to the Special Events Coordinator at the UC Police Department.
Confirm catering arrangements.
Order reception tables and chairs.
Buy paper plates, cups, forks, napkins, etc. (8 oz. for champagne).
Decide about music for reception. Borrow boom boxes; check with Cal Performances regarding usable power outlets.
Attend facility tour to plan processional, furniture placement, music placement, etc.
Send final commencement letter to students (last week in April) with information about tickets, parking, and special needs requests (wheelchairs, sign language interpreter, etc.).
Send program to UC Printing, Copy Central, or another vendor for duplication (allow three weeks).

May

Collect donations, give out tickets and invitations.
Recruit ushers.
Make badges for ushers.
Meet with individual volunteers.
Honor cord pick-up.
Order name cards.
Pick up faculty regalia and distribute.
Brief faculty on procession, program, and duties.
Prepare script for Chair, emcee, etc. Also, put in script what faculty should say to graduates about when to stand, when to sit, etc.
Download names/pronunciations and send to name readers.
Prepare award certificates; get signatures and frames.
Request student award checks (signatures needed).
Complete on-line purchase requests for caterer, sound, printing, UC Movers (for chair/table set-up).
Send information, parking permit, etc. to keynote speaker.
Request security services, if appropriate.
Pick up banners, flags, and regalia at University Events and Ceremonies.

Day of:

Be prepared to improvise -- something always goes wrong.
Put up welcome signs and signs directing guests.
Reserve first rows for graduates.
Put flowers, scrolls, etc. on table; banner on podium. Arrange chairs to suit.
Have students and faculty (at least Chair) and traffic volunteers come early for a walk-through.
Arrange students and faculty. Line up in reverse order of the way they'll receive scrolls and then have them file in so they'll be able to exit in alphabetical order. Tassels on the right side for students.
Start the processional or cue person delegated to this task.

Afterwards:

Return flags, banners, and regalia to University Events and Ceremonies.
Post program, speeches and names of award winners on website.
Collect faculty regalia and return to Cal Student Store.
Send thank you's to faculty, student volunteers, campus staff.
Write final report if your department requires it.

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