Academic Amnesty Policy
The Academic Amnesty policy is designed to forgive the grades of students who previously attended Kean University and were not ready for the rigors of higher education or had other extenuating circumstances that prevented academic success–an opportunity to pursue a “fresh start.”
Beginning Fall 2009, at the time of readmission, undergraduate students may petition for academic amnesty provided the following conditions have been met:
- At the time of the request, the student must have had a break in attendance of at least two years to be eligible for the Academic Amnesty Policy.
- All holds and financial obligations with Kean University must be resolved prior to applying for Academic Amnesty. Students should contact the Office of Student Accounting at (908) 737-3240 to make certain that no outstanding balance exists which would prohibit an application from being considered.
- During these two years, either of the following requirements must have been met by the student:
- Completed a minimum of 12 college-level credits at a community college or another regionally accredited college or university earning a minimum GPA of 2.5
- Gained maturity outside of higher education with demonstrated personal growth through service in the armed forces, significant service in the community or other public organizations, or recovery from extenuating circumstances.
Students may petition for one or more semesters of amnesty, but the multiple semesters must be consecutive. Each semester must be treated as a whole; the student cannot choose individual classes in a semester. (Note for students in receipt of GE Bill benefits: Any courses successfully completed prior to amnesty that need to be repeated may not be included in those certified to the Department of Veterans Affairs.)
All petitions must be supported by sufficient documentation. The Academic Amnesty Committee may request additional documentation, from the student, when reviewing the documentation supporting the appeal. In the case of extenuating circumstances, appropriate documentation (i.e., letters confirming medical treatment and/or confirmation of illness or death in the family) will be required. All documentation will be reviewed by a committee whose decision on amnesty will be final; that decision may not be appealed. The committee has the option of accepting, deferring, or denying the application. This committee will be appointed by the Provost & Vice President of Academic Affairs and be comprised of representatives from the CAS, Dean’s Offices, Office of the Provost/VPAA, Faculty, and the Registrar’s Office.
Grades for which academic amnesty applies will not be counted in the student’s cumulative average nor will those credits be counted towards the degree, however, these courses will remain on the student’s permanent record (as such, Financial Aid will count these as attempted credits toward financial aid eligibility). The transcript will be marked accordingly with all grades for which academic amnesty applies being designated with an “X” prefix. Academic Amnesty is not recognized by all institutions and/or certifying agencies. Students can apply for academic amnesty only once and the action is irreversible, if granted. Students are responsible for investigating any implication of this action on their financial aid status.