Policies and Procedures

The University of Minnesota has many policies pertaining to academic work and student life on campus. Students at the University of Minnesota is responsible for complying with these policies, the following is a summary of relevant policies.

Academic Alerts and BSN Success Plan

The purpose of Academic Alerts and Success Plans are to facilitate student growth towards achieving program outcomes by providing honest, direct and immediate feedback to students about areas in which faculty are concerned.

When a student exhibits behaviors that indicate concerns related to academic performance, technical ability, integrity, professionalism, or communication, faculty provide feedback to the student so that, together, the student and faculty can develop a plan for success. This is a constructive process to help the student achieve success in a course. The Academic Alert is initiated by course faculty and will be shared with the student and their Academic Advisor via email. Sometimes an Alert will require a meeting to develop a written Success Plan. In these cases, copies of the Success Plan are given to the student, the course faculty, academic advisor, and the program director(s) for the course in question. This document does not become part of students’ official University of Minnesota academic record.

BSN Dismissal Policy_Dec 2023.pdf

BSN Dismissal

The BSN dismissal policy is separate from the University Probation/Suspension policy and exists to clearly communicate the academic expectations of BSN students to remain in good academic standing with the School of Nursing. The dismissal policy, definitions, and answers to most FAQs can be found in the BSN Dismissal Policy document.

Additional FAQ

Q: Can students take foundational courses over the summer and still remain in progression?
A: Students are expected to complete their foundational coursework during the traditional academic year (fall and spring). Those who are interested in taking summer courses should work with their Advisor to develop a progression plan.

Q: Can students take foundational courses at other institutions?

A: Once enrolled, students are encouraged to complete all foundational courses at the U of M. Those who are interested in taking courses elsewhere should work with their Advisor to develop a progression plan and confirm transferability.

Q: What is the GPA requirement for BSN students after year one?
A: After year one, there is not a specific GPA requirement for Nursing outside the University's requirements -- students will be placed on Academic Probation if their term or cumulative GPA falls below 2.0, they will be suspended at the end of the probation term if both the term and cumulative GPA are below 2.0. Students need a 2.0 cumulative GPA to graduate.

Q: What happens when a student does not successfully complete their first Nursing required course?

A: Prior to dismissal, when a student does not successfully complete a Nursing major required course (either because they earned a grade lower than C- or withdrew), the student is out of progression and required to have a progression plan approved by their BSN Academic Advisor. Failure to complete an approved progression plan could result in dismissal from the BSN program.

Progression

The BSN major is a structured, highly sequenced program; coursework is scaffolded in a way that courses must be taken in order and at specific times, with few exceptions. Students need a documented progression plan to take courses out of sequence and should speak with their Advisor if that is something they are interested in exploring. Incoming first year students should refer to the First Year Progression policy for more information.

Promoting Safe Learning Environments for Students Policy & Procedure_Jan 2023.pdf

Promoting Safe Learning Environment

The University of Minnesota recognizes its responsibility to its students, faculty, staff,

preceptors, and community to maintain the highest ethical standards. As part of this obligation,

the University of Minnesota School of Nursing believes faculty, staff, students, and preceptors

are responsible for ensuring a safe, respectful and supportive learning environment for students.

For more information, please refer to the Promoting Safe Learning Environments for Students Policy & Procedure.

Withdrawing from a Course

Nursing Courses

Students who would like to withdraw from one or more courses required in the nursing program (e.g. NURS and foundational courses) must discuss their plans with their academic advisor and contact the Office of Student and Career Advancement Services prior to dropping the course registration. Students will need to discuss their progression plan and failure to have your withdrawal approved could result in dismissal from the program.

Non-Nursing Courses

Students do not need approval to withdraw from courses outside the major (e.g. electives and courses for liberal education, minor, or double majors), unless they are withdrawing after the University drop deadline. More information and instructions can be found about dropping a class on the One Stop website.

Returning to the BSN Program

Return from Leave of Absence

Students on an approved leave of absence or with an approved progression plan do not need to apply for readmission to the BSN program. Simply fill out the Return to the University form and contact BSN Advising to discuss registration.

Return from Inactive Status

Students whose absence from the nursing program exceeds two years, or students who do not have an approved leave of absence, must re-apply for admission to the BSN program through a petition. Consult with BSN Advising to discuss eligibility and related policies prior to submitting an Application for Readmission.

Return from Dismissal

Students who have been dismissed from the BSN program may petition to be reinstated after a minimum of one year and within ten years of the initial term of dismissal. Reinstatement is not guaranteed to be approved, consult with BSN Advising prior to submitting the Academic Policy Petition.

University Policies and Procedures

School of Nursing students are held to University policies and procedures in addition to those outlined in this Handbook that are Nursing specific. The following are high-level overviews of a few selected University policies:

Conflict Resolution

The first step of any resolution should be at the lowest unit level, between the parties involved or the parties and an appropriate third party (e.g., other faculty, department chair, director of graduate studies, administrator). You may wish to consult the Student Conflict Resolution Center or similar support services for advice and possible mediation. If no informal resolution is reached at the lowest unit level, you may seek informal resolution at the collegiate level with the other party and higher level administrators. If the issue is not resolved informally, you may seek formal resolution. Read the full Addressing Student Academic Complaints policy for more information.

Scholastic Misconduct

Every undergraduate student attending the School of Nursing is expected to adhere to the Regents of the University of Minnesota Student Conduct Code as well as the School of Nursing Behavioral Standards when they accept an offer of admission. Any violation of the above is considered an act of misconduct and warrants disciplinary action appropriate to the violation. A student has the right to contest any allegation of misconduct or disciplinary action. Whenever possible, allegations of misconduct should be settled at the lowest possible level—between the individuals involved—and resolved as quickly as possible. Read more about the disciplinary process on the Office for Community Standards website.