Recommendations made by departmental graduate committees are brought by a department representative to the GAPG for action. All such recommendations must be brought to the GAPG no later than the meeting during which the relevant academic term or session is being discussed. Students do not appear in person before the GAPG.
Unless extenuating circumstances are found, students who are not making satisfactory progress may be denied permission to continue or may be warned that without substantial improvement the following term they may be refused further registration. In addition, departmental graduate committees may recommend to the GAPG that a student be allowed to register only for a less advanced degree.
Students facing an immediate denial of further registration, a final term in which to complete their degree, or permission to register only for a less advanced degree are given an opportunity to submit a written statement to the GAPG with additional information, for the committee’s consideration.
All Academic Warnings and Denials of Further Registration are transmitted in writing by the Vice Chancellor to the student, the student’s department, the student’s academic and research advisors, and the Registrar. These academic actions are recorded by the Registrar for Institute purposes, but are not reported on transcripts issued to other institutions and employers.
Department Review
Once grades are recorded, each academic department and graduate program reviews the records and progress of its students during the preceding term.
The department decides on a recommended action for each student: No Action (which often includes a departmental warning), Warning, or Denial of Further Registration. The department’s graduate administrator or graduate officer presents these recommendations to the GAPG at the Grades and Progress Meetings.
Grades and Progress Meetings
At the Grades and Progress Meetings, held in September, January, February, and June, the GAPG reviews student records and considers department recommendations.
The GAPG may accept the department’s recommendation, or may vote for a different action than the department recommends.
Deferred Action Meetings
At the Deferred Action Meetings, which follow the Grades and Progress Meetings by approximately one week, the GAPG reviews some student records in more depth before a decision is made.
These include:
- Students facing an immediate Denial of Further Registration
- Students who may have a final term in which to complete their degree
- Students who will have permission to register only for a less advanced degree (e.g. terminal master’s degree)
In these cases, students are invited to submit a written statement for consideration at the meeting. Department representatives are invited to attend the Deferred Action Meeting for additional discussion about the action requests.
Meeting Decisions
Possible meeting decisions include:
No Action. GAPG takes no formal action on the student’s preceding term performance. Nothing appears on the internal record. The student’s department may send a Departmental Warning letter, which is noted in department records and GAPG records. Students receiving Departmental Warnings are encouraged to make an appointment with a GradSupport dean to discuss strategies for academic improvement.
Deferred Action. GAPG postpones action in order to gather more information before a decision is made. If the recommended action is an immediate denial of further registration, a final term in which to complete the degree, or permission to register only for a less advanced degree, the student is notified immediately following the Grades and Progress meeting and given an opportunity to submit a written statement to the GAPG with additional information, for the committee’s consideration.
Academic Warning. GAPG approves a formal notice to the student, academic or research advisor, and department that a student’s record does not meet MIT’s minimum requirements, so the student must demonstrate satisfactory performance and progress toward the degree in the next term. A second term with an unsatisfactory record will raise the possibility of Denial of Further Registration, though this is not automatic: the department and GAPG review each term and student individually.
