Trailblazer Success Program
|
| Dot Houston |
| d.houston@mcla.edu |
| 413-662-5437 |
Associate Athletic Director Dot Houston serves as the department’s Coordinators of Academic Success (CAS). This position serves to support all student-athletes with their academic pathway. The Trailblazer Success Program (TSP) was created to assist the 3-2-1 vision of the Athletic Department in guiding all student-athletes to reach and maintain a 3.0 or higher cumulative grade point average.
Good Academic standing, defined by the college as achieving a 2.0 cume gpa or better, is evaluated at the end of the fall and spring semesters.
A student-athlete may only be placed on probation once throughout their athletic career and remain eligible to practice and compete. Once placed on probation, the student-athlete must fulfill all of the requirements set by the Coordinator of Academic Success with the guidance of the Center of Student Success and Engagement (CSSE). If a student-athlete is on probation for a second time they will be ineligible to practice or compete with the team until they become academically eligible again.
If a student is SUSPENDED BY THE COLLEGE, regardless of credit status, the suspension committee reserves the right to also SUSPEND the SA regardless of whether or not a “free semester” has been used, assuming the student has appealed the MCLA suspension and it’s overturned.
Student-athletes who believe they have extenuating circumstances (the loss of an immediate family member; prolonged illness; recently diagnosed learning disability, etc.), which impacted their academic success may appeal a sanction. The appeal committee will review the request and respond to the student-athlete in a timely fashion.
Student-athletes may appeal their Athletics Suspension ONE time throughout their academic career. The appeal should be sent to the Coordinator of Academic Success (CAS) and should outline the student-athletes struggles and a plan for specific academic success in the future. The student-athlete should attach any additional documentation needed for the committee to review.
-
- If a student-athlete wins an appeal, the committee may impose certain guidelines in order to REMAIN eligible (ie: Mandatory Group or one on one TSP sessions, obtaining a Success Coach with CSSE, regular tutor(s), writing studio or math drop in sessions, for example)
- Eligibility Notices
The Athletic Department will issue an eligibility notice to the student-athlete at the following three stages:
1) When a student-athlete is placed on their first academic probation and invokes their one “free” semester.
2. When a student-athlete is placed on academic probation a second time, the student will be ineligible to practice or compete with the team until they become academically eligible again, which will be decided at the conclusion of the semester.
| Earned Credits | Good Standing | Probation | Suspension |
| 0-30 | 2.000 or above | 1.500-1.999 | under 1.500 |
| 31-75 | 2.000 or above | 1.750-1.999 | under 1.750 |
| 76 and above | 2.000 or above | no probation | under 2.000 |
RESOURCES
Degree Works is "degree audit" software, providing interactive tools for students to accurately track and plan their progress toward graduation.
CLASS ATTENDANCE:
It is an expectation that student-athletes attend classes regularly. Student-athletes are not permitted to miss class for practices.
MISSED CLASS LETTER:
Once rosters are confirmed, a Missed Class Letter is created with departure times for away games as well as reporting times for home games. Student-athletes are asked to give all of their faculty this letter for verification of departure times. Student-athletes must stay in class until those reported times, which intend to keep the student-athletes in their classes for as long as possible.
This policy is intended to ensure student-athletes are not penalized for being absent from class while representing the College. It is not intended to excuse students from the responsibility to meet course requirements. They will need to notify faculty of their imminent absence and to make arrangements to make up any missed work.