Undergraduate Academic Probation Policies in US Universities: A Policy Discourse Analysis

This paper explores undergraduate academic probation policies in United States universities from a policy discourse analysis perspective. Academic probation policies from 32 institutions were characterized by normalization and regulation. These encompassed classification, exclusion, and sanctions of students in order to produce retention. Consideration needs to be given to existing academic probation policies as discourse, their origins, the social identities, and particular realities that are being constructed by them. Institutions should question if academic probation policies are truly aligned with student retention to avoid these policies being an obstacle itself to student retention.