KU students walk on campus Wednesday. Stricter policies led to the dismissal of 884 students last year.

Stricter probation and dismissal policies in Kansas University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences led to dismissal of 884 students last year.

That’s about 350 more than the year before. Kim McNeley, the college’s assistant dean for student academic services, said the new policy benefits students.

“I’ve seen students take more than 200 hours just to try to get their GPA up to a point where they could graduate,” she said.

KU requires 124 hours for a degree. Under the new policy, any student who does not maintain a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.0 goes on probation. Freshmen and sophomores then must earn a 2.0 every semester until they reach a cumulative 2.0. For juniors and seniors, the GPA requirement is 2.5 every semester to remain enrolled.

Under the old policy, students with extremely low GPAs were dismissed immediately. Others with somewhat better GPAs were in a category called “subject to dismissal,” while others went on probation.

“The worst part of my job is to write those dismissal letters,” McNeley said. “It’s my very least favorite thing to do.”

McNeley said students can appeal dismissals. Once a student is dismissed, he or she must leave KU for at least a semester and complete six academic hours elsewhere, achieving at least a 2.5 GPA. Students who are dismissed a second time must stay away for a year. After the third dismissal, they can’t return to KU.

“We want them back as soon as they’re focused and ready to succeed,” McNeley said. “That’s absolutely what we want them to do.”

The new policy has KU students divided.

Mark Newman, a senior in the college’s communications studies department, said it seems fair.

“A 2.0 is pretty low. If you can’t keep a 2.0, that’s hardly going to class,” he said.

But sophomore Kristen Brungardt said the new policy seemed “harsh.”