Cloud is fortunate to have Student Retention Specialists on both the Concordia and Geary County campuses whose primary job is to help students be successful.

Student Retention Specialists: The student retention specialists work with college faculty to identify students who may be needing extra support and guidance. At Cloud, we want all of our students to have a positive and rewarding experience. Our ultimate goal is to make sure students grow and succeed in achieving their goals, and our student retention specialists are here to help make that happen.

Zoe Merz
Coordinator of Student Engagement and Student Retention
Concordia campus
zoe.merz@cloud.edu
ext. 317


Faculty Referral system:
We have an online referral for faculty to complete when students are doing poorly. Once completed the referral comes directly to the Student Retention Specialists email. The Student Retention Specialists then make the contact and respond to the instructor who reported the problem. Copies of referrals are placed in the students’ advising files, so we are sharing information with the student’s advisor.

Academic Probation: students may go on academic probation for two reasons

  • students fail to meet the minimum GPA requirements
  • students complete less than 50% of their enrolled credit hours.

See the Academic Probation/Suspension Guide for additional information. 

Students who are placed on academic probation are required to enroll in a one hour course called Personal Assessment.

Students placed on Academic Probation may submit a Petition for Special Consideration due to extenuating circumstances. 

Personal Assessment requires each student to meet weekly, one on one with the Student Retention Specialists. During these weekly appointments, students review their current academic progress with grade and attendance checks for each class. Students set GPA goals for their semester. If students show up to their Assessment appointments, then this is a good indication they are also attending their other classes.

Academic Suspension: If the student does not meet satisfactory academic progress during the probation semester, the student will be placed on Academic Suspension.  

  • A student on Academic Suspension will not be eligible to register for the next regular semester (fall or spring). 
  • After one regular semester (fall or spring) of Academic Suspension, the student may enroll on continuing Academic Probation status. 

Students placed on Academic Suspension may submit a Petition for Reinstatement due to extenuating circumstances. 

Refer to Institutional Policy/Procedure D14 (Academic Probation and Suspension) here.