FINANCIAL AID
Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended by Congress in 1980, mandates institutions of higher education to establish standards of "satisfactory progress" for students receiving federal financial aid. The federal regulations addressing satisfactory progress were initially published in October 1983, with amendments made in December 1987 and then again in April 1994.
The federal regulations require that measurement of "satisfactory progress" include all periods of enrollment at the institution, including those periods of enrollment for which the student did not receive financial aid from Title IV funds.
Satisfactory Progress for Financial Aid Defined
The College has established the following satisfactory progress measures in accordance with federal regulations. A student is responsible for understanding the College's policies regarding satisfactory progress and for making satisfactory progress. A student also is responsible for understanding the consequences for not making satisfactory progress. A student at the College is considered to be making satisfactory academic progress in his/her curriculum program of study when the following three requirements are satisfied.
1. The qualitative measure
The student maintains a minimum cumulative 2.00 grade point average (GPA). Developmental courses (hours attempted and grades received) are not included in the computation of cumulative grade point average. Transfer credit hours will not be included in the qualitative GPA measure. Except for courses which are repeated as a requirement of a specific curriculum, the best grade will be used in the computation of cumulative GPA when multiple attempts of a course exist. However, grades otherwise forgiven in the computation of cumulative GPA under the College's academic forgiveness policy will be included in the computation of cumulative GPA for financial aid purposes.
2. The incremental quantitative measure
The student satisfactorily completes the minimum cumulative credit hours required based on the cumulative credit hours attempted as indicated by the following table (see page 2). Developmental course hours are included in this measurement. Cumulative credit hours attempted will include all hours for which the student was enrolled as of the census date of the class. The census date is defined as the 10% point of the class. Only credit hours completed with grades of A, B, C, D, or P (pass) are included in minimum cumulative credit hours satisfactorily completed. Credit hours for which a grade of WP (withdraw passing), WF (withdraw failing), F (Failing), CS (Continued Study), or I (Incomplete) are received are not considered to be "satisfactorily completed" for this progress measure. Repeated courses are included in hours attempted and in hours satisfactorily completed if appropriate based on the grades received. Credit hours otherwise marked as forgiven under the College's academic forgiveness policy are included in hours attempted and in hours satisfactorily completed if appropriate based on the grades received. Transfer credit hours are not included in the incremental quantitative measure. Courses audited are not included in this measure.
| Cumulative Credit Hours Attempted (includes developmental courses) | Minimum Cumulative Credit Hours To Be Satisfactorily Completed | Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 4 | 1 | 2.00 |
| 5 to 6 | 2 | 2.00 |
| 7 to 8 | 3 | 2.00 |
| 9 to 10 | 4 | 2.00 |
| 11 to 12 | 5 | 2.00 |
| 13 to 14 | 6 | 2.00 |
| 15 | 7 | 2.00 |
| 16 | 8 | 2.00 |
| 17 | 9 | 2.00 |
| 18 | 10 | 2.00 |
| 19 | 11 | 2.00 |
| 20 | 12 | 2.00 |
| 21 | 13 | 2.00 |
| 22 | 14 | 2.00 |
| 23 | 15 | 2.00 |
| 24 | 16 | 2.00 |
| 25 and up | 2/3 (two thirds) of the cumulative attempted hours | 2.00 |
Note: If fractional credit hours exist in the student's record due to the conversion of quarter hours to semester hours, the credit hours used for purposes of determining satisfactory progress will be rounded down to the nearest whole number. For example, if a student's record indicated 11.9 credit hours attempted and 3.9 credit hours completed, satisfactory progress would be measured using 11 credit hours attempted and 3 credit hours completed.
3. The maximum time frame quantitative measure
The student must successfully complete the program of study within its maximum time frame. Federal regulations specify that the time frame may not exceed 150% of the published length of the program as measured in credit hours. Students who have been accepted into a program which qualifies for federal financial aid and who are required to take developmental courses as determined by placement testing, may receive federal financial aid for up to 30 semester hours of developmental coursework. The student's maximum time frame will be extended by the number of credit hours earned in each developmental course, subject to the 30 semester hour limitation.
The maximum time frame will be monitored independent of the incremental quantitative measure. The maximum time frame is the maximum credit hours that a student may attempt in an effort to complete a curriculum program of study and also remain eligible for financial aid. The maximum time frame for a curriculum program of study is the minimum number of credit hours required to complete a program of study as outlined in the College's general catalog multiplied by 150%. For example, if the minimum number of hours required to complete a program of study is 65, then the maximum time frame for that program for purposes of satisfactory progress is 65 times 150% or 97.5 credit hours.
The maximum time frame begins when the student first attends the College and continues until that student successfully completes a program of study regardless of the number of years which may elapse between enrollment periods. Changing to another program before completing a program may increase the risk of failing the maximum time frame measure.
The maximum time frame measure includes credit hours otherwise marked as forgiven under the College's academic forgiveness policy.
The maximum time frame measure includes all attempts at a course (includes repeated courses).
All transfer credit hours applicable to the student's program of study will be included in the measurement of maximum time frame.
Students who choose to double major (pursue multiple programs at the same time) will assume the maximum time frame of only one major/program.
If a student graduates from a program of study at the College and desires to pursue another program, that student will assume the maximum time frame of the new program less any attempted hours related to courses not required in the program previously completed.
Satisfactory Progress Increments
The College will measure the satisfactory academic progress of students receiving financial aid at the end of each semester. Since federal regulations require the standards of progress to include all periods of enrollment at the College, then satisfactory academic progress will also be measured when (1) a student applies for financial aid when reenrolling following a break in enrollment, and (2) a student applies for financial aid following enrollment at his/her own expense in an effort to reestablish financial aid eligibility.
Students who do not meet all of the satisfactory progress measures are ineligible for federal and state financial aid. The College will notify a student if he/she is ineligible due to failure of the satisfactory progress measures. However, students are responsible for understanding the College's policies regarding satisfactory progress and it is the student's responsibility to track his/her progress.
Students can reestablish eligibility by enrolling at their own expense until the satisfactory progress measures are satisfied or may attempt to reestablish eligibility as follows.
Reinstatement of Financial Aid Eligibility
The first time a student fails to satisfy the qualitative (GPA) measure or the incremental quantitative measure, the student may request reinstatement of financial aid eligibility on probationary terms. The student must submit a request for reinstatement ("Request") in writing to the Director of Financial Aid. The Request must include the reasons that the satisfactory progress measures were not satisfied and a plan for achieving satisfactory progress if eligibility is reinstated on probationary terms. The Director of Financial Aid may grant the request for reinstatement on probationary terms which will be specified in a probation contract ("Contract"). At a minimum, the Contract will require the student to satisfactorily complete all credit hours attempted each semester with a minimum term GPA of 2.00 until all satisfactory progress measures are satisfied. The Contract may include additional terms determined by the Director of Financial Aid to be appropriate for probationary status. Upon agreeing to the terms of the Contract in writing, the student's eligibility will be reinstated.
Students who fail to satisfy the terms of the Probation Contract in any semester and still do not satisfy the satisfactory progress measures become ineligible for a second time. Students can reestablish eligibility by enrolling at their own expense until the satisfactory progress measures are satisfied or may attempt to reestablish eligibility through the financial aid appeal process outlined in the next paragraph. The reinstatement process described in this paragraph does not apply to students who fail the maximum time frame progress measure. Students who fail the maximum time frame measure must request reinstatement through the appeal process outlined below (see page 4).
Appeal of Financial Aid Ineligibility
Except for first time failure to satisfy the satisfactory progress measures, financial aid eligibility will be reinstated on probationary terms only if the student can provide satisfactory evidence that the failure to satisfy the incremental quantitative measure or maximum time frame measure was due to "mitigating circumstances." The student must submit an appeal in writing to the Director of Financial Aid. The written appeal must include a description of the mitigating circumstances which contributed to the failure to make satisfactory progress or the failure to satisfy the terms of the Probation Contract if on probationary status and a plan for achieving satisfactory progress if eligibility is reinstated on probationary terms. Satisfactory documentation of the mitigating circumstances must be provided. The written appeal and all supporting documentation must be received by the Director of Financial Aid within 30 calendar days following the last date of the semester (as published in the College's institutional calendar) in which the student failed to satisfy the satisfactory progress measures or failed to satisfy the terms of a Probation Contract.
The Director of Financial Aid may grant reinstatement of eligibility on probationary terms if it is determined that mitigating circumstances contributed to the failure to make satisfactory progress or the failure to satisfy the terms of a Probation Contract. The Director of Financial Aid will provide notice of the decision in writing to the student within 14 calendar days following receipt of the appeal letter and all supporting documentation. While eligible on probationary terms based on a successful appeal, students will be expected to satisfactorily complete all credit hours attempted with a minimum term GPA of 2.00 ("Probation Contract"). Students who satisfy the terms of the Probation Contract during the probation semester and who still do not satisfy the satisfactory progress measures, will have their Probation Contract automatically extended to the next semester. Those students who do not satisfy the terms of the Probation Contract and who still do not satisfy the satisfactory progress measures are ineligible for further financial aid. Students can reestablish eligibility by enrolling at their own expense until the satisfactory progress measures are satisfied or may again attempt to reestablish eligibility through the financial aid appeal process.
Mitigating circumstances are considered to be (1) the death of a relative of the student, (2) an injury or illness of the student, or (3) other special circumstances causing undue hardship to the student and beyond the reasonable control of the student.
A student may appeal the decision made by the Director of Financial Aid to the Financial Aid Appeals Committee. A student who wishes to appeal a decision made by the Director of Financial Aid may do so, in writing, to the Financial Aid Appeals Committee, c/o the Financial Aid Office. The written request to appeal must be received by the Financial Aid Appeals Committee within 7 calendar days following notice of the decision of the Director of Financial Aid. Decisions of the Financial Aid Committee as to whether circumstances are mitigating and warrant reinstatement of eligibility are final.
Financial Aid Appeals Committee
The financial aid appeals committee ("Committee") shall include three members as follows:
1. Dean of Curriculum Programs - a permanent member and chair of the Committee.
2. Faculty representative appointed by the Dean of Curriculum Programs - serves a three-year term and can be reappointed.
3. Student services representative appointed by the Dean of Student Services - serves a three year term and can be reappointed. This representative shall not be member of the financial aid staff. Upon written request by the student in the letter of appeal to the Committee, the Committee shall also include two students appointed by the Dean of Student Services. The student must also provide written consent for information in his/her academic record to be disclosed to the two students appointed.
The Director of Financial Aid or designee will be present at Committee meetings but shall not vote.
