Section 227 - Satisfactory Academic Progress

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Federal and state law requires that a recipient of financial aid make satisfactory academic progress towards a degree, diploma or certificate to remain eligible for financial aid. These laws also require that the standards used must be based on cumulative measure and must include all periods of a student’s enrollment, regardless of whether the student received financial aid.

1) Qualitative Measure

• Undergraduate Students
  1. To meet satisfactory academic standards, students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 grading scale

2) Quantitative Measure

• Required completion percentage
  1. To meet satisfactory academic standards, students must complete 67% of all credits attempted. Refer to section 8 for more information regarding what courses will be included when determining the student’s completion rate percentage.
• Maximum Time Frame
  1. Upon reaching or exceeding 150% of the maximum credits needed for attainment of your chosen degree or certificate (including transfer credits). For example if the program of student is 60 credits in length, a student would be eligible to receive financial aid for up to 90 attempted credits (60 x 1.5 = 90).

  Note: If at any point it is determined that a student will not be able to finish the required courses to graduate from their program within the 150% time-frame, financial aid eligibility will be suspended immediately.

3) Evaluation Period

1. Students' satisfactory academic progress will be reviewed at the end of each term, including summer. Completion of satisfactory academic progress reviews will occur prior to the 10th day of the subsequent academic term.

4) Failure to Meet Standards/Financial Aid Probation and Suspension

• Maximum Time-Frame Failure. Students who are receiving financial aid and have reached or exceeded the maximum number of credits needed to complete their program will be suspended from financial aid eligibility.
• Qualitative Standard or Completion Percentage Failure. If at the end of the evaluation period a student has failed to meet the qualitative standard or required completion percentage, the student will be placed on probation. Students will be allowed to enroll and are eligible for financial aid during this probationary term. Any student who fails to meet the qualitative or quantitative measures at the end of the probationary period will be suspended from enrolling and have financial aid eligibility suspended immediately.
• Reinstatement of Students on Probationary Status. If at the end of the probationary period a student who has been on probationary status has met the College’s cumulative qualitative and quantitative standards, the student’s eligibility for financial aid shall be reinstated.
• Suspension of Students on Probationary Status. If at the end of the probationary period a student who has been on probationary status has not met the College’s cumulative qualitative or quantitative standards, the institution will suspend the student immediately upon completion of the evaluation.
• Continuation of students who successfully appeal suspension. Students who fail to make satisfactory academic progress and are suspended from financial aid eligibility have the right to appeal based on unusual or extenuating circumstances. If an appeal is approved, the student will retain financial aid eligibility under an appeal status for an additional period of time. At the end of the appeal period, a student who has met the minimum agreed upon academic standards for that period shall have his/her appeal status extended for an additional period. A student who fails to meet the minimum agreed upon academic standards during the appeal period shall be removed from appeal status and his/her financial aid eligibility shall be suspended.
• Extraordinary circumstances. The college may immediately suspend students from financial aid eligibility in the event of extraordinary circumstances, including but not limited to previously suspended (and reinstated) students whose academic performance falls below acceptable standards during a subsequent term of enrollment, students who register for courses, receive financial aid and do not attend any classes and student whose attendance patterns appear to abuse the receipt of financial aid.

5) Notification

1. Students placed on probation will be notified of their status by mail at the end of each term, including summer. The college will also notify students in writing when they have been suspended from eligibility and the process by which a student may appeal for reinstatement.

6) Appeals

1. A suspended student has the right to appeal the suspension. Any student wishing to re-enter the college after suspension must go through an appeal. The appeal process consists of meeting with the financial aid director or designee. If the student is dissatisfied with the decision, the student may appeal to the Vice President of Student Affairs. Decisions by the Vice President of Student Affairs are final.
2. Students suspended from financial aid for academic progress have the right to appeal based on unusual or extenuating circumstances. Examples of extenuating circumstances include, but are not limited to: medical issues, death of an immediate family member, or other unique circumstances. To appeal, the student is required to contact the student services office at the campus they are attending.
3. Students who successfully appeal will be readmitted on probation.
4. If a student has completed in excess of 150% of maximum credits needed for attainment of chosen degree or certificate (including credits transferred), he/she is no longer eligible for aid.

7) Reinstatement

1. If the student’s appeal is approved, financial aid awards will be reinstated with the provisions as determined by the committee. Students who have been suspended may regain their eligibility only through the institution’s appeal process or when they are again meeting the institution’s financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress qualitative and quantitative standards. Neither paying for their own classes nor sitting out a period of time is sufficient in and of itself to re-establish a student’s financial aid eligibility.

8) Additional Elements - The following are reviewed when determining that standards are met

1. Treatment of grades
   1. Courses for which a student receives a letter of A, B, C, D, F, W, P, NC, I or IP are considered to be credits attempted for purpose of Satisfactory Academic Progress completion rate. Courses receiving A, B, C, D or P is considered completed credits for purpose of Satisfactory Academic Progress completion rate.
2. Academic Forgiveness
   1. All credits are reviewed in Satisfactory Academic Progress regardless of Academic Forgiveness.
3. Audited Courses
   1. Audit classes are not funded by financial aid and not included in Satisfactory Academic Progress.
4. Consortium Credits
   1. Consortium credits are included in the GPA, Completion rate and Max time frame
5. Remedial Credits
   1. Remedial Credits are counted in the GPA and Completion rate. Up to 30 remedial credits are excluded from the calculation for maximum time frame.
6. Repeated Courses
   1. Students may be funded for repeat courses up the limit determined by the Financial Aid maximum time frame or as determined by academic policy. Repeat courses will be counted as attempted twice and completed once. The last grade is counted in GPA.
7. Transfer Credits
   1. Transfer credits are not included when calculating the cumulative GPA and completion rate but are included when calculating the Financial Aid maximum time frame.
8. Withdrawals
   1. Courses receiving grades of A, B, C, D, F, W, P, NC, I or IP are considered to be credits attempted for purpose of Satisfactory Academic Progress completion rate. Courses receiving A, B, C, D or P is considered completed credits for purpose of Satisfactory Academic Progress completion rate.

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