Satisfactory Academic Progress

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Rules, Regulations and Institutional Perspectives

December, 2011Indianapolis, Indiana

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Regulations/Guidance◦ Higher Education Act (HEA)

484(a) and (c) Student Eligibility

◦ Code of Federal Regulations §668.14 Program participation agreement §668.16(e) Standards of administrative capability §668.32(f) Student eligibility §668.34 Satisfactory academic progress §668.42(c) Financial assistance information

◦ 2009-2010 Federal Student Aid Handbook Volume 1, pages 1-10 through 1-13 Volume 2, page 2-125 Volume 4, page 4-20


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What’s New?◦ Clarifies that SAP is an administrative capability

requirement◦ Consolidates most rules under §668.34◦ Lays out school policy components◦ Differentiates between every semester versus

less frequent monitoring◦ Standardizes terminology◦ Sets broad appeal standards


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Required Components◦ Written Policy

Repeats Incompletes Withdrawals Transfers

◦ Minimum GPA◦ Maximum Timeframe◦ Pace to Completion


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One note about Graduate/Prof Students

◦ Federal SAP rules are specific to undergrads◦ Schools must establish and follow reasonable

graduate/professional SAP rules


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Written Policy

◦ A school must establish own policy, but it must contain the federally mandated elements

◦ Must describe standards, monitoring processes, and steps to reestablish eligibility after failing the standards.


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Written Policy

◦ Allowing appeals is optional◦ Must address impact of transfer credits◦ Must address impact of repeats, incompletes and

withdrawals◦ Must describe required documentation◦ Can have multiple policies based on specific

populations


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Minimum GPA◦ GPA standard must be consistent with the

school’s graduation requirement A single bright line standard

2.0 for an undergraduate, for example A graduated standard

1.5 for a freshman, 1.8 for a sophomore, 2.0 thereafter, for example

Other◦ If GPA is not used, another method is required


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Maximum Timeframe◦ Regulations allow aid eligibility for 150% of the

normal time required for a degree Example: An associate’s degree that requires 60

credits is allowed 90 credits This is equivalent to 8 semesters of minimal full time

enrollment◦ For graduate students, you should follow the

published institutional standards


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Pace to completion◦ Specifies the rate at which a student must

complete courses to stay within the maximum time frame for the degree Total hours completed / total hours attempted A 67% pace for a 4 year degree permits 180

attempted & 120 completed credits The rate calculation should use cumulative hours


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Monitoring SAP Standards◦ No less than annually◦ As often as every payment period◦ If you monitor every payment period, you are

allowed to grant a semester of aid ‘grace’ without student action

◦ If you monitor less than every payment period, students who fail standards become immediately ineligible for aid (no ‘grace’ period)


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Consistent Language◦ Must use specific words in SAP policies

Financial Aid Warning Financial Aid Denial Financial Aid Appeal Financial Aid Probation


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Consistent Language◦ Financial Aid Warning

Student failed SAP standards in a semester he started in good standing

He may continue to receive aid without taking action Only for schools that monitor every term Allowing this “Warning” semester is optional for an

eligible school


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Consistent Language◦ Financial Aid Denial

School monitors every semester: Student failed SAP standards in a semester she started

in Warning, Denial or Probation School monitors less than every semester:

Student failed SAP standards for the monitoring period No federal aid payments are permitted

That means no Parent PLUS Policy should state if other aid is stopped too School may allow an Appeal


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Consistent Language◦ Financial Aid Appeal

A petition for waiver of Financial Aid Denial Can be for 1 or more semesters If granted for more than 1 semester, student

adherence must be monitored each semester

◦ Financial Aid Probation Student in Financial Aid Denial who successfully

appeals for aid reinstatement May be granted for one or more semesters


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Appeal Components◦ Strong evidence that student can return to good

standing at end of semester of Probationor

◦ Academic plan that moves student to good standing in a defined time frame


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Appeal Components◦ Student statement

What went wrong that caused the failure What has changed to prevent a recurrence Regulations specify death of a relative, a student

injury or illness as reasonable Regulations also state “other special circumstances”


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Academic Plan◦ Plan rules are not spelled out by regulation◦ Who prepares Plan is not spelled out either◦ Can require specific courses, grades, tutoring or

other interventions◦ School must monitor each payment period if

Plan covers more than 1 semester◦ Student must be given Appeal decision


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• Vincennes University - Has historically checked SAP after every semester.

- Several years ago introduced a graduated GPA requirement.

- Until recent regulations, PROBATION status for students falling below GPA or completion rate standards for the first time.

- SUSPENSION status with opportunity for appeal for falling below any standards in semester after probation.

SAP -- VU

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VU – Prior Standards• Minimum cumulative GPA:

- After attempting 12 credits: 1.8 - After earning 30 quality credits: 1.9 - After earning 45 quality credits: 2.0

• Minimum cumulative completion rate:

- After attempting 12 credits, pass 60% of all courses attempted. (Contract for probations and approved appeals: commit to pass all courses during semester of probation.)

• Maximum timeframe: 150% of number of credits required by program.

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VU – Revised Standards

• Minimum cumulative GPA:

- After attempting 12 credits: 1.8 - After attempting 30 credits: 1.9 - After attempting 45 credits: 2.0

• Minimum cumulative completion rate:

- After attempting 12 credits, pass 60%. - After attempting 30 credits, pass 63%. - After attempting 45 credits, pass 66%.

• No revision of maximum timeframe.

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VU – Appeal Process

• Student will link to a form from self-service portal, complete, print, and turn in with documentation.

• Goal by spring SAP process: all steps online except documentation

• Form will have space for explanation of extenuating circumstances.

• Academic plan will require a draft schedule of courses looking ahead 2 semesters.

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VU – Appeal Process (cont.)

• Borrowing MSU’s terminology: initiator in office will judge. If approved, no further readers. If denied, 1 or 2 other judges.

• Approved appeals will be forwarded to academic advisors to sign off or revise plan.

• Student will sign off on revisions before aid paid on probation status.

• Denied appeals go no further. Inform student.

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VU – Appeals on 150% Standard• VU may exclude credits toward 150% count:

- Up to 30 developmental credits

- Transferred not meeting requireds for VU program

- Earned > 5 years ago not meeting requireds

- Earned toward one VU degree/certificate not meeting requireds toward 2nd degree/certificate

- Earned while in high school not meeting requireds but taken because required for HS diploma

- Fs or Ws because of documented extenuating circumstances

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About DePaul University Urban, Catholic Over 25,000 students

18,000 undergrads 70% on financial aid Quarters (triple the

fun) Law school on semesters

30% Pell 10 colleges, including

a competency based option

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Monitor quarterly (including summer) Use warning option, followed by suspension

if not meeting after warning Accept appeals Require student to meet with academic

advisor as part of appeal process

SAP at DePaul University

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Located on the FA website- includes: Minimum GPA - 2.0 Maximum Timeframe – 150% or timely completion of

degree for graduate students based on program Completion ratio – 67% Include repeats, transfer hours, withdrawals,

incompletes and ‘in progress’ grades as well as earned and unearned failing grades.

Appeal process

SAP Policy at DePaul

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May submit appeals on paper or through on-line form

Must include a plan of corrective action Must include a signature from an academic

advisor indicating that student has discussed plan with advisor

Appeals reviewed by committee

SAP Appeals at DePaul

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Suspension (Appeal Denied) Probation (Appeal Approved)

◦ When an appeal is granted (approved) a student is placed on a Probation Plan for up to two consecutive quarters. Per policy: “During these two terms, a student is expected to continue to meet the terms of his/her academic plan by continuing to complete all courses each term with a term GPA of 2.5 or higher so that by the end of these terms, the student is fully meeting the minimum SAP requirements. ”

Appeal Responses at DePaul

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The FA SAP policy is part of a larger retention effort.

OFA participates on a university wide ‘retention committee’ charged with developing innovative methods and approaches for improving retention and decreasing time toward degree for all DePaul students.

Final comments on SAP at DePaul

SAP -- ISU

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Enrollment – Fall 2011

- Undergraduate 9,449

- Graduate/Professional 2,079

Total 11,528

Indiana State University

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Financial Assistance

- State $12,959,517

- ISU $19,110,198

- Federal $58,153,875

Total Aid $90,223,590


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2003-04 SAP Review

•Discrepancies found in SAP calculations.

•This led to students being eligible for aid when they should have been denied.

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• 2003-04 SAP Review – End Result?

- A revised SAP policy was developed for ISU.

- ISU faced a major financial liability to the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana (SSACI) and the U.S. Dept. of Education.

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• Prior to July 2009, the SAP appeal committee met individually and randomly.

- No regular meetings to review appeals.

- This caused a delay in information being given to students regarding their SAP status.

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Results of 2009 Review:

- Dissatisfied students as a result of poor processes in place.

- Little guidance and oversight provided.

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Changes after July 2009

- Makeup of SAP committee changed.

- Regular meetings to review appeals.

- Decisions communicated within two days.

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2009 -10 SAP – Appeals for Aid

- Approvals: 395 - Denials: 177 - Total 572

• 69% Approved

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2010 – 11 SAP – Appeals for Aid

- Approvals: 347 - Denials: 171 - Total 518

• 67% Approved

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New Policy for 2011-12• Appeal must include:

- Why student failed to make SAP

- What changes now in place that will allow student to meet SAP or demonstrate improvement

- Also, encouraged to submit an academic plan

- Documentation needed

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New Policy for 2011-12• Approval for fall semester only.

• Spring semester aid will be on hold until fall grades are reviewed to verify improvement.

• Most students can meet standards with one semester of solid performance.

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QUESTIONS?

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Stan Werne

Paula Luff

Kim Donat

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

812-888-5999

312-362-8520

812-237-7615

mailto:[email protected]




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