SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS

FASFAA Region V Spring WorkshopApril 1, 2011Nova Southeastern University Presented by Anh Do, St. Thomas University

CURRENT REGULATIONS

STUDENT ELIGIBILITY Maintains satisfactory academic

progress in his/her course of study according to the schools published standards§ 668.32(f)§ 668.34

ADMINISTRATIVE CAPABILITY Establishes, publishes and applies

reasonable standards for measuring if a student is maintaining satisfactory progress in his/her educational program

§ 668.16(e)

CONSUMER INFORMATIONPublish and make readily

available to current and prospective studentsStandards for making

satisfactory progressCriteria for reestablishing

eligibility if they failed SAP§ 668.42(c)(2)

SAP STANDARDS

Apply to all Title IV programsConsistently AppliedReasonable

SAP STANDARDSMust be the same as or stricter

than standards for non-title IV students in the same educational programAre you using your school’s

academic standards or standards specifically for Title IV?

SAP STANDARDS MUST INCLUDE

Two ComponentsQualitativeQuantitative

Both must be cumulative

QUALITATIVETo assess quality of academic

workUse standards measurable

against a normGradesWork projects

May use fixed or graduated standard

EXAMPLE OF FIXED STANDARD

A student must maintain a cumulative grade point average of a 2.0 after two terms of enrollment, and subsequently, each year after

EXAMPLE OF GRADUATED STANDARD Grade Point Average Requirements

1 to 30 credits – must have a 1.60 or higher

31 to 60 credits – must have a 1.80 or higher

61 to graduations – must have a 2.00 or higher

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS LONGER THAN 2 YEARS By the end of the second academic

year, student must have:A “C” average or its equivalent, orAcademic standing consistent with

graduation requirements Years are measured in time, not grade

level

MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES REGARDING “C” AVERAGE AFTER TWO YEARS

These standards may be set aside if certain circumstances affect progressDeath of a relativeInjury or illness of studentOther special circumstances

QUANTITATIVE

To measure progress toward course completion

MAXIMUM TIMEFRAME

Undergraduates may receive aid for a maximum of 150% of the published length of the educational programCumulative, including periods

without Title IV assistance

MAXIMUM TIME FRAME

School must develop a written policy establishing a maximum time frame in which a graduate student must complete the program

CREDIT HOUR SCHOOLS

May define maximum time frame inAcademic YearsCredit Hours AttemptedTerms

ACADEMIC YEARSDegree program takes 4 years to

complete4 x 150% = 6 years is the maximum

time frame4 x 125% = 5 years is the maximum

time frame

CREDIT HOURS ATTEMPTED Degree program requires 120 credits

for completion120 x 150% = 180 attempted credits is the

maximum time frameDegree program requires 60 credits

for completion60 x 150% = 90 attempted credits is the

maximum time frame

TERMS

Degree program takes 6 terms to complete 6 x 150% = 9 terms is

maximum time frame

CLOCK HOUR MAXIMUM TIME FRAME

Must use calendar time900 clock hour program takes 8

months to complete8 x 150% = 12 months is maximum time frame

EVALUATING STUDENT PROGRESS Program 1 year or less

Must evaluate progress at least once at the half way point

Clock hour programs Must evaluate at least once at the half way point

by calendar time (8 month program = 4 month evaluation periods)

Programs longer than 1 year Must evaluate at least once per year

Credit hour Term Degree Program Must evaluate at least once per year May evaluate progress at the end of each term

STUDENT MUST COMPLETE WITHIN MAXIMUM TIME FRAME Your policy may require

A fixed amount of work that must be successfully completed in each evaluation period

A percentage of work that must be successfully completed in each evaluation period

COURSE REPEATS Effect on progress

Qualitative – average grades, count both grades, or count the higher grade

Quantitative – included in maximum time frame as attempted hours

May only count toward enrollment status if receiving credit

CHANGE MAJORS & ADDITIONAL DEGREES Generally all periods of the student’s

enrollment count when judging SAP, even periods in which the student did not receive FSA funds. However, your policy may permit that for

students who change majors, credits attempted and grades earned that do not count toward the new major will not be included in the SAP determination. You may limit how many times a student can change majors and “reset” SAP.

You must also establish rules for students who seek to earn additional degrees.

OTHER Appeal Policy

Specify procedures for student to appeal if not making SAP

How to Re-establish Eligibility If an appeal is unsuccessful or the school

does not have an appeal process Disbursement of Funds

Make sure the student meets SAP standards as of the last time your policy required evaluation

TRANSFER STUDENTS You must at least count those transfer

credits that apply toward the current program, though you may count all credits from the previous school. You may count transferred grades or not, depending on your policy.

NEW SAP REGULATIONSFINAL REGULATIONS 668.16,

668.34EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2011

SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS Consolidates SAP regulations Describes all of the required elements

of a SAP policy Retain institutional flexibility to set

policySuch as evaluating categories for students

differentlyAdditional flexibility allowed for

institutions that monitor SAP more frequently than annual requirement

SAP POLICY Policy must include the following:

Pace of progression required to insure student completes within maximum time frame

Measurement of student’s progress at each evaluation

Calculate the pace at which the student is progressing by – Dividing the cumulative number of hours the

student has successfully completed by The cumulative number of hours the student has

attempted Not required to include remedial courses

SAP POLICY …CONTINUED Policy must include the following:

Describes how student’s GPA and pace of completion affected by incompletes, withdrawals, repetitions or transfer of credits Transfer credits accepted toward completion of

student’s program must count as both hours attempted and hours completed

Student’s SAP evaluations, whether each payment period, annually or less often than each payment period, must occur at the end of a payment period

MONITORING SAP EACH PAYMENT PERIOD In general, a student who is not

making SAP is no longer eligible for Title IV aid

For an institution that chooses to evaluate SAP at the end of each payment period, a “financial aid warning” status may be usedStudent may continue to receive Title IV

aid for one payment periodNo appeal necessary

MONITORING SAP ANNUALLY OR LESS OFTEN THAN EACH PAYMENT PERIOD Student will lose eligibility for Title IV

aid if not meeting SAP (no “financial aid warning” period)May appeal and be placed on “financial aid

probation”

MONITORING SAP If on “Financial Aid Warning”

After 1 payment period, student must make SAP; or

May be placed on “probation” after successful appeal

To be placed on “Probation” Student is expected to make SAP in the next

payment period; or Be successfully following an academic plan

designed to ensure student will be able to meet SAP by a specific point in time Not required to develop academic plans Can set conditions on developing plans

MONITORING SAP … CONTINUED A student on “Probation” may only receive Title

IV funds for ONE payment period A student on “Probation” may not receive Title

IV funds for the subsequent payment period unless: Student is now making SAP; or Institution determines student met requirements

specified by the school academic plan A student reinstated to eligibility under an

academic plan and making progress under the plan is considered to be eligible May be evaluated at the same time as other

Title IV recipients or at more frequent periods based on plan

SAP POLICY - APPEALAppeals

Process by which student who is not meeting school’s SAP policy petitions for reconsideration of eligibility for Title IV aid

Policy must specify the conditions under which a student may appeal Appeal must include:

Why the student failed to make SAP; and What has changed that will allow the student to

make SAP at the next evaluationFederal Register reminds schools that 150%

maximum time frame can be appealed

SAP – APPEAL NOTIFICATION Notification to students

Must notify student of results of SAP review that impacts student’s eligibility for Title IV aid

If institution has an appeal process, must describe the specific elements required to appeal SAP May specify how often and how many appeals are

allowed If institution does not have an appeal

process, must describe how a student who has failed SAP can reestablish eligibility for Title IV aid

SAP IMPLEMENTATION 2011 Summer crossover payment

periodSchool may choose to use current SAP

policy or any new SAP policy based on new regulations

Must publicize any changes to students and state when any new SAP policy is effective