Changes to Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress Regulations Slated for 2011-2012 Academic Year

July 14, 2011

The Financial Aid Office would like to inform students that there are significant changes to the Higher Education Act (HEOA) that govern satisfactory academic progress standards. These changes to Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) will take effect for the 201 -2012 academic year. The Financial Aid Office encourages all students to take note and be mindful that financial aid recipients may be affected by the mandated federal changes.

The federal changes indicate that any student who, at the end of the 2010-2011 award year, does not meet the minimum requirements established for SAP will be dropped/suspended from financial aid for the 2011-2012 award year regardless of previous appeal approvals.

All financial aid recipients are expected to meet the minimum requirements. Generally, students must meet the following criteria:

• Complete 67 percent of all classes attempted
• Maintain an overall Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher
• Complete their degree within the 150 percent timeframe (i.e. an associate degree of 60 credit hours must be completed within 90 credit hours)

The complete policy is located on the Financial Aid website under Academic Progress.

All students have the right to appeal their suspension. Federal regulations mandate that the appeal must indicate what mitigating/extenuating circumstances caused the academic difficulties and what has changed that will enable them to succeed in the future.

If the student's appeal is approved the student will be expected to be meeting overall standards by the end of the next term, or the student will be placed on a Financial Aid Academic Progress Plan (FAAPP). Standards of progress will be monitored at the end of each term.