Satisfactory Academic Progress

1. Satisfactory Academic Progress Developing Academic Plans that Work Presentation Details

2. In this presentation we will • review the SAP regulations; • discuss the appeals process; • review methods of administering Academic Plans; • seek answers to the questions; • “What makes an acceptable appeal reason?”, • “How long should an academic plan last?”, • “What GPAs are too low?”, • “Should the student be evaluated mid-semester?”, • “How much responsibility should advisor’s take?”, • “Should a student be able to adjust his plan?”; and   • discuss ways to evaluate the success of academic plans and how to make improvements.

3. Points we will discuss: • What is “Academic Progress”? • SAP Regulations • Common SAP Standards • Institutional Academic Standards • What makes a Valid Appeal? • What’s a Reasonable Academic Plan? • Does One Plan Fit All? • When is a Graduation Plan Appropriate?

4. What is Satisfactory Academic Progress? • When a student is • achieving a specific grade point average (GPA), or other comparable assessment measured against the norm, and • maintaining a specific pace of progression through an educational program; which indicates the student is able to complete the program within the maximum timeframe, as specified in regulations.

5. What is a SAP Policy? • The consistent application of standards to all students determining whether an otherwise eligible student is making “satisfactory academic progress” in his or her educational program.

6. SAP Regulations • HEA Sec. 484(c), • 34 CFR 668.16(e) • 34 CFR 668.32(f) • 34 CFR 668.34 The SAP most recent regulations appear in the October 29, 2010, Federal Register.

7. SAP Regulations • SAP Policy Rules • SAP Reviews • Consequences • Financial Aid Warning • SAP Measurements (Qualitative & Quantitative) • Courses that don’t count for credit • Appeals • Probation • Academic Plans • Periods of Non-Enrollment or Periods without F.A.

8. SAP Policy Rules • Must be at least as strict as your School’s • Must apply consistently to all students in a category. You can have separate policies for: • Educational programs • Degree Programs • Majors • Years in School • Freshmen • Seniors • Educational Levels • Graduates • Undergraduates

9. SAP RegulationsSAP Reviews • Must Review Annually (once every 12 months) • Must correspond with end of a payment period (Fall, Spring, Summer, etc…) • If >1 year, • may call for reviews after each payment period If you do… You must review after Summer • may review even more frequently (mid-term, monthly, bi-weekly, etc…) • must still have end of payment period review • At end of 2nd year: Must review Qualitative Standard (ie GPA)

10. SAP RegulationsConsequences • Two standards are measured • If not meeting 1 of those standards • Becomes Ineligible for FSA Funds • May lose eligibility for other aid funds • State Grants and Scholarships • National Guard benefits • Reserves Benefits • You must notify students of results of evaluations and affect on FSA eligibility.

11. Financial Aid Warning • Optional • Only if you review each payment period • If after 1 payment period, not meeting SAP • May put student on FSA Warning • Don’t have to allow appeals • Student may continue to receive FSA funds • Lasts for one payment period • If still fails SAP after, loses aid eligibility • Can’t be used for schools that review annually

12. SAP Measurements • Qualitative: An appropriate qualitative measure that is comparable against a norm that is consistent with your school’s graduation requirements • Quantitative A student is ineligible when it becomes mathematically impossible for him to complete his program within 150% of the length of the program.

13. SAP RegulationsSAP Measurements Qualitative Standard: • Must be defined for each evaluation period • Must be Cumulative (can also have pay period requirements) • Usually GPA • Best Practice: GPA used for graduation purposes • Others: Major GPA, Collegiate GPA, LIFE GPA • Must be a “C” or equivalent at end of 2nd year OR Must have GPA consistent with school’s graduation requirements: IE escalating scale. • Common Standard: 2.0 GPA (C average)

14. SAP RegulationsSAP Measurements Escalating GPA: • Can allow a GPA below a C average after 2nd year, but… • Must document that a student with < C avg. could • still meet the standards required for graduation • complete degree within the Maximum Time Frame • still meet the Quantitative Standards (Pace) • Example: requires a cumulative GPA of • 1.50 after the 1st year, • 1.75 after the 2nd year, • 2.0 after the 3rd year (C average)

15. SAP RegulationsSAP Measurements Qualitative Standard and Special Cases: • Remedial Coursework: • Must be counted in Qualitative in some way • Doesn’t have to be included in GPA • Could be simply Pass/Fail • Transfer GPAs • Are the grades used for Graduation Purposes? • Will they prevent entrance into degree program?

16. SAP Measurements Qualitative Standard and Grade Forgiveness • AKA: Amnesty, Renewal, Replacement • No FSA provisions for ignoring a grade • School must include all grades from all courses • Exception: School can elect to ignore courses not applicable to the student’s major (ie not accepted for transfer or when major changes) • Student can appeal to have academic plan that ignores them (not forgiven, compensated for).

17. SAP RegulationsSAP Measurements Quantitative Standard: • Maximum timeframe: • 150% of the published length of the program • Credit Hours: # Credits Required x 1.5 • Clock Hours: # Hours Required x 1.5, as calendar time. • Graduate Programs: School defines length of program. • If 60 hours required, 90 attempted allowed • If 120 hours required, 180 attempted allowed • Must be measured at each evaluation point • Student is ineligible at the evaluation point where indicated will exceed max timeframe NOT at the point when they actually reach the max timeframe.

18. SAP Measurements Quantitative Standard: • Pace: Students must progress through their program to ensure that they will graduate within the maximum timeframe • Must be Cumulative (can also have pay period requirements) • Pace Calculation: • Total Earned Hours / Total Hours Attempted • Common standard: 66.67% (120/180= 66.67%) • Rounding is optional for Pace (use standard rules) • But must be consistent

19. SAP Measurements Quantitative Standard: • What’s “Earned”? (aka Successfully Completed) • When a passing grade is posted (D or better, or a Pass –if Pass/Fail) • What’s “Attempted”? • When a passing or non-passing grade is posted (A, B, C, D, F, Passed, Failed, Incomplete, Withdrawn) • What’s “Not attempted” and “Not Earned”? • dropped without a grade, not on transcript • Usually dropped during “Drop/Add” timeframe • Remedial Classes (if you opt not to include them)

20. SAP Measurements Quantitative Standard: Example 67% Pace (8 years)

21. SAP Measurements Quantitative Standard: Example 84% Pace (6 years)

22. SAP Measurements Graduated Pace • You can scale your % Completion rate, • IE: 50% 1st year, 75% 4th year, 84% 6th year • but… • Must document that a student with < 67%. could • still meet the standards required for graduation • complete degree within the Maximum Time Frame • still meet Qualitative Standard (GPA) • Who this helps: • Students who have to withdraw (ie medical reasons) • Students who fail major courses 1st year, and change majors

23. SAP Measurements Quantitative Standard: Example Graduated (8 years)

24. SAP Measurements Quantitative Standard: Example Graduated (6 years)

25. Special Courses • Your policy must explain how you deal with these courses • Incompletes • Withdrawals • Repeated Courses • Transfer Credits • Can’t exclude courses with grades of “W” • Must include all courses attempted.

26. Special Courses • Incompletes: • Best Practice: Treat the same way your campus treats them for GPA purposes • Do they affect % Pace ? • Do they affect GPA? • Withdrawals: • You can’t exclude courses with grades of “W” • They usually affect % Pace but not GPA • Repeated Courses: • Is the first occurrence removed from transcript? • Must still use the grades for both times taken towards GPA • Remedial Courses: • Must count for Qualitative Measure • Not required to be counted for Quantitative Measure

27. Special Courses • Transfer Credit Hours • If accepted for credit towards degree program: • Your policy must count them as attempted hours • Your policy must count them as earned hours • Your policy must specify: • IF grades of “I” or “W” are attempted, if the course COULD have counted; • IF grades of “F” are attempted, if they aren’t accepted for transfer but COULD have counted; • IF grades of “D” are attempted/earned, if they aren’t accepted for transfer but COULD have counted; • IF a student begins enrollment but his transcript is not fully evaluated, how you will treat them. • You can OPT to include transfer hours NOT accepted toward the degree program

28. Special Courses • Changing Majors: • Your Policy May • Specify how a change in major affects credits • Exclude courses that no longer count towards the new major. • Limit how many times a change of major can “reset” the student’s academic progress • Best Practice: Require courses from prior major to fill as many electives as possible for new major. • Remember: Students are still limited by • Pell Limits (600%) • Loan Limits (Aggregates and 150% Subsidized Limit) • Unusual Enrollment Patterns

29. Appeals • Schools are not required to accept appeals • If school does accept appeals, policy must: • Specify if a student can appeal • How a student appeals • When a student can appeal (deadlines) • How many appeals are allowed (if limited) • Documentation expected for appeals

30. Appeals • SAP Appeals Must… • State that this is an appeal to regain FSA eligibility (usually specified on a signed form). • State the reason the student didn’t meet SAP • State what has changed that will allow the student to be successful going forwards • Include an academic plan that shows either: • Student will meet SAP by next review period, or • Student will regain FSA eligibility before Max Timeframe; or • Courses student needs to complete the degree and when the student will take those courses.

31. Appeals • Basis for Appeals as stated by DOE: • his injury or illness, • the death of a relative, • or other special circumstances. • What must student’s appeal state? • What extenuating circumstance affected their ability to do well during the period of academic difficulties; • What actions has the student taken to resolve the issue; • What else has changed since then to prevent the issue from occurring again. • Cannot be “Poor Judgment” or “Lack of Maturity”. • Shouldn’t be “I failed because the classes were hard”. • Should be a factor reasonably beyond their control.

32. Appeals • What documentation do you require? • Personal Illness: • Medical documentation • Letters from doctors • Medical excuses from doctors for time missed • Must show dates of service • Must show medical issues • Students may have to sign releases for HIPA to get the documentation. • Students may have to pay for copies of records. • Death in Family: • If not immediate family, must explain relationship in detail • Copy of Death Certificate • Obituary • Newspaper articles

33. Appeals • Special Circumstances • What’s an approvable Special Circumstance? • Was this beyond the student’s reasonable control? • Could this reasonably impact the student’s academic success? • Is it sufficient to justify the grades the student earned? • Is it sufficiently documented? • Are you consistent in your practices? • You can evaluate each appeal on its own merits and still be consistent; • Best-Practice: Make a list of specific special circumstances you have approved before and documentation you require;

34. Appeals • Special Circumstances Examples… Change in Work Schedule A letter from employer stating they did change the student’s work schedule and that they would not adjust for the student’s school schedule at that time. A letter from student explaining why the student needed to stay employed during these enrollment periods. Evidence that it will not be an issue again. Transportation Issues: A letter stating that the student had a transportation plan before classes started, what changed and when, and what now has resolved the issue. Documentation of new transportation (ie Vehicle Registrations, etc…). Traumatic or Extraordinary event: Documentation of the event with a full explanation of how it affected the student at that time and what now has changed to resolve the issues.

35. Probationary Semesters “Financial aid probation—A status a school assigns to a student who is failing to make satisfactory academic progress and who successfully appeals. Eligibility for aid may be reinstated for one payment period.” • Should you grant “Probation?” Can you answer “Yes” to these questions? • Can GPA return to the standard in 1 semester? • Can % Pace return to the standard in 1 semester? • Will the student still be able to complete all graduation requirements before the maximum time frame? • If not, you may be setting the student up for failure. • An Academic Plan is usually a more reasonable approach.

36. Academic Plans • Used when it will reasonably take more than 1 payment period for a student to regain FSA eligibility. • Academic Plans have three components: • Hours Attempted and Earned each payment period (showing progress towards Pace) • Anticipated GPA -semester and cumulative (showing progress towards GPA required for graduation) • Graduation Plan: Courses required to complete degree (if student will clearly go over maximum time frame). • Student will have a new Review Period schedule (usually each payment period meets SAP again). • Plan must show how SAP will be met by a specific point in time

37. Academic Plans • Who makes the plan? • Student • Advisor • FA Counselor • Appeals Committee • A combination • Are they properly trained to do so? • Do you need a SAP Academic Plan worksheet?

38. Academic Plans

39. Academic Plans • Hours Attempted and Earned: • If student can’t complete degree before 150% max, then should be 100% for each semester • If student can complete degree before 150%, you can allow % completion rate to be lower. • Best Practices: • Set to lowest % Pace rate necessary • Set the highest % Pace rate in place in earliest semester, so student has to prove ability • Limit # of attempted hours if student doesn’t show ability to complete full-time work (ie: excessive “W”s)

40. Academic Plans • Anticipated GPA • Calculate the minimum GPA necessary for enrollment • Should attain GPA for Graduation before Max timeframe. • If not possible, at least by graduation date • Set minimum GPAs per payment period • Hold student to Cumulative GPA required for graduation, and to % Pace. • Sometimes a student might have a different semester GPA than you expected, but still meet the Cumulative. • Grade Forgiveness/Amnesty/Replacement, etc… • These can help the GPA required for Graduation • Can be an aspect of the Academic Plan

41. Academic Plans • Know your Math • How is GPA calculated on your campus? • Are any courses weighted differently? • Does grade forgiveness/replacement/amnesty apply? If so, how will it affect both measurements? • Does the student anticipate dropping a course? • Will the student need to exceed the Max Timeframe? • Is it mathematically possible for the student to regain eligibility?

42. Academic Plans

43. Academic Plans

44. Academic Plans • Graduation Plans: • If student can’t complete degree before 150% • Should give a list of courses required to complete the degree • Should include a semester-by-semester plan for these courses • Should have advisor’s signature • Should follow the plan closely • May need to change the plan: update appeal.

45. Academic Plans

46. Academic Plans • Review Period Schedule: • Doesn’t follow normal SAP schedule • Student is on a Probation Semester first • Should recheck courses after drop/add. • Check academics after Prob. Semester • Should check each semester of appeal plan • Could check annually after Probationary Semester • Must be meeting plan or not elig for FSA. • Once meets SAP standards, returns to regular Review Period Schedule (ie Annually).

47. Academic Plans • Know your Student • Is it reasonable to expect these academic requirements out of this student (Based on academic history)? • Should you limit the student’s enrollment status, require a change of major or set other such limits? • Are you only increasing the debt burden of the student? • Is this a wise investment of Federal, State and Institutional Funds?

48. Other Questions you should ask: • How long should an academic plan last? • One semester? One Year? Two Years? • My office usually limits a student to 4 semesters • How long past the 150% timeframe is OK? • My office usually limits a student to 175% (210 hours). • How long will the student retain financial aid eligibility? • Pell limited to 6 Full-time years • Loans limited by aggregates • Most other aid limited to 4 full-time years • Can the student complete the degree without aid? • If so, should the student to pay for one or two semesters first?

49. Other Questions you should ask: • What GPA is too low to reasonably recover?

50. Other Questions you should ask: • Should the student be evaluated mid-semester? • Pros: • You could stop future disbursements (if any) • You could stop future awarding (if won’t meet SAP) • You could add additional requirements • Academic Counseling • Tutoring • You may become aware of unofficial withdrawals • Cons: • Requires a large allocation of time • You must act on the information you discover • Professors may not have sufficient grades for estimates • You can’t redact funds already disbursed • Reduces student responsibility (you’re not their parent)