Satisfactory
Academic Progress for UPPS
No. 07.07.01
Undergraduate
and Certification Seeking Issue No. 6
Students on Financial Aid Effective
Date: 02/29/2008
Review: February 1 E4Y
01. POLICY STATEMENTS
01.01 This
UPPS defines Satisfactory Academic Progress for undergraduate and certification
seeking students in determining eligibility under the relevant federal and
state financial aid programs. This policy applies to all undergraduate and
certification students who apply for financial aid regardless of whether a
student has previously received financial aid.
01.02 The
development and dissemination of this information to students is required by
regulations of the Department of Education as specified in 34 CFR 668.43.
02. SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS GUIDELINES
02.01 The
Higher Education Act of 1965 requires each student to be making Satisfactory
Academic Progress (SAP) to be eligible for federal and state financial aid
programs. Satisfactory Academic Progress is defined in both quantitative and
qualitative measures. The quantitative measure consists of a maximum timeframe
in which a student must complete his or her educational program. The
qualitative measure requires each student to maintain a satisfactory grade
point average consistent with the requirement to obtain a degree or eligible certification at the University.
02.02 The
quantitative measure states that a maximum number of semester hours may be
attempted for students to complete their academic
program degree, and a minimum number of semester
credit hours must be earned at the end of each academic year based on the total
registered hours.
a.
Maximum
Timeframe: For
undergraduate students, the maximum number of credit hours (total attempted
hours) is limited to 150% of the published degree program requirements and
includes all hours (including repeats) at any institution of higher education and
hours accepted in transfer even if financial aid was not received. Non-credit
courses taken at the University or any institution of higher education,
including hours accepted in transfer, will be calculated into the total attempted
hours. There is no provision for academic amnesty in evaluating Satisfactory Academic
Progress. The maximum number of total attempted hours will be 150% of the maximum number of semester hours
for any undergraduate degree or
certification program.
Example:
1)
A
first baccalaureate requires no more than 128 hours, which will allow 192
attempted hours (128 * 150% = 192 hours). This
calculation will apply to all first baccalaureate programs.
2)
A
second baccalaureate requires no more than 30 hours, which will allow 45
attempted hours (30 * 150% = 45 hours). This
calculation will apply to all second baccalaureate programs.
3)
A
certification seeking program requires no more than 60 hours, which will allow
90 attempted hours (60 * 150% = 90 hours). This calculation will apply to all
certification programs.
b.
All
grades that represent earned grades such as “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”, “F”, and “CR”
will be counted toward the total attempted hours. Each repeated course will also
be counted toward this total. Grades of “I”, “W” and “PR”, which represent
non-credit semester hours, will also be counted toward the total attempted
hours.
c.
Earned
Hours: The
quantitative measure for undergraduate (first baccalaureate and second
baccalaureate) and certification seeking students also requires that a minimum
number of semester credit hours be earned at the end of each academic year (end
of spring semester). The end of the academic year is defined as the end of the
spring semester. During the academic year (previous summer/fall/ spring) a
student who applies for financial aid must, prior to their receiving financial
aid, successfully complete a specified minimum of attempted coursework
(completion rate) during each period of evaluation (summer/fall/spring). If the
number of completed hours drops below 70% of attempted hours during the
evaluation period (summer/fall/spring)—even those periods during which the
student did not receive financial aid, the student will be placed on financial
aid probation. Only courses attempted and completed at Texas State are used in
determining the completion rate.
Examples:
1)
If
a student attempts 30 credit hours in an academic year (summer/ fall/spring),
he or she must complete a minimum of 21 credit hours (30 * 70% = 21) in order
to meet SAP for the year. All partial credit hours are rounded down to the
nearest hour.
2)
If
a student attempts 20 credit hours in an academic year (summer/ fall/spring),
he or she must complete a minimum of 14 credit hours (20 * 70% = 14) in order
to meet SAP for the year. All partial credit hours are rounded down to the
nearest hour.
d. Grades
of “W”, "I", “F”, and “PR” will be considered as attempted hours but
not as completed hours for purposes of calculating the student’s completion
rate. Changes in grades will be assessed during the annual evaluation at the
end of the academic year (end of spring semester).
02.03 The
qualitative measure requires that the student must at a minimum meet the
following cumulative Texas State grade point average (GPA):
Undergraduate
(First Bachelor’s)
Freshman (1-29 hours) at end of
spring 1.85
Sophomores, junior and seniors
(>29 hours) at end of spring 2.00
Undergraduate
(Second Bachelor’s)
End of spring 2.50
Certification
Seeking
End of spring 2.50
Effective
Fall 1991, when a course is repeated once, the last grade earned
("W"s excluded) is the only grade used in computing the GPA. If a
course is repeated more than once, the second grade and all subsequent grades
are used in computing the GPA. An "I" grade will be a non-punitive
grade for one year from the end of the semester in which the "I"
grade is received and will not be counted in the calculation of GPA. If an
"I" grade is not removed within the one-year period (an exception may
be made when a student is called to active military duty), it will become an
"F" and will be counted in the calculation of GPA. Grades of
"W", "PR" and "CR" are also non-punitive grades
and will not be counted in the calculation of GPA. Changes in grades will be
captured during the annual evaluation at the end of the academic year (end of
spring semester).
03. REVIEW
POLICY
03.01 At
the end of each academic year (end of spring semester) Financial Aid and
Scholarships will review the progress of each financial aid recipient for SAP. Students
will be reviewed to ensure that they are meeting the following criteria:
a. Cumulative
Texas State GPA of at least:
1) 1.85
for freshman undergraduates
2) 2.00
for sophomore, junior and senior undergraduates
3) 2.50
for second bachelor’s
4) 2.50
for certification seekers
b. Successful
completion of at least 70% of all attempted Texas State coursework during each
evaluation period (previous summer/fall/ spring)—even those periods during
which the student did not receive financial aid.
c.
Total
attempted hours does not exceed 150% of the maximum number of semester hours
required for any undergraduate degree or certification program (192 hours for
first baccalaureate, 45 hours for second baccalaureate and 90 hours for
certification seeking students).
d.
New
aid applicants will be reviewed upon Financial Aid and Scholarships’ receipt of
the student’s financial aid application.
03.02 Financial
Aid Probation: Students not meeting the Satisfactory Academic Progress
guidelines, who are not already on financial aid probation, will be placed on
financial aid probation. Students on financial aid probation are eligible to
continue receiving financial aid and will be evaluated at the end of the next
academic year of attendance (end of spring semester). It should be understood
that a financial aid probation is the only warning a student will receive
before aid is suspended. A student will
only receive one financial aid
probationary period during their undergraduate or certification seeking career.
03.03 Financial
Aid Suspension and Reinstatement: Students not meeting the Satisfactory
Academic Progress guidelines after a financial aid probationary period will
have their aid eligibility suspended. The only remedy for financial aid
suspension is for the student to pay for their own education until they are
meeting SAP requirements at the end of the next evaluation period (end of spring
semester). The only exception is when an appeal exemption is granted for unusual
or mitigating circumstances. If a student meets the SAP requirements prior to
the evaluation period, the student may submit a request for reinstatement of
aid.
04. APPEALS
04.01 In
the event that a student has been placed on financial aid suspension, because
they do not meet the quantitative or qualitative standards for SAP, they may
file an appeal. Appeals will only be approved in the case of mitigating
circumstances. There is no guarantee of approval. Mitigating circumstances may
include, but are not limited to, a death in the family, illness of the student,
or any undue hardship that prohibits the successful completion of coursework. Circumstances
will be evaluated by the reviewer of the appeal. Any student who wishes to
appeal the loss of their financial aid due to
their not meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (as outlined above) must do so
through the following appeals process. Under normal circumstances, an appeal to
waive the conditions stated above must be made in the following order:
a. to
the Financial Aid Counselor (appeal 1);
b. to
the Assistant or Associate Director (appeal 2);
c. to
the Director (appeal 3); and
d. to
the Financial Aid Advisory, Appeals and Scholarship Committee (appeal 4 and
final appeal level).
04.02 An
appeal must include the following:
a.
Student’s
name, Texas State ID number and e-mail address;
b.
A
written description of the mitigating circumstances;
c.
Documentation
to support any claims;
d.
If
appealing because the student has exceeded the maximum timeframe or because of
a change in major, a degree plan must be submitted showing the number of hours
remaining until graduation;
e.
A
description of the steps taken by the student to remedy the situation; and
f.
The
student’s signature.
NOTE: Appeals submitted without documentation will
not be considered.
04.03 Once
a student is first notified (in oral or written form) of their being ineligible
for financial aid (financial aid suspension), the student has ten working days
to submit an appeal. If a student is denied an appeal at any level (with the
exception of a level 4 appeal) and wishes to appeal to the next level, the
student must submit a written notice of appeal to the next level within ten working
days after receiving an oral or written notice of the decision at the previous
level.
04.04 Graduate
students on financial aid should refer to UPPS No. 07.07.02.
05. NOTIFICATION
05.01 The
definition of Satisfactory Academic Progress will be published annually in the Undergraduate
Catalog and official university electronic publications and will be
communicated to all financial assistance applicants by any other means deemed
necessary by the Director of Financial Aid and Scholarships.
05.02 Computer
generated e-mails (or letters when a student’s e-mail address is not available)
will be sent at the end of the spring semester to inform the student that he or
she is no longer eligible to receive financial aid. Students will be notified after grades are
posted on the student’s academic transcript. New aid applicants will be
notified upon Financial Aid and Scholarships’ receiving and reviewing the
student’s financial aid application.
05.03 The
Director of Financial Aid and Scholarships or designee may waive any of the
above requirements when extenuating circumstances are properly presented and
documented.
06. REVIEWERS OF THIS UPPS
06.01 Reviewers
of this UPPS include the following:
Position Date
Director of Financial Aid and February 1 E4Y
Scholarships
Associate Vice President for February 1 E4Y
Enrollment Management & Marketing
07. CERTIFICATION STATEMENT
This
UPPS has been approved by the following individuals in their official
capacities and represents Texas State policy and procedure from date of this
document until superseded.
Director,
Financial Aid and Scholarships; senior reviewer of this UPPS
Associate
Vice President for Enrollment Management & Marketing
Provost
and Vice President for Academic Affairs
President