2.9.1 Satisfactory Academic Progress

Responsible Position

Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs

RELATED ITEMS

Minnesota State Board Policy

2.9 Academic Standing and Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress

Minnesota State System Procedure

2.9.1 Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress

Federal Financial Aid Handbook, Chapter 1. School-Determined Requirements
34 CFR 668.34(a)(2) Student eligibility – general

PROCEDURES

In order to retain academic and financial aid eligibility, students must meet the following satisfactory academic progress requirements:

Qualitative Measure of Progress (grade point average, GPA):

All students are required to maintain a 2.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA). Grades of A, B, C, D, F, FW, U, I and IP or Z will be included in the GPA calculation. (Refer to 3.17.1 Grading System for further details on how the GPA is calculated). ATCC utilizes a 4.0 grade scale.
Quantitative Measure of Progress (Completion Percentage)

Completion Percentage

All students are required to successfully complete a minimum of 66.67% of their cumulative registered/attempted credits. Grades of F, FW, I, U, W, and IP or Z (or blank/missing) are treated as registered credits but NOT earned credits and thus negatively impact the percent of completion. Completion percentage is calculated by dividing earned credits by attempted credits.

Maximum Time Frame (applies to financial aid recipients only)

All financial aid recipients are expected to complete their degree/certificate at Alexandria Technical & Community College within 150% of the published credit length of the program (timeframe). In the event it is not possible for a student to complete the required credits in the 150% timeframe, the student will be denied financial aid. If the institution determines it is not possible for a student to raise their GPA to the institution's standards before the student completes their program of study they will be suspended from financial aid.

Evaluation Period

Alexandria Technical & Community College will evaluate satisfactory academic progress of all registered students after each semester, which includes fall, spring, and summer.

Failure to Meet Standards

Warning

Students will be placed on a warning status if qualitative and quantitative measures of progress have not been met. Warning status continues for one semester. Students on warning are eligible to register for credits and receive financial aid.

Suspension of Students on Warning Status

Following the warning period, if a student has not met both the cumulative grade point average and completion percentage standards, the student shall be suspended. Students on suspension are not eligible to register or receive financial aid.

Suspension of Students Not on Warning Status

Suspension for Exceeding the Maximum Timeframe. The student shall be suspended from financial aid eligibility if at the end of the evaluation period a student has failed to meet the standard for measurement of maximum timeframe.
Suspension for Inability to Meet Program Requirements within the Maximum Timeframe. The student shall be suspended from financial aid if at the end of the evaluation period the institution determines it is not possible for a student to raise their GPA or course completion percentage before the student completes their program of study at ATCC.
Suspension for Extraordinary Circumstances. Institutions may immediately suspend students in the event of extraordinary circumstances, including but not limited to previously suspended (and reinstated) students whose academic performance falls below acceptable standards during a subsequent semester of enrollment; students who register for courses, receive financial aid, and do not attend any classes; and students whose attendance patterns appear to abuse the receipt of financial aid.
Suspension at Another Institution. Students who have been suspended from, or have not met Alexandria Technical & Community College satisfactory academic progress standards at another college or university within the past academic year are required to petition for admission and financial aid at ATCC. Students on a suspension status should contact the ATCC Registrar's Office for the appropriate appeal form. Students who were suspended longer than one year ago (but who have not subsequently enrolled or returned to good standing) may enroll at ATCC; however, in order to receive financial aid, they would be required to appeal. The status of a student with a successful appeal would change to a probationary status.

Return to Good Standing

If at the end of the warning or probation period a student has met both the cumulative GPA and cumulative completion percentage standards, the warning or probation status is ended and the student is returned to good standing.

Appeals and Probation

Appeals

A student who fails to make satisfactory academic progress and is suspended has the right to appeal based on special, unusual or mitigating circumstances causing undue hardship, such as death in the family or a student's injury, illness, or hospitalization.

Appeals are due by the date indicated in the correspondence if the student wishes to be reinstated for financial aid and/or enrollment.
Appeals must be submitted in writing on forms available from the college.
The appeal must include an explanation of the special, unusual or mitigating circumstances causing undue hardship that prevented the student from making satisfactory academic progress.
The appeal must also include what has changed in the student's situation that would allow the student to demonstrate satisfactory academic progress at the end of the next evaluation period.
Supporting documentation beyond the written explanation is strongly encouraged.
Initial consideration of appeals will be undertaken by the Director of Financial Aid, Educational Services Dean, or designee. If denied, academic suspensions may be resubmitted for consideration by an Appeals Committee and financial aid suspensions to the Educational Services Dean.
Appeals that are approved must contain an academic plan that, if followed, ensures the student would be able to meet satisfactory academic progress standards by a specific point in time.

All academic plans put in place for GPA deficiency will require a minimum term GPA of 2.50 during any probationary semester. All academic plans put in place for percent (%) completion deficiency, will require a term completion percentage of 75% during any probationary semester.

Probationary Status

A student who has successfully appealed shall be placed on probation for one evaluation period and be monitored during that evaluation period to ensure they meet their academic plan. If, at the end of the next evaluation period, a student on probation status:

Has met the institution's cumulative grade point average and completion percentage standards, the student shall be returned to good standing.
Has not met the institution's cumulative grade point average and completion percentage standards but has met the conditions specified in his/her academic plan (2.50 term GPA and/or 75% term completion rate, depending upon the deficiency), the student shall retain his/her financial aid and registration eligibility under a probationary status for a subsequent evaluation period and be monitored during that period of time.
Has not met the institution's cumulative grade point average and completion percentage standards and has also not met the conditions specified in his/her academic plan, the student shall be re-suspended immediately upon completion of the evaluation.

Notification of Status and Appeal Results

Status Notification

Students are notified in writing (letter or email to institutional account) when the evaluation of satisfactory academic progress results in warning, suspension, or probation. The notice includes the conditions of the current status and the conditions necessary to regain eligibility for registration and financial aid. Notice of suspension also includes the right and process necessary to appeal suspension.

Appeal Result Notification

Students are notified in writing (letter or ATCC email) of the results of all appeals. Approved appeals include the conditions under which the appeal is approved and any conditions necessary to retain eligibility for registration and financial aid. Denied appeals include the reason for denial and the process to appeal the denial.

Reinstatement

A student who has been suspended from financial aid eligibility may be reinstated after an appeal has been approved or the minimum cumulative GPA and completion percentage standards have been achieved. Subject to a student’s successful appeal, a student suspended from ATCC may be reinstated to enroll for classes after not attending for one year. Neither paying for their own classes nor sitting out a period of time is sufficient in and of itself to re-establish a student's financial aid eligibility.

Treatment of Grades and Credits

Credits: The unit by which academic work is measured.

Registered (Attempted) Credits: The total number of credits for which a student is officially enrolled in at the end of the registration drop/add period each semester.

Cumulative Registered Credits: Cumulative registered credits are the total number of credits registered for all terms of enrollment at the college, including summer terms and terms for which the student did not receive financial aid.

Earned Credits: Earned credits include grades of A, B, C, D, S, CR and P. They are successfully completed credits that count towards the required percentage of completion (66.67%) as defined by the quantitative measure.

Attempted, NOT Earned: Grades of F, FW, I, IP, W, U and Z (or a blank/missing) will be treated as credits attempted but NOT successfully completed (earned).

Fresh Start: Credits for which a student has been granted an academic fresh start WILL be included in all financial aid satisfactory academic progress measurements.

Audited Courses: Audited courses are not aid eligible and are not included in any financial aid satisfactory academic progress measurements.

Consortium Credits: Consortium credits are those credits for which a student is registered at another college, are accepted by ATCC, and are included for purposes of processing financial aid at this college (applicability). These credits are included in all satisfactory academic progress measurements.

Developmental Credits: Developmental credits are those awarded for remedial course work (below 1000 level). Students may receive financial aid for developmental credits up to a maximum of 30 credits hours (excluding ESL). Remedial/developmental credits must be included in the GPA and excluded from the completion percentage measurement of satisfactory academic progress. Up to 30 remedial/developmental credits must be excluded from the maximum time-frame calculation.

Repeat Credits: Repeat credits are credits awarded when a student repeats a course in order to improve a grade. A student shall not be permitted to receive financial aid for more than one repetition of a previously passed course. (Refer to 3.17.4 Repeating Courses for further details on how repeating courses affects satisfactory progress.)

Transfer Credits: Transfer credits are credits accepted by Alexandria Technical & Community College and applied to the student's program requirements and shall be counted as credits attempted and completed for calculation of (financial aid) cumulative completion percentage. Grades associated with these credits shall not be used in calculating cumulative GPA. Transfer credits accepted and applied toward a student's general education, program or degree requirements shall apply toward the maximum time-frame calculation.

Withdraw: The mark of "W" (withdrawal) is assigned when a student withdraws from a class after the drop/add period. It is not included when calculating grade point average or earned credits. Thus, it does not impact GPA but does count as attempted credits and, therefore, negatively impacts the student's percent of completion.

Incompletes: The mark of "I" (incomplete) is a temporary grade which is assigned only in exceptional circumstances. It will be given only to students who cannot complete the work of a course on schedule because of illness or other circumstances beyond their control. An "I" grade will automatically become an "F" grade at the end of the first half of the next semester if requirements to complete course work have not been satisfactorily met. Instructors have the option of setting an earlier completion date for the student. A grade of "I" is included when calculating grade point average or earned credits. It negatively impacts GPA and the student's percent of completion.

In Progress: The mark of "IP" (in progress) is a temporary grade for courses that are not on a structured basis. A grade of "IP" is included when calculating grade point average or earned credits. It negatively impacts GPA and the student's percent of completion.

Definitions

Academic Plan. A student who successfully appeals for reinstatement will be required by ATCC to complete, during their probationary period, specific requirements contained in an academic plan developed for that student. At a minimum the academic plan will require a student to achieve a 2.50 GPA during their probationary term and/or a 75% completion rate during their probationary semester, depending upon the deficiency.

Evaluation Period. Satisfactory progress is measured at the end of each academic semester.

Probationary Status. A student who has successfully appealed a suspension shall be placed on probation for one evaluation period. At the end of the next evaluation period, the student's status will be reviewed again to determine their status.

Suspension Status. A student on suspension status is not eligible to register for credits or receive financial aid. Students who have been suspended may regain their eligibility only through the institution's appeal process or when they are again meeting the institution's satisfactory academic progress cumulative grade point average and completion percentage standards.

Warning Status. Students on warning are eligible to register and receive financial aid for one evaluation period despite a determination that the student has not met either an institution's grade point average standard, or completion percentage standard, or both.

Fresh Start. The fresh start option applies to academic standing only and does not affect financial aid satisfactory academic progress status. A student will return to the college with the status that was in effect when they last attended. A student may request an academic fresh start after completing their first term of enrollment if they meet the following criteria:

Has not attended ATCC for five (5) academic years. (An academic year is three (3) semesters in length.)
First term of enrollment is successfully completed (2.0 GPA and no withdrawals).
Only prior D and F grades no longer count in GPA.
Exception: If a student graduated from a program and a D grade was used to meet program requirements, that grade would remain and continue to affect academic satisfactory progress.
With the exception above, a student cannot choose to keep some D grades and have fresh start applied to other D grades – it is all or no D and F grades.
Student must complete the fresh start request form if they meet the above criteria.

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POLICIES & PROCEDURES