§§668.16(e), (f) and

 The institution must establish a reasonable SAP policy  WHAT MUST A RESONABLE POLICY CONTAIN? ◦ The policy must be at least as strict as the policy applied to students who are not receiving Title IV aid ◦ The policy standards are consistent with in all categories of students, (full-time, part-time, graduate and undergrad etc.) ◦ Students academic progress is evaluated

 When is Academic Progress evaluated? ◦ If the program is one academic year in length or shorter, at the end of each payment period ◦ Other educational programs, at the end of each payment period, or at least annually at the end of a payment period.

 Policy Requirements ◦ GPA a student must achieve at each evaluation period (qualitative standard) At least a 2.0 GPA ◦ Must specify the pace at which a student must progress through their educational program to complete within the maximum time frame. Measured at each evaluation. (quantitative standard) ◦ Pace is calculated by the cumulative number of hours completed divided by the number of hours attempted.

 Example of Progression ◦ The student has attempted 90 credit hours, but has only successfully completed 48 credit hours.  48/90 = 54% progression rate. At a credit hour school, the student must be completing at a percentage rate established by each institution. Maximum time frame.  Maximum time frame at a credit hour school is no longer that 150% of the published length of the program.  At clock hour school a period that is no longer than 150% of length of program, measured by cumulative number of hours the student is to complete in calendar time.

 The Policy must also describe the following: ◦ How pace of completion is affected by course withdrawals, incompletes, repetitions or transfer credit from another institution ◦ Transfer credits from another institution accepted toward the student’s program must count as both attempted and completed hours ◦ At the time of evaluation a student who has not achieved the required GPA or who is not successfully completing the program at the required pace is consider to not be meeting SAP

 Evaluating SAP ◦ End of each payment period ◦ Annually ◦ Less frequently than the end of the payment period

 If school evaluates at the end of each payment period ◦ The payment period following the period they did not make SAP the school  May place student on financial aid “warning” and disburse Title IV funds  May place student on financial aid probation and disburse Title IV funds if the student  Meets schools SAP standards by the end of the payment period or  School and student develop a personalized academic plan that ensures student meets SAP at a certain point in time. Monitored by the school

 If evaluation of SAP is annually or less frequently than a payment period ◦ Student on probation  May not receive Title IV aid for the following payment period unless  Student makes SAP or  Meets the requirements of the personalized academic plan

 No appeal required for financial aid warning  The warning option is only available to schools that evaluate after each payment period  Warning and probation must be described in the school’s SAP policy and shared with students  Schools are not required to offer warning or probation

 Notifications required by the school ◦ To student when the result of the SAP evaluation impacts aid eligibility ◦ Appeal process must describe how often and number of appeals allowed ◦ If no appeal process must describe how a student can regain Title IV eligibility

 How does Salem State Evaluation SAP? ◦ Every payment period, including summer ◦ We use “warning” and the student maintains aid for the following payment period. Student is urged to see Academic Advising. ◦ Student on probation, may appeal to the Financial Aid Office.  The student must meet with Academic Advising and develop a personalized academic contract and

 Submit an appeal explaining why they failed to meet SAP and what has changed that will allow them to get back into good academic standing  Student is only allowed one appeal  If they fail to submit an appeal when on probation, they lose their eligibility for Title IV aid  Appeals that are approved will have their academic plan reviewed at the end of the payment period to see if they met their contract.

If the student has meet the conditions of their contract, they continue to receive Title IV aid If they fail to meet their agreed to contract, they are not meeting SAP and lose their aid

 Sources: ◦ Dept. of Ed Code of Federal Regulation § ◦ NSLP (National Student Loan Program) webinar November 17, 2010 Contact Information Mary S. Benda, Salem State University