Satisfactory Academic Progress Myla Walter & Vicky Wall

Why do we monitor Satisfactory Academic Progress? Federal/State Requirements A student must maintain satisfactory academic progress in his or her course of study The school must establish, publish, and apply standards for measuring whether student is maintaining satisfactory academic progress The SAP standards must be same as or stricter than standards for non-Title IV recipients

SAP Standards School’s SAP standards must include: Cumulative gpa requirements Work completed – pace to degree (term and cumulative) Maximum time frame in which student must complete his or her educational program

SAP standards (cont) Maximum time frame for undergraduate programs may not exceed 150% of published length of the program Time frame must be divided into increments not to exceed the lesser of one academic year or 1/2 published length of program (divided into terms – fall, spring, summer) Policy must include a schedule of work that shows amount of work a student must successfully complete at end of each increment (pace to degree percentage) Each student’s progress must be assessed at the end of each increment

SAP standards (cont) SAP standards must be consistently applied to all students within categories of students (ex. undergraduate, graduate and professional) SAP policy must include: Specific policies defining effect of incompletes, withdrawals, repetitions, and noncredit remedial courses Specific appeal procedures Specific procedures for student to re-establish that he or she is maintaining satisfactory progress

Grade Point Requirements GPA Deficiencies All students must earn a 2.0 cumulative gpa for all terms of enrollment (including summers). After their first term of enrollment, students who receive less than a 2.0 cumulative gpa will be placed on warning status. Students who have other warning statuses within the same term are still eligible for financial aid. (Still eligible for financial aid as long as they don’t have any other denial status. Example of another deficiency. Student is pace to degree denied for the term for completing less than 50% of their attempted credit hours and has below a 2.0 cgpa. ) After two terms of enrollment all students, with a cumulative GPA below a 2.0 will be denied further financial aid until a 2.0 or better is obtained.

Credit Completion Requirements Pace to Degree To complete an undergraduate degree in a reasonable time frame, a minimum of 12 credit hours must be earned for each term of full-time enrollment. Full-time enrollment for financial aid purposes is defined as 12 or more credit hours. Pace to degree requirement- students must completed at least 67% of attempted credit hours each term in order to be making academic progress. Students who enroll on a less than full-time basis must complete at least 67% of attempted credit hours. Example: Student attempts 15 credit hours and successfully completes 12 credit hours. 12/15 = 80%. Student is okay.

Credit Completion (continued) Evaluation Period Evaluation of credit hour requirements is performed at the end of each term of enrollment. Census policy – A student’s enrollment at the Financial Aid census date (10th day) is used to determine the number of attempted credit hours. This does take into consideration any course that a student withdraws from within the 30 day period of not having the course show on the student’s transcript and will count in the total attempted credits. Not for Credit Courses (or remedial) Not for credit courses (for ex: Math091, 092, 099, 100 and English 103) do count toward the minimum credit hours requirement. These courses are identified in the course schedule as no degree credit but are used in determining whether a student has met credit hour requirements.

Credit Completion (continued) If students fail to make satisfactory progress during any term they will be placed on warning or have aid denied. The following criteria for determining student status are used: Warning status occurs when students fail to complete 50% - 66.99% of attempted credit hours required, based on their individual enrollment. Students are allowed one warning term to achieve 67% of attempted credit hours for the term. Example: The same student attempts 15 credit hours and successfully completes 9 credit hours. 9/15 = 60%. Student would be on warning for the next term. Example: The same student attempts 15 credit hours and successfully completes 6 credit hours. 6/15 = 40%. Student is automatically denied for completing less than 50% of their attempted credit hours.

Credit Completion (continued) Denial of financial aid funds occurs when students fail to complete the minimum number of hours required during a warning term. Students fail to complete at least 50% of the attempted credit hours required based on individual enrollment Students who fail to complete at least 67% of their attempted credits during their warning period will be placed in a denial status

Time Frame Requirements Students not completing their degree within the maximum time limit are not considered to be making satisfactory progress toward their degree. All terms of enrollment at WSU, as well as any transfer credits, count toward the maximum time limit of attempted credit hours. Transfer Credit (definition)- Credit hours transferred from other institutions will affect the maximum time limit described in this policy. Terms in which no aid is received will count if the student is enrolled at census (10th day). If it is determined that the student has completed the requirements for a degree, regardless of whether the student has applied to receive the degree, the student will no longer be eligible for financial aid and must graduate.

Time Frame Requirements (cont) Undergraduates will be allowed a maximum of 180 credit hours (150%) in which to complete their first bachelor’s degree. Aid will be denied to students who have not completed their degree within this time frame. Students must also meet the cumulative pace to degree (67%) of total attempted credit hours. Summer Sessions Enrollment in summer session will count toward the maximum time limit, credit hours, and grade point average.

Time Frame Requirements (cont) Second Undergraduate Degree and Teacher Certificate Students Students who have earned an undergraduate degree and who are pursuing a second undergraduate degree or teacher certification must complete their degree within 90 attempted credit hours. The maximum time limit calculation is based on all terms of enrollment as a second-degree student whether or not aid is received each term.

Time Frame Requirements (cont) Master's Degree Candidates Master's degree candidates have a maximum time limit of 72 attempted credit hours for the majority of the master’s degree programs. There are a few that have a higher attempted credit hours allowed based on their program. The maximum time limit calculation is based on all terms of enrollment as a Master's degree student whether or not aid is received each term. Additional terms are not allowed for subsequent Master’s programs. A student can appeal if they are pursuing a second master’s degree.

Time Frame Requirements (cont) Doctoral Degree Candidates Students in a doctoral degree program must complete their degrees within 252 attempted credit hours. The maximum time limit calculation is based on all terms of enrollment as a doctoral degree student whether or not aid is received in each term.

Time Frame Requirements (cont) Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine Students Veterinary Medicine students must complete their degree within 180 attempted credit hours. Pharmacy students must complete their degree within 135 attempted credit hours.

Course Repeats & Change of Grades Students can receive financial aid for the same course twice if they received a C- or below. W’s count in the total number of times they can repeat a course and receive financial aid. Beginning spring semester 2014, if a student has a grade change or has an incomplete (I) grade changed during the same academic year they can notify our office using the SAP appeal email address, sapappeal@wsu.edu to inform us of the change and we will update their SAP status. This in some cases could improve their SAP status from being in a denial status to being either on a warning status or bring them into compliance with the SAP policy.

Appeals and Reinstatement of Aid After Denial Students who are denied financial aid for failure to maintain a 2.0 cumulative gpa, credit hour, or maximum time frame requirements will be subject to Washington State University's Student Financial Services (SFS) SAP policy. ALL infractions must be appealed to the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeals Committee. All decisions of the Appeals Committee are final. Students will need to provide a copy of their reinstatement conditions to the SFS if they are appealing their denial for financial aid due to CGPA (R39). Students who have been reinstated under Rule 43 must still file an appeal and their prior total attempted credit hours must be counted.

SAP Notification Communication is sent to the student at the end of each term with either FA1_RB or FA2_RB checklist set on those who are in a denial status. (Denial communication) The communication is sent by email to their WSU email address. Student writes appeal statement detailing the circumstances (Warning) The communication is sent by email to their WSU email address. No student action needed

Students who are in denial or fail academic plans Appeal is submitted to the SFS and routed to a member of the SAP committee. SAP committee member does the initial evaluation. If it’s a first time appeal, a member of the SAP committee will review and if approved create an academic plan or request additional documentation before being able to create an academic plan. If it’s a failed academic plan appeal, it will be reviewed to see if any additional documentation is needed and then sent to SAP committee for approval or denial. (It is not a guarantee that the appeal will be approved.) If the appeal is denied the student can regain eligibility for financial aid by making academic progress on their own towards their degree. They can seek the assistance of a private loan or utilize other resources to pay for their classes. In some instances, students who take classes at another institution and the course or courses apply towards their degree at WSU it is considered making academic progress.

Academic plan process If the appeal is approved an individualized academic plan is developed for the student. After 10th day, census date, a service indicator hold (FFH) is placed on students who are on an academic plan. This is to ensure that if a student is making changes to their enrollment after having an academic plan created for them that they are making an informed decision before the hold can be released. The student must contact our office and submit the request to have the hold removed. Students wanting to drop classes could mean that they will fail their academic plan. If they are adding classes the additional class(es) will count as part of their academic plan. The academic plan is printed and mailed to the student, with one copy retained at SFS. When the signed academic plan is returned by the student, it is completed and the waiver is put on the system to allow financial aid to either be awarded or disbursed, if already awarded. At the end of each term, all students on academic plan are reviewed to determine whether the terms of the academic plan were met and if the student did not meet the terms of the academic plan the appropriate checklist is added (FA 1_TH, FA1_NA or FA2_NB) or a new academic plan developed, if needed that the student will need to sign.

Terminology Pace to Degree – Student’s progress in completing their degree program. Measured by term and cumulatively. Cumulative GPA – Student’s cumulative gpa (2.0). Maximum Time Frame – The length of time (attempted credits) that student’s have to complete their degree. Academic Plan – An individualized academic plan (based on the students deficiency and future enrollment) created for the student whose appeal is approved in order to bring them back into compliance with the SAP policy. FFH Service Indicator – Hold added to student’s who are on an academic plan that stops the student from adding or dropping a course within the current term. The hold is term specific and does not stop a student from enrolling in a future term. FA1 (or FA2)_RB – SAP Appeal Form – Checklist assigned to students who are in a denial status after the SAP process has run for the prior terms grades.

Terminology (cont) FA1 or (FA2)_SE – SAP Academic Plan- Checklist assigned when student’s appeal has been approved and student needs to sign and return to our office in order for the student to receive their financial aid. FA1 or (FA2)_TH – Failed Academic Plan checklist assigned to those students who failed to meet the terms of their academic plan for the first time. FA1 or (FA2)_NA – Failed Two SAP Academic Plans – checklist assigned to students who have failed 2 academic plans with our office. FA1 or (FA2)_NB – No longer eligible for Financial Aid checklist assigned to students who have failed 3 academic plans with our office. These students need to make academic progress on their own before filing a new appeal.

Terminology FA1 or (FA2)_SG – Spring SAP Hold – Checklist assigned to students who are on a fall academic plan until fall grades have been verified and student has met their academic plan terms. FA1 or (FA2)_SF – Fall SAP hold – Checklist assigned to students who are on a summer academic plan until summer grades have been verified and student has met their academic plan terms. FA1 or (FA2)_RO – Summer SAP hold – Checklist assigned to students who are on a spring academic plan until spring grades have been verified and student has met their academic plan terms. ZHP - Zero hours passed – Student who either withdraws from the term or fails all classes.

Frequently Asked Questions Where do I fill out a SAP Appeal? What happens if I drop a class? How can I add or drop a class after I have signed my academic plan? What happens if I don’t meet the terms of my academic plan? How long does It take for my aid to disburse after I sign my plan? Is CACD reinstatement process the same as my SAP appeal?

SAP Deficiency Scenarios OUTLINE: Failed Academic Plan (TH/NA/NB) Zero Hours Passed (ZHP) Max. Time Frame (MTF) Pace to Degree Term (PTD-T) Pace to Degree Cumulative (PTD-C) Change of grade for an incorrect grade Change of grade for an incomplete (I) 2 Warnings = Denial

Failed Academic Plan (TH/NA/NB) Summer 2013: After Summer 2013, student was SAP deficient. Student is put on an academic plan to pass 19 Fall credits. Fall 2013: Student failed to meet the terms of their academic plan. Passed 15 rather than 19 Fall credits. Student is a TH.

Zero Hours Passed (ZHP) Fall 2013: Student did not pass any of the credits they attempted in the fall. Student is ZHP deficient.

Maximum Time Frame (MTF) Fall 2013: Student exceeded the 180 credit limit. Student is MTF deficient.

Pace to Degree Term (PTD-T) Fall 2013: Student passed 6 credits out of the 15 credits they attempted that term. Student does not meet the 67% rule for credits passed for that term. Student is PTD-T deficient.

Pace to Degree Cumulative (PTD-C) Fall 2013: Student passed 6 credits out of the 13 cumulative credits they attempted. Student does not meet the 67% rule for cumulative credits passed. Student is PTD-C deficient.

Cumulative GPA (CGPA) Fall 2013: Student did not meet the 2.0 cumulative GPA requirement. Student is CGPA deficient and in a warning status.

Change of Grade: Wrong Grade Is Changed Fall 2013: Initial SAP Calculation Student is wrongfully given a failing grade for 3 credits. Student originally reads as having passed only 9 of 12 credits (Student on academic plan to complete 12 credits. Student would have failed their academic plan for Fall 2013). Fall 2013: SAP Recalculated Teacher changes student grade and an email is sent to sapappeal@wsu.edu, the committee then recalculates SAP. Student now reads as having passed 12 of the 12 credits they attempted. Student has passed their academic plan.

Change of Grade: An Incomplete Grade Is Changed Fall 2013: Initial SAP Calculation Student is given an incomplete grade for 3 credits. Student originally reads as having passed only 3 of the 6 credits they attempted. Fall 2013: SAP Recalculated Teacher changes student grade from incomplete to passing and SAP is recalculated. Student now reads as having passed 6 of the 6 credits they attempted.

2 WARNINGS = DISQUALIFIED Spring 2013: Student is a Pace to Degree Cumulative warning. This is the first warning. Fall 2013: Student is a Pace to Degree Cumulative warning again. This is the second CONSECUTIVE warning. ______________________________________________________________________________ Student is now in a denial status because they had 2 warnings over 2 consecutive semesters.

Student Contact Information Email - sapappeal@wsu.edu Phone - 509-335-9711 In person - student’s contact their local campus