Federal regulations require that Aultman College of Nursing and Health Sciences establish policies to monitor the academic progress of ALL students who apply for and/or receive federal financial aid as well as non-recipients. It is important to note that Satisfactory Academic Progress Rules apply for all semesters of enrollment, even when financial aid is not received.
The financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy is to ensure that any student who receives or applies for financial aid is making progress toward a degree. In order to maintain eligibility for aid for the following academic year, a student must meet the quantitative and qualitative requirements listed below. Failure to meet these requirements will result in the loss of aid until action is taken to regain eligibility.
Monitoring Procedures
Satisfactory Academic Progress will be monitored annually. A student's progress for summer, fall and/or spring will be reviewed at the completion of spring semester to determine if the “Progression Requirements” have been met. On release of spring grades, if these requirements have not been met, the student will be placed on financial aid probation. The first time the student fails to meet the satisfactory progress standards, he/she receives a notice from the College and is put on academic probation for one payment period (semester).
The student may continue to receive aid for one (1) semester if not meeting SAP. If minimum standards are not met after the probation semester, the student will be placed on financial aid suspension and will be unable to receive aid until minimum standards are met.
Students will be notified if the minimum standards have not been met.
The aid programs affected by these requirements are:
· Federal Pell Grant
· Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)
· Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
· Direct Parent Loans for Undergraduate Student (Direct PLUS)
· Ohio College Opportunity Grant (OCOG)
· Nurse Education Assistance Loan Program (NEALP)
Quantitative and Qualitative Requirements
Progress is measured by Qualitative and Quantitative standards:
· Quantitative
o The number of credits earned in relation to those attempted
o The maximum time frame allowable to complete the academic program.
· Qualitative
o The student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA)
Quantitative:
1. Meet or exceed a cumulative earned 67% of cumulative attempted credit hours
· The total number of credit hours the student begins with on the eighth calendar day of all semesters (summer, fall, and/or spring) is multiplied by 67%. This number represents the minimum number of credit hours the student must complete. A course is considered “attempted” if the student is enrolled in the course at the end of the drop/add period and does not withdraw prior to the sixth day of class. For example, if a student begins each of two semesters with 17 credit hours, the student must satisfactorily complete 23 hours by the end of the academic year.
Example:
17 hours x 2 semesters = 34 hours x .67 (67%) = 23 hours.
2. Complete your degree within the specific time
· Degree Completion: The maximum time frame allowable to complete the academic program. Satisfactory Academic Progress is limited to accumulated attempted hours totaling no more than 150% of the credit hours required to receive a first undergraduate degree.
Associate Degree of Nursing Program . . . . . . . . Maximum of 110 attempted hours (73 x 1.5) attempted semester hours
Qualitative:
1. Maintain grade point average
The student's cumulative grade point average will be reviewed to ensure the following minimums are met:
o Cumulative GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale
Incompletes (I)
Do not count until changed to one of the grades listed above. Once an “I” has been changed to an A, B, or C it is the student's responsibility to notify our office. Those credit hours can then be counted into the number of credit hours completed for the academic year during which the class was originally taken.
Audit
Audit hours do not count in determining financial aid eligibility.
Withdrawals
Withdrawals from courses after the drop/add will be counted as hours attempted but not earned (completed).
Repeated Courses
Financial aid may be awarded to cover the cost of courses previously taken to improve a grade of D or F; however, initial and repeated enrollment in the same course counts as hours attempted each time the course is taken.
Course failures
Course failures are counted as hours attempted but not completed.
Transfer Students
Students who transfer into the College will initially be eligible for aid. Transfer credits are calculated into the number of credits attempted but are not factored into the cumulative GPA when a student transfers to Aultman College of Nursing and Health Sciences. At the end of Spring Semester, the files will be reviewed to determine the status of the student for receipt of future aid.
Change of Program Major within the College
Students who change their major will initially be eligible for aid. For this policy, the College will not include in the student’s SAP standing credits attempted and grades earned that do not count toward the student’s new major. At the end of Spring Semester, the files will be reviewed to determine the status of the student for receipt of future aid.
Institutional Academic Standards – The financial aid Academic Progress Policy is separate and apart from the institutional academic standards listed in the College catalog and Student Handbook.
Probation / Suspension
Probation:
A student will be placed on Satisfactory Academic Progress Probation if any one (1) of the following conditions apply:
· Fails to maintain a Cumulative GPA of: 2.0 or greater
· Has a Cumulative Completion Rate of less than 67%.
Students maintain their financial aid eligibility while on probation but must bring their Cumulative GPA and Cumulative Completion Rate above the stated standards to avoid Suspension in subsequent terms.
Suspension:
A student will be placed on Satisfactory Academic Progress Suspension if any one (1) of the following conditions apply:
· After a probationary term the Cumulative GPA is below 2.0 for completed hours.
· After a probationary term the Cumulative Completion Rate is below 67%.
· Student has attempted more than 150% of the required number of credits for a degree or certificate.
While on suspension students lose their eligibility for financial aid. No aid will disburse to student accounts for terms that a student is on suspension and the student is responsible for paying at their own expense.
To Regain Eligibility
· Complete the number of credit hours you are lacking and/or achieve the minimum cumulative grade point required at your own expense. When these hours are completed, notify the Financial Aid Office so your eligibility for financial aid can be reinstated.
NOTE: If your violation is for failure to complete your degree within the specified time, you must complete your degree at your own expense.
or …
· If special circumstances exist (illness, family death) you have the right to appeal any decision of ineligibility to continue to receive financial assistance. The Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal form (available online at www.aultmancollege.edu or in the Office of Financial Aid) must be filed within 30 days of your notification of loss of aid and must be made in writing to the Financial Aid Administrator. Please return the form along with the appropriate third-party professional documentation to the Financial Aid Office. The appeal will be reviewed by members of the Academic Progress Ad Hoc Appeal Committee. If the appeal is granted, you will be considered to be making satisfactory progress and your eligibility for aid can be reinstated.
It is highly recommended that students on financial aid probation or suspension meet with an Aultman College faculty advisor and the LRC Coordinator to discuss educational plans/requirements and overall institutional academic progress.
Appeal for Financial Aid Eligibility
A student who is ineligible for financial aid due to not meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements may appeal his/her ineligibility within 30 days of notification. The Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form can be found at www.aultmancollege.edu. Some examples of reasons for such a request may include, but are not limited to:
1. Serious physical or mental illness for which the student needed to withdraw from all classes in order to recover, or remained enrolled at the college and did poorly in his/her classes.
2. Death or serious illness or injury to an immediate family member.
3. An injury to the student which prevents the student from attending classes and completing academic requirements.
