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Academic Suspension Appeal and Contractual Readmission Persistence and Completion Council Programming Team

Statement of Need Beginning with the 2017-2018 catalog year, all students with a cumulative grade point average below 2.0 following a spring semester will be placed on academic suspension Review of historical data suggests a potential for approximately 1200- 1300 students of the WVU main campus undergraduate study body to be suspended at the conclusion of the Spring 2018 term Students will have the option to appeal their suspension to an Academic Standards Committee within their unit

Decision Process Programming Team recommends careful selection of members of Academic Standards Committee members Training will be provided, including case study discussions

Careful Consideration of Institutional Data: Likelihood to graduate within 6 years The 6-year graduation rate of first-year students with a cumulative GPA below 2.0 following their first spring semester is 13% Financial Ramifications While student financial outcomes are difficult to track for specific populations (e.g. those below a 2.0 following their initial spring semester) broad financial outcomes of WVU students are available through the Department of Education https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?238032-West-Virginia- University

Academic Suspension Appeal Single application for academic suspension appeal and financial aid appeal Decision for academic suspension still held by individual colleges Decision for financial aid appeal held by the Financial Aid Office Web-based application Clearly defined process for academic review vs. financial aid review included Question section (what happened, why, what changed, etc.) Third-party documentation Confirmation page to print, sign (ink signature), and deliver to Financial Aid Office

Contractual Readmission Program Contract framework will be the same across all schools and colleges: Suggest “toolbox” of student success resources – students and advisors should work together to select at least three tools to list in the contract: Specified number of meetings with: Academic Advisor Success Coach Mental Health Professional (if applicable) Accommodations Specialist (if applicable) Tutor

Contractual Readmission Program ULIB 100 (2 credit course) or other appropriate courses Financial Avenue completion Summer term requirement Attendance at Success Workshops and/or Residence Hall programs Additional resources or requirements as deemed appropriate by college/ school Toolbox can be adjusted to meet needs of online students (Skype, etc.)

Resources in the Works Advisor Training Pre-Application Worksheet Informational Video Walking students through the application/ appeal

CRP Application There will be a “pre-application worksheet” for students to prepare their application 3 types of questions: Academic Information What is your GPA? What is your completion rate? Etc. Financial Information How does debt correlate to monthly repayment? Directed Writing Prompts What happened which you can/ have now addressed?

Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Sandra Bennett, Assistant Vice President, Student Financial Support and Services Terry Miller, Assistant Director, Student Financial Support and Services

Categories of SAP Issues Grade Point Average: Must maintain a 2.0 Completion Rate: Must successfully complete at least 67% of all courses attempted Maximum Time-frame: Must complete degree objective within 150% of required hours (e.g. Degree requires 120 hours, student can attempt 180 hours) Any combination of items listed above

When SAP is checked? All students’ academic progress is evaluated at the end of each spring term Students with an approved financial aid and academic appeal are evaluated at the end of each term Did student earn necessary GPA? Did student complete all courses required? Did student come into compliance?

SAP Process Communications Two levels of appeal Students with GPAs below 2.0 after fall semester Students who receive all F’s, D’s at mid-term Students who are at or approaching maximum time-frame (150%) Students with an approved appeal and drop a course(s) during the term Two levels of appeal 1st: Completed by Financial Aid Counselors 2nd: Completed by campus-wide committee consisting of faculty and staff

Process Student must complete, sign, and submit an academic appeal Must explain why student failed to meet academic standards Must explain what steps/actions they have taken to allow them to succeed Student must provide supporting documentation Student must meet with an academic advisor to create an academic success plan (must be for 3 terms)

Process Student can submit appeal In-person Fax Email (Team Dynamix) A minimum of two Financial Aid Counselors will review appeal If first two Counselors agree, no further review is necessary If first two Counselors do not agree, a third Counselor will review (majority rules)

Process If approved Student is contacted through Team Dynamix. A copy of their ASP is attached to email so student knows what courses are required Create a financial aid award After student registers, we periodically check course schedule to make sure the ASP is being followed Monitor student’s course schedule during semester to ensure the plan is being followed Student will need to submit an updated ASP or Submit an appeal prior to the start of the next term

Process If denied Student is notified via Team Dynamix Student can appeal again

Moving Forward If student is academically suspended Will use a joint appeal form Academic Departments will review first Financial Aid will only review if academic appeal is approved If student is not academically suspended Student will appeal through the financial aid process

Moving Forward Financial Aid communications will be updated to include information about the new process Website will be updated to include information about the new process Will have a question: Have you been academically suspended, if yes, click on link below (this will take student to the academic process)

Case Study #1 You are advising a student, Ted, who is on academic probation and has several midterm grades posted for the current semester. Ted meets in your office to ask about withdrawing from a spring class. Ted is an out-of-state student and has mentioned that he has taken out student loans, but gives you the impression that he is not overly worried about the loans at this point. Upon further discussion, you realize his student loan debt for his first year at the university totals approximately $20,000. What do you do?

Case Study #2 Greta Klew is suspended.  She arrives for her advising appointment to create a PLAN in DegreeWorks for her CRP application.  She proudly shows you her work on the CRP PreWorksheet.  She also brings a glowing character reference from her favorite professor that she plans to submit as her third party documentation.  She is not on financial aid, but you use the handy GPA calculator presented by Financial Aid to determine if she can reach a 2.0 by this coming fall…. BANNER SHATERM report: Overall Attempted Hours - 221 Overall Earned Hours - 111 Overall GPA Hours - 164 Overall Quality Points - 265 

5 Strategies for a Teachable Moment Stay Calm Be Real Get To The Point Be Clear Look Ahead

Please complete the Post-Workshop Survey at: http://undergraduate.wvu.edu/home/aac-survey2