Rules, Regulations and Institutional Perspectives December, 2011 Indianapolis, Indiana

 Regulations/Guidance ◦ Higher Education Act (HEA)  484(a) and (c) Student Eligibility ◦ Code of Federal Regulations  § Program participation agreement  §668.16(e) Standards of administrative capability  §668.32(f) Student eligibility  § Satisfactory academic progress  §668.42(c) Financial assistance information ◦ Federal Student Aid Handbook  Volume 1, pages 1-10 through 1-13  Volume 2, page  Volume 4, page

 What’s New? ◦ Clarifies that SAP is an administrative capability requirement ◦ Consolidates most rules under § ◦ Lays out school policy components ◦ Differentiates between every semester versus less frequent monitoring ◦ Standardizes terminology ◦ Sets broad appeal standards 3

 Required Components ◦ Written Policy  Repeats  Incompletes  Withdrawals  Transfers ◦ Minimum GPA ◦ Maximum Timeframe ◦ Pace to Completion 4

 One note about Graduate/Prof Students ◦ Federal SAP rules are specific to undergrads ◦ Schools must establish and follow reasonable graduate/professional SAP rules 5

 Written Policy ◦ A school must establish own policy, but it must contain the federally mandated elements ◦ Must describe standards, monitoring processes, and steps to reestablish eligibility after failing the standards. 6

 Written Policy ◦ Allowing appeals is optional ◦ Must address impact of transfer credits ◦ Must address impact of repeats, incompletes and withdrawals ◦ Must describe required documentation ◦ Can have multiple policies based on specific populations 7

 Minimum GPA ◦ GPA standard must be consistent with the school’s graduation requirement  A single bright line standard  2.0 for an undergraduate, for example  A graduated standard  1.5 for a freshman, 1.8 for a sophomore, 2.0 thereafter, for example  Other ◦ If GPA is not used, another method is required 8

 Maximum Timeframe ◦ Regulations allow aid eligibility for 150% of the normal time required for a degree  Example: An associate’s degree that requires 60 credits is allowed 90 credits  This is equivalent to 8 semesters of minimal full time enrollment ◦ For graduate students, you should follow the published institutional standards 9

 Pace to completion ◦ Specifies the rate at which a student must complete courses to stay within the maximum time frame for the degree  Total hours completed / total hours attempted  A 67% pace for a 4 year degree permits 180 attempted & 120 completed credits  The rate calculation should use cumulative hours 10

 Monitoring SAP Standards ◦ No less than annually ◦ As often as every payment period ◦ If you monitor every payment period, you are allowed to grant a semester of aid ‘grace’ without student action ◦ If you monitor less than every payment period, students who fail standards become immediately ineligible for aid (no ‘grace’ period) 11

 Consistent Language ◦ Must use specific words in SAP policies  Financial Aid Warning  Financial Aid Denial  Financial Aid Appeal  Financial Aid Probation 12

 Consistent Language ◦ Financial Aid Warning  Student failed SAP standards in a semester he started in good standing  He may continue to receive aid without taking action  Only for schools that monitor every term  Allowing this “Warning” semester is optional for an eligible school 13

 Consistent Language ◦ Financial Aid Denial  School monitors every semester:  Student failed SAP standards in a semester she started in Warning, Denial or Probation  School monitors less than every semester:  Student failed SAP standards for the monitoring period  No federal aid payments are permitted  That means no Parent PLUS  Policy should state if other aid is stopped too  School may allow an Appeal 14

 Consistent Language ◦ Financial Aid Appeal  A petition for waiver of Financial Aid Denial  Can be for 1 or more semesters  If granted for more than 1 semester, student adherence must be monitored each semester ◦ Financial Aid Probation  Student in Financial Aid Denial who successfully appeals for aid reinstatement  May be granted for one or more semesters 15

 Appeal Components ◦ Strong evidence that student can return to good standing at end of semester of Probation or ◦ Academic plan that moves student to good standing in a defined time frame 16

 Appeal Components ◦ Student statement  What went wrong that caused the failure  What has changed to prevent a recurrence  Regulations specify death of a relative, a student injury or illness as reasonable  Regulations also state “other special circumstances” 17

 Academic Plan ◦ Plan rules are not spelled out by regulation ◦ Who prepares Plan is not spelled out either ◦ Can require specific courses, grades, tutoring or other interventions ◦ School must monitor each payment period if Plan covers more than 1 semester ◦ Student must be given Appeal decision 18

Vincennes University - Has historically checked SAP after every semester. - Several years ago introduced a graduated GPA requirement. - Until recent regulations, PROBATION status for students falling below GPA or completion rate standards for the first time. - SUSPENSION status with opportunity for appeal for falling below any standards in semester after probation. 19

20 VU – Prior Standards Minimum cumulative GPA: - After attempting 12 credits: After earning 30 quality credits: After earning 45 quality credits: 2.0 Minimum cumulative completion rate: - After attempting 12 credits, pass 60% of all courses attempted. (Contract for probations and approved appeals: commit to pass all courses during semester of probation.) Maximum timeframe: 150% of number of credits required by program.

21 VU – Revised Standards Minimum cumulative GPA: - After attempting 12 credits: After attempting 30 credits: After attempting 45 credits: 2.0 Minimum cumulative completion rate: - After attempting 12 credits, pass 60%. - After attempting 30 credits, pass 63%. - After attempting 45 credits, pass 66%. No revision of maximum timeframe.

22 VU – Appeal Process Student will link to a form from self-service portal, complete, print, and turn in with documentation. Goal by spring SAP process: all steps online except documentation Form will have space for explanation of extenuating circumstances. Academic plan will require a draft schedule of courses looking ahead 2 semesters.

23 VU – Appeal Process (cont.) Borrowing MSU’s terminology: initiator in office will judge. If approved, no further readers. If denied, 1 or 2 other judges. Approved appeals will be forwarded to academic advisors to sign off or revise plan. Student will sign off on revisions before aid paid on probation status. Denied appeals go no further. Inform student.

24 VU – Appeals on 150% Standard VU may exclude credits toward 150% count: - Up to 30 developmental credits - Transferred not meeting requireds for VU program - Earned > 5 years ago not meeting requireds - Earned toward one VU degree/certificate not meeting requireds toward 2 nd degree/certificate - Earned while in high school not meeting requireds but taken because required for HS diploma - Fs or Ws because of documented extenuating circumstances

 Urban, Catholic  Over 25,000 students  18,000 undergrads  70% on financial aid  Quarters (triple the fun)  Law school on semesters  30% Pell  10 colleges, including a competency based option 25

 Monitor quarterly (including summer)  Use warning option, followed by suspension if not meeting after warning  Accept appeals  Require student to meet with academic advisor as part of appeal process 26

 Located on the FA website- includes:  Minimum GPA  Maximum Timeframe – 150% or timely completion of degree for graduate students based on program  Completion ratio – 67%  Include repeats, transfer hours, withdrawals, incompletes and ‘in progress’ grades as well as earned and unearned failing grades.  Appeal process 27

 May submit appeals on paper or through on- line form  Must include a plan of corrective action  Must include a signature from an academic advisor indicating that student has discussed plan with advisor  Appeals reviewed by committee 28

 Suspension (Appeal Denied)  Probation (Appeal Approved) ◦ When an appeal is granted (approved) a student is placed on a Probation Plan for up to two consecutive quarters. Per policy: “During these two terms, a student is expected to continue to meet the terms of his/her academic plan by continuing to complete all courses each term with a term GPA of 2.5 or higher so that by the end of these terms, the student is fully meeting the minimum SAP requirements. ​​​​​​​​” 29

 The FA SAP policy is part of a larger retention effort.  OFA participates on a university wide ‘retention committee’ charged with developing innovative methods and approaches for improving retention and decreasing time toward degree for all DePaul students. 30

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32 Enrollment – Fall Undergraduate 9,449 - Graduate/Professional 2,079 Total 11,528 Indiana State University

33 Financial Assistance - State $12,959,517 - ISU $19,110,198 - Federal $58,153,875 Total Aid $90,223,590 Indiana State University

34 Indiana State University SAP Review Discrepancies found in SAP calculations. This led to students being eligible for aid when they should have been denied.

35 Indiana State University SAP Review – End Result? - A revised SAP policy was developed for ISU. - ISU faced a major financial liability to the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana (SSACI) and the U.S. Dept. of Education.

36 Indiana State University Prior to July 2009, the SAP appeal committee met individually and randomly. - No regular meetings to review appeals. - This caused a delay in information being given to students regarding their SAP status.

37 Indiana State University Results of 2009 Review: - Dissatisfied students as a result of poor processes in place. - Little guidance and oversight provided.

38 Indiana State University Changes after July Makeup of SAP committee changed. - Regular meetings to review appeals. - Decisions communicated within two days.

39 Indiana State University SAP – Appeals for Aid - Approvals: Denials: Total % Approved

40 Indiana State University 2010 – 11 SAP – Appeals for Aid - Approvals: Denials: Total % Approved

41 Indiana State University New Policy for Appeal must include: - Why student failed to make SAP - What changes now in place that will allow student to meet SAP or demonstrate improvement - Also, encouraged to submit an academic plan - Documentation needed

42 Indiana State University New Policy for Approval for fall semester only. Spring semester aid will be on hold until fall grades are reviewed to verify improvement. Most students can meet standards with one semester of solid performance.

43 QUESTIONS?

44 Stan Werne Paula Luff Kim Donat