GOOD DIRECTIONS IN SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS MASFAA November 16, 2006 Allene Begley Curto Associate Director FA School of Human Services

Satisfactory Academic Progress  What is Satisfactory? –To US ED? –To the School? –To the Student?  What is Academic? –To FAO? –To the Registrar/Academic Affairs? –To the Student?  What is Progress? –To US ED? –To the School? –To the Student?

The Standards  Qualitative must be minimum 2.0 GPA after two years of academic study  Quantitative must be maximum of 150% of program  FA standards must be at least as stringent as school’s academic policies  FA standards must be sufficient to meet graduation requirements

MISDIRECTIONS  Contradictions between academic transcript and FA eligibility  Student notification comes too late to correct and regain eligibility (or complete program?)  Ineligibility (or FA probation) does not include any corrective action or support services

Getting Back on Course  Registrar/Academic Affairs/FAO standards do not have to be the same – but they should not contradict or confuse  Policies and procedures need to establish a path to success (not just identify failure!)

Institutional Policy Who Needs to be Involved?  Academic Affairs  Registrar  Student Services  Admissions  Enrollment Management  Financial Aid

Springfield College  FA Qualitative Standard (GPA) mirrors Academic Policy  FA Quantitative Standard stands alone  Traditional - minimum # credits earned  Nontraditional - minimum ratio of credits earned  Published Policies indicate Academic Standards and FA standards  Academic Standards are progressive: Warning, Probation, Dismissal  FA standard for GPA: Warning = Eligible, Probation = Ineligible, Dismissal = Ineligible

Springfield College (cont.)  FA standard for Quantitative is more complex  Academic Good = Eligible if Quantitative meets standard or if first term not meeting either standard. If not, Good = Ineligible!  Academic Warning = Eligible if Quantitative meets standard or if first term not meeting either standard. If not, Warning = Ineligible!

Quantitative OK Quantitative Not OK Academic Good = Eligible First time not meet either standard = Eligible Previous FA “Warning” = Ineligible Academic Warning = Eligible First time not meet either standard = Eligible Previous FA “Warning” = Ineligible Academic Probation = Ineligible Ineligible Dismissal = Ineligible

Financial Aid Probation School of Human Services  Student completes form at campus indicating the exceptional circumstances and requesting FA Probation  Campus academic counselor develops academic plan with student, both sign and approve the plan  SHS Academic Officer reviews, approves and submits to FAO

Communications/Notifications  Published Policies online and hard copy in catalogs, student handbooks and FA brochures  Warning letters sent by FAO and Academic Department (if applicable)  Ineligible letters sent by FAO and Academic Department (if applicable)  Letters on removal from Academic Probation sent by Academic Department  Letters on FA Probation sent by FAO

Academic Counseling  Each term, every campus reviews report of students who failed to meet the standards cumulatively or just for the term  Campus academic counselor contacts student to review and recommend support services, change to enrollment, recommendation for FA probation

Benefits of Collaboration  Early Warning System for academic support  Integrity of FA probation process  Greater consistency in communication to student  Increased opportunity to achieve academic success  Identification of students who may not be able to succeed at the current school/program

Questions? FA Eligibility Academic Eligibility Student Success