Transcript Satisfactory Academic Progress

Satisfactory Academic Progress
Developing Academic Plans that Work
Presentation Details
In this presentation we will
•
•
•
•
review the SAP regulations;
discuss the appeals process;
review methods of administering Academic Plans;
seek answers to the questions;
–
–
–
–
–
–
“What makes an acceptable appeal reason?”,
“How long should an academic plan last?”,
“What GPAs are too low?”,
“Should the student be evaluated mid-semester?”,
“How much responsibility should advisor’s take?”,
“Should a student be able to adjust his plan?”; and
• discuss ways to evaluate the success of academic
plans and how to make improvements.
Points we will discuss:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
What is “Academic Progress”?
SAP Regulations
Common SAP Standards
Institutional Academic Standards
What makes a Valid Appeal?
What’s a Reasonable Academic Plan?
Does One Plan Fit All?
When is a Graduation Plan Appropriate?
What is
Satisfactory Academic Progress?
• When a student is
1) achieving a specific grade point average
(GPA), or other comparable assessment
measured against the norm, and
2) maintaining a specific pace of progression
through an educational program;
which indicates the student is able to
complete the program within the maximum
timeframe, as specified in regulations.
What is a SAP Policy?
• The consistent application of standards to all
students determining whether an otherwise
eligible student is making “satisfactory
academic progress” in his or her educational
program.
SAP Regulations
•
•
•
•
HEA Sec. 484(c),
34 CFR 668.16(e)
34 CFR 668.32(f)
34 CFR 668.34
The SAP most recent regulations appear in the
October 29, 2010, Federal Register.
SAP Regulations
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
SAP Policy Rules
SAP Reviews
Consequences
Financial Aid Warning
SAP Measurements (Qualitative & Quantitative)
Courses that don’t count for credit
Appeals
Probation
Academic Plans
Periods of Non-Enrollment or Periods without F.A.
SAP Policy Rules
• Must be at least as strict as your School’s
• Must apply consistently to all students in a
category. You can have separate policies for:
– Educational programs
• Degree Programs
• Majors
– Years in School
• Freshmen
• Seniors
– Educational Levels
• Graduates
• Undergraduates
SAP Regulations
SAP Reviews
• Must Review Annually (once every 12 months)
• Must correspond with end of a payment period
(Fall, Spring, Summer, etc…)
• If >1 year,
– may call for reviews after each payment period
If you do…
You must review after Summer
– may review even more frequently
(mid-term, monthly, bi-weekly, etc…)
– must still have end of payment period review
• At end of 2nd year:
Must review Qualitative Standard (ie GPA)
SAP Regulations
Consequences
•
•
•
•
Two standards are measured
If not meeting 1 of those standards
Becomes Ineligible for FSA Funds
May lose eligibility for other aid funds
– State Grants and Scholarships
– National Guard benefits
– Reserves Benefits
• You must notify students of results of
evaluations and affect on FSA eligibility.
Financial Aid Warning
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Optional
Only if you review each payment period
If after 1 payment period, not meeting SAP
May put student on FSA Warning
Don’t have to allow appeals
Student may continue to receive FSA funds
Lasts for one payment period
If still fails SAP after, loses aid eligibility
Can’t be used for schools that review annually
SAP Measurements
• Qualitative:
An appropriate qualitative measure that is
comparable against a norm that is consistent
with your school’s graduation requirements
• Quantitative
A student is ineligible when it becomes
mathematically impossible for him to
complete his program within 150% of the
length of the program.
SAP Regulations
SAP Measurements
Qualitative Standard:
• Must be defined for each evaluation period
• Must be Cumulative (can also have pay period
requirements)
• Usually GPA
– Best Practice: GPA used for graduation purposes
– Others: Major GPA, Collegiate GPA, LIFE GPA
• Must be a “C” or equivalent at end of 2nd year
OR Must have GPA consistent with school’s
graduation requirements: IE escalating scale.
• Common Standard: 2.0 GPA (C average)
SAP Regulations
SAP Measurements
Escalating GPA:
• Can allow a GPA below a C average after 2nd year, but…
• Must document that a student with < C avg. could
• still meet the standards required for graduation
• complete degree within the Maximum Time Frame
• still meet the Quantitative Standards (Pace)
• Example: requires a cumulative GPA of
– 1.50 after the 1st year,
– 1.75 after the 2nd year,
– 2.0 after the 3rd year (C average)
SAP Regulations
SAP Measurements
Qualitative Standard and Special Cases:
• Remedial Coursework:
– Must be counted in Qualitative in some way
– Doesn’t have to be included in GPA
– Could be simply Pass/Fail
• Transfer GPAs
– Are the grades used for Graduation Purposes?
– Will they prevent entrance into degree program?
SAP Measurements
Qualitative Standard and Grade Forgiveness
•
•
•
•
AKA: Amnesty, Renewal, Replacement
No FSA provisions for ignoring a grade
School must include all grades from all courses
Exception: School can elect to ignore courses not
applicable to the student’s major (ie not accepted
for transfer or when major changes)
• Student can appeal to have academic plan that
ignores them (not forgiven, compensated for).
SAP Regulations
SAP Measurements
Quantitative Standard:
• Maximum timeframe:
– 150% of the published length of the program
• Credit Hours: # Credits Required x 1.5
• Clock Hours: # Hours Required x 1.5, as calendar time.
• Graduate Programs: School defines length of program.
– If 60 hours required, 90 attempted allowed
– If 120 hours required, 180 attempted allowed
• Must be measured at each evaluation point
• Student is ineligible at the evaluation point where
indicated will exceed max timeframe NOT at the point
when they actually reach the max timeframe.
SAP Measurements
Quantitative Standard:
• Pace: Students must progress through their
program to ensure that they will graduate within
the maximum timeframe
• Must be Cumulative (can also have pay period
requirements)
• Pace Calculation:
– Total Earned Hours / Total Hours Attempted
– Common standard: 66.67% (120/180= 66.67%)
– Rounding is optional for Pace (use standard rules)
• But must be consistent
SAP Measurements
Quantitative Standard:
• What’s “Earned”? (aka Successfully Completed)
– When a passing grade is posted
(D or better, or a Pass –if Pass/Fail)
• What’s “Attempted”?
– When a passing or non-passing grade is posted
(A, B, C, D, F, Passed, Failed, Incomplete, Withdrawn)
• What’s “Not attempted” and “Not Earned”?
– dropped without a grade, not on transcript
– Usually dropped during “Drop/Add” timeframe
– Remedial Classes (if you opt not to include them)
SAP Measurements
Quantitative Standard: Example 67% Pace (8 years)
Year
Year Ern.
Total
Total
Year Att. Hrs. Hrs.
Year % Pace Att. Hrs. Ern. Hrs. % Pace
1
24
16
66.67%
24
16 66.67%
2
24
16
66.67%
48
32 66.67%
3
24
16
66.67%
72
48 66.67%
4
24
16
66.67%
96
64 66.67%
5
24
16
66.67%
120
80 66.67%
6
24
16
66.67%
144
96 66.67%
7
24
16
66.67%
168
112 66.67%
8
12
8
66.67%
180
120 66.67%
SAP Measurements
Quantitative Standard: Example 84% Pace (6 years)
Year
Year
Total Att. Total
Year Att. Hrs. Ern. Hrs. Year % Pace Hrs.
Ern. Hrs. % Pace
1
24
20
83.33%
24
20 83.33%
2
24
20
83.33%
48
40 83.33%
3
24
20
83.33%
72
60 83.33%
4
24
20
83.33%
96
80 83.33%
5
24
20
83.33%
120
100 83.33%
6
24
20
83.33%
144
120 83.33%
SAP Measurements
Graduated Pace
• You can scale your % Completion rate,
– IE: 50% 1st year, 75% 4th year, 84% 6th year
– but…
• Must document that a student with < 67%. could
• still meet the standards required for graduation
• complete degree within the Maximum Time Frame
• still meet Qualitative Standard (GPA)
• Who this helps:
• Students who have to withdraw (ie medical reasons)
• Students who fail major courses 1st year, and change majors
SAP Measurements
Quantitative Standard: Example Graduated (8 years)
Year Att. Year Ern. Year
Hrs.
Hrs.
Pace
Year
% Total Att. Total
Hrs.
Ern. Hrs. % Pace
1
24
12
50.00%
24
12
50.00%
2
24
12
50.00%
48
24
50.00%
3
24
16
66.67%
72
40
55.56%
4
24
16
66.67%
96
56
58.33%
5
24
16
66.67%
120
72
60.00%
6
24
18
75.00%
144
90
62.50%
7
24
18
75.00%
168
108
64.29%
8
12
12
100.00%
180
120
66.67%
SAP Measurements
Quantitative Standard: Example Graduated (6 years)
Year
Att. Hrs.
Year
Year
Year %
Ern. Hrs. Pace
Total Att. Total
Hrs.
Ern. Hrs. % Pace
1
24
12
50.00%
24
12
50.00%
2
24
18
75.00%
48
30
62.50%
3
24
20
83.33%
72
50
69.44%
4
24
22
91.67%
96
72
75.00%
5
24
24
100.00%
120
96
80.00%
6
24
24
100.00%
144
120
83.33%
Special Courses
• Your policy must explain how you deal with
these courses
– Incompletes
– Withdrawals
– Repeated Courses
– Transfer Credits
• Can’t exclude courses with grades of “W”
• Must include all courses attempted.
Special Courses
• Incompletes:
– Best Practice: Treat the same way your campus treats
them for GPA purposes
– Do they affect % Pace ?
– Do they affect GPA?
• Withdrawals:
– You can’t exclude courses with grades of “W”
– They usually affect % Pace but not GPA
• Repeated Courses:
– Is the first occurrence removed from transcript?
– Must still use the grades for both times taken towards GPA
• Remedial Courses:
– Must count for Qualitative Measure
– Not required to be counted for Quantitative Measure
Special Courses
• Transfer Credit Hours
– If accepted for credit towards degree program:
• Your policy must count them as attempted hours
• Your policy must count them as earned hours
• Your policy must specify:
– IF grades of “I” or “W” are attempted, if the course COULD have
counted;
– IF grades of “F” are attempted, if they aren’t accepted for
transfer but COULD have counted;
– IF grades of “D” are attempted/earned, if they aren’t accepted
for transfer but COULD have counted;
– IF a student begins enrollment but his transcript is not fully
evaluated, how you will treat them.
• You can OPT to include transfer hours NOT accepted toward
the degree program
Special Courses
• Changing Majors:
– Your Policy May
• Specify how a change in major affects credits
• Exclude courses that no longer count towards the new major.
• Limit how many times a change of major can “reset” the
student’s academic progress
– Best Practice: Require courses from prior major to fill as
many electives as possible for new major.
– Remember: Students are still limited by
• Pell Limits (600%)
• Loan Limits (Aggregates and 150% Subsidized Limit)
• Unusual Enrollment Patterns
Appeals
• Schools are not required to accept appeals
• If school does accept appeals, policy must:
– Specify if a student can appeal
– How a student appeals
– When a student can appeal (deadlines)
– How many appeals are allowed (if limited)
– Documentation expected for appeals
Appeals
• SAP Appeals Must…
– State that this is an appeal to regain FSA eligibility
(usually specified on a signed form).
– State the reason the student didn’t meet SAP
– State what has changed that will allow the student to
be successful going forwards
– Include an academic plan that shows either:
• Student will meet SAP by next review period, or
• Student will regain FSA eligibility before Max Timeframe; or
• Courses student needs to complete the degree and when
the student will take those courses.
Appeals
• Basis for Appeals as stated by DOE:
– his injury or illness,
– the death of a relative,
– or other special circumstances.
• What must student’s appeal state?
– What extenuating circumstance affected their ability to do
well during the period of academic difficulties;
– What actions has the student taken to resolve the issue;
– What else has changed since then to prevent the issue from
occurring again.
• Cannot be “Poor Judgment” or “Lack of Maturity”.
• Shouldn’t be “I failed because the classes were hard”.
• Should be a factor reasonably beyond their control.
Appeals
• What documentation do you require?
– Personal Illness:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Medical documentation
Letters from doctors
Medical excuses from doctors for time missed
Must show dates of service
Must show medical issues
Students may have to sign releases for HIPA to get the
documentation.
• Students may have to pay for copies of records.
– Death in Family:
•
•
•
•
If not immediate family, must explain relationship in detail
Copy of Death Certificate
Obituary
Newspaper articles
Appeals
• Special Circumstances
– What’s an approvable Special Circumstance?
• Was this beyond the student’s reasonable control?
• Could this reasonably impact the student’s academic success?
• Is it sufficient to justify the grades the student earned?
• Is it sufficiently documented?
– Are you consistent in your practices?
• You can evaluate each appeal on its own merits and still be
consistent;
• Best-Practice: Make a list of specific special circumstances you
have approved before and documentation you require;
Appeals
• Special Circumstances Examples…
Change in Work Schedule
A letter from employer stating they did change the student’s work schedule
and that they would not adjust for the student’s school schedule at that time.
A letter from student explaining why the student needed to stay employed
during these enrollment periods. Evidence that it will not be an issue again.
Transportation Issues:
A letter stating that the student had a transportation plan before classes
started, what changed and when, and what now has resolved the issue.
Documentation of new transportation (ie Vehicle Registrations, etc…).
Traumatic or Extraordinary event:
Documentation of the event with a full explanation of how it affected the
student at that time and what now has changed to resolve the issues.
Probationary Semesters
“Financial aid probation—A status a school assigns to a
student who is failing to make satisfactory academic
progress and who successfully appeals. Eligibility for aid
may be reinstated for one payment period.”
• Should you grant “Probation?”
Can you answer “Yes” to these questions?
– Can GPA return to the standard in 1 semester?
– Can % Pace return to the standard in 1 semester?
– Will the student still be able to complete all graduation
requirements before the maximum time frame?
• If not, you may be setting the student up for failure.
• An Academic Plan is usually a more reasonable approach.
Academic Plans
• Used when it will reasonably take more than 1
payment period for a student to regain FSA
eligibility.
• Academic Plans have three components:
– Hours Attempted and Earned each payment period
(showing progress towards Pace)
– Anticipated GPA -semester and cumulative
(showing progress towards GPA required for graduation)
– Graduation Plan: Courses required to complete degree
(if student will clearly go over maximum time frame).
• Student will have a new Review Period schedule
(usually each payment period meets SAP again).
• Plan must show how SAP will be met by a specific
point in time
Academic Plans
• Who makes the plan?
– Student
– Advisor
– FA Counselor
– Appeals Committee
– A combination
• Are they properly trained to do so?
• Do you need a SAP Academic Plan worksheet?
Academic Plans
YOUR CURRENT ACADEMIC STANDING
# of Years in Degree?
(BOL/BLS is 4, ADN is 3)
See SGASTDN for "College/Degree"
Inst. Attempted Hrs
See SHATERM for remaining fields
SAP
ISSUE?
Transfer Attempted Hrs
Overall Attempted Hrs
0
Max:
90
0
Goal:
60
Inst. Earned Hrs
Transfer Earned Hrs
Overall Earned Hrs
Inst. GPA Hours
Inst. Quality Points
Additional GPs
From "grade frogiveness" not applied yet
Inst. GPA
#DIV/0!
Min:
% Completed
#DIV/0!
Min.
2.00
#DIV/0!
67% #DIV/0!
Your total
earn hours
goal is
ACADEMIC PLAN
SEMESTER
Remaining
Exceeds Max Att Hrs by:
Hours Plan to Hours
Attempt
"W"
60
Hours Plan Est. Term
to Earn
GPA
60
2.000
New
Grade
CGPA
Forgiv. GPs (GP/GH)
% Completed
MEETS
SAP?
New SAP
New Grade New Grade Attempted
Points
Hours
Hours
60
New SAP
Earned
Hours
#DIV/0!
#DIV/0!
#DIV/0!
0
0
0
0
#DIV/0!
#DIV/0!
#DIV/0!
0
0
0
0
#DIV/0!
#DIV/0!
#DIV/0!
0
0
0
0
#DIV/0!
#DIV/0!
#DIV/0!
0
0
0
0
#DIV/0!
#DIV/0!
#DIV/0!
0
0
0
0
120
60
The
normal
maximum
attempted
hours is
60
60
2.000
100.00%YES
90
Academic Plans
• Hours Attempted and Earned:
– If student can’t complete degree before 150%
max, then should be 100% for each semester
– If student can complete degree before 150%, you
can allow % completion rate to be lower.
– Best Practices:
• Set to lowest % Pace rate necessary
• Set the highest % Pace rate in place in earliest semester,
so student has to prove ability
• Limit # of attempted hours if student doesn’t show
ability to complete full-time work (ie: excessive “W”s)
Academic Plans
• Anticipated GPA
– Calculate the minimum GPA necessary for enrollment
– Should attain GPA for Graduation before Max
timeframe.
– If not possible, at least by graduation date
– Set minimum GPAs per payment period
– Hold student to Cumulative GPA required for graduation,
and to % Pace.
– Sometimes a student might have a different semester
GPA than you expected, but still meet the Cumulative.
– Grade Forgiveness/Amnesty/Replacement, etc…
• These can help the GPA required for Graduation
• Can be an aspect of the Academic Plan
Academic Plans
• Know your Math
– How is GPA calculated on your campus?
– Are any courses weighted differently?
– Does grade forgiveness/replacement/amnesty apply?
If so, how will it affect both measurements?
– Does the student anticipate dropping a course?
– Will the student need to exceed the Max Timeframe?
– Is it mathematically possible for the student to regain
eligibility?
Academic Plans
Inst. Attempted Hrs
24
Transfer Attempted Hrs
0
Overall Attempted Hrs
24
Inst. Earned Hrs
12
Transfer Earned Hrs
0
Overall Earned Hrs
12
Inst. GPA Hours
24
Inst. Quality Points
36
Additional GPs
Inst. GPA
% Completed
1.500
50.00%
Academic Plans
SEMESTER
Hours
Hours
Plan Est.
Plan to Hour to
Term
Attempt s "W" Earn GPA
New
New
New
SAP
Grade CGPA%
MEET New New SAP
Earne
Forgiv. (GP/ Com- S
Grade Grade Attempte d
GPs
GH) pleted SAP? Points Hours d Hours Hours
Fall 2015
12
12 2.500
1.833 66.67%NO
66
36
36
24
Spring 2015
12
12 2.500
2.000 75.00%YES
96
48
48
36
Academic Plans
• Graduation Plans:
– If student can’t complete degree before 150%
– Should give a list of courses required to complete
the degree
– Should include a semester-by-semester plan for
these courses
– Should have advisor’s signature
– Should follow the plan closely
– May need to change the plan: update appeal.
Academic Plans
Academic Plans
• Review Period Schedule:
– Doesn’t follow normal SAP schedule
– Student is on a Probation Semester first
– Should recheck courses after drop/add.
– Check academics after Prob. Semester
– Should check each semester of appeal plan
– Could check annually after Probationary Semester
– Must be meeting plan or not elig for FSA.
– Once meets SAP standards, returns to regular
Review Period Schedule (ie Annually).
Academic Plans
• Know your Student
– Is it reasonable to expect these academic
requirements out of this student (Based on
academic history)?
– Should you limit the student’s enrollment status,
require a change of major or set other such limits?
– Are you only increasing the debt burden of the
student?
– Is this a wise investment of Federal, State and
Institutional Funds?
Other Questions you should ask:
• How long should an academic plan last?
–
–
–
–
–
One semester? One Year? Two Years?
My office usually limits a student to 4 semesters
How long past the 150% timeframe is OK?
My office usually limits a student to 175% (210 hours).
How long will the student retain financial aid eligibility?
• Pell limited to 6 Full-time years
• Loans limited by aggregates
• Most other aid limited to 4 full-time years
– Can the student complete the degree without aid?
• If so, should the student to pay for one or two semesters first?
Other Questions you should ask:
• What GPA is too low to reasonably recover?
Current
Attempted
Hours
Current
Earned
Hours
Current
GPA
Required
Required
Hours
GPA for
(Attempt & these hours
Earn)
24
24
24
24
24
24
18
15
12
12
6
0
1.875
1.75
1.50
1.00
0.50
0.00
24
48
48
48
48
48
2.125
2.125
2.25
2.50
2.75
3.00
Other Questions you should ask:
• Should the student be evaluated mid-semester?
– Pros:
• You could stop future disbursements (if any)
• You could stop future awarding (if won’t meet SAP)
• You could add additional requirements
– Academic Counseling
– Tutoring
• You may become aware of unofficial withdrawals
– Cons:
•
•
•
•
•
Requires a large allocation of time
You must act on the information you discover
Professors may not have sufficient grades for estimates
You can’t redact funds already disbursed
Reduces student responsibility (you’re not their parent)
Other Questions you should ask:
• Does a “one-size-fits-all” Plan work?
– Yes, if…
•
•
•
•
Used for those within a set GPA/PACE range
Wouldn’t cause student to exceed other limits
Would be reasonable for all students
Would allow all students to still graduate by meeting
these standards.
• Allows case-by-case adjustments as necessary
One-Size-Fits-All Plans
• Pass all attempted hours
• 2.50+ GPA average per term
• Until meets SAP, to a limit of 48 hours.
Current
Attempted
Hours
Current Earned
Hours
Current GPA
Required Hours Required GPA
(Attempt &
for these hours
Earn)
24
18
1.875
48
2.50
24
15
1.75
48
2.50
24
12
1.50
48
2.50
24
12
1.00
48
2.50
• Wouldn’t fit:
< 1.00 GPA after 24 attempted hours
< 1.50 GPA after 48 attempted hours
< 48 hours from SAP Limit of attempted hours (162 if limit is 210)
Other Questions you should ask:
• Who should be the primary advisor?
– Academic advisor?
• We require Academic Advisors to sign the Appeal form
• Our Academic Advisors complete Graduation Plans
– Financial Aid Counselor?
• We advise the student to have the appeal reviewed by a FA
Counselor
• The FA Counselor can help the student create the Academic
Plan
• Should a student be able to adjust his plan?
• Does a one-size-fits all Plan work?
Other Questions you should ask:
• Should a student be able to adjust his plan?
– It is allowed by regulations
– Student must write an appeal statement explaining
why the adjustment is necessary
– The appeal adjustment must be approved
– What are acceptable reasons?
•
•
•
•
Unable to continue at full-time enrollment
Courses not offered
Change in major
Mis-advised
• Does a one-size-fits all Plan work?
Appeals Committees
• SAP Appeals Committees:
– How many people review the appeals?
– Do all members receive a copy of your policy?
– Do they understand it?
– Who is represented? (Faculty, Staff, what offices?)
– Are all members aware of FERPA?
– Who makes the decision?
– Can students “appeal” the “decision”?
– Is all of this specified in your policy?
Appeal Decisions
• Appeal Approvals and Denials
– You should notify the student of the decision
– You should specify who notifies the student
– You should have decisions come from the SAP Appeals
Review Committee (rather than a specific person)
– You should indicate if the student is approved for a
Probationary Semester or an Academic Plan
– You should include any additional requirements
– You should require the student to sign the Academic
Plan.
Reestablishing Eligibility
• Your policy must…
– explain how to reestablish eligibility
– explain Appeals with Probation or Plans
– explain that periods of non-enrollment do not
reestablish eligibility
– explain that periods of enrollment without financial
aid do not (on their own) reestablish eligibility.
• Note: you can require through an Academic Plan
that a student sit out for a period of time but that
alone cannot be sufficient reason to appeal (must
still have a valid reason for appeal).
Students with Intellectual Disabilities
“Students with an intellecual disability (see
margin note) can receive funds from the Pell
Grant, FSEOG, and FWS programs. They must be
enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a
comprehensive transition and postsecondary
program (as defined in 34 CFR 668.231) for
students with intellectual disabilities and must
maintain satisfactory academic progress as
determined by the school for this program. HEA
Sec. 484(s)” FSA Handbook 13-14 Vol 1 – P 1-5
34 CFR 668.230–233
20 U.S.C. 1091, 1140
Evaluate
• How to evaluate your Academic Plans
– Keep a list of student’s who appealed
– Keep a record of those approved
– Keep a record of who did or didn’t meet their plan
– Evaluate three items:
• Original GPA and PACE
• Min GPA and PACE required in Plan
• How many payment periods passed
– Should you be setting a higher minimum for an
appeal to be approved?
– Should you be lowering the Plan standards?
Evaluate
• Example:
– You had 100 appeals
– You approved 50
– Of those, 25 met the conditions of appeals
– What changes could you make?
GPA Range
# Appeals Approved # Met Plan
# Failed Plan
<1.0
10
1
9
=> 1.0 and <1.5
20
5
15
=>1.5 and <1.75
5
4
1
=>1.75 and <2.00
5
5
0
=>2.00 (Pace only)
10
10
0
Evaluate
• Some Questions to ask when evaluating:
– Should we lower SAP minimum standards to
prevent some students from having to appeal?
– Should we increase the minimum GPA for which we
will approve an appeal, to prevent some students
from receiving aid wastefully?
– Are our academic plans too strict?
– Are we setting a student up for failure?
– Are our academic plans to easy?
– Are we giving aid away to students who won’t be
able to make the grade in the long run?
Evaluate
• When to Evaluate?
–
–
–
–
–
Every other year, or even less often
You need multiple years of data
After you have evaluated plans from prior year
Before approving plans for next academic period
Sooner if you the data is obvious
• How to test?
– For next year, track students who you might
include/exclude on your proposed changes
– Implement changes the year after that
– Sooner if the data is obvious
SAP Compliance Issues
• Consistently in the top 10 Compliance/Audit findings
– “Failure to develop a policy that meets minimum Title IV
requirements”
– “Misalignment of pace of progression and maximum timeframe”
– “Applying a different policy than the official written SAP policy”
– “Failure to comply with the Program Integrity regulations, effective
7/1/2011”
– “Failure to properly monitor and/or document satisfactory progress”
Feel Free to Contact Me
Kenneth T. Cole
Director of Financial Aid and Veteran Benefits
USC Lancaster
PO Box 889
Lancaster, SC 29721-0889
[email protected]
803-313-7069