Pine Technical College
Policy and Procedure
Policy No.: 310 REV 4 Date: 12/04/00, 12/15/03, 4/11/06, 10/05/07
Division/Dept: Student Affairs Author: Nancy Mach, Kathy Arola, Susan Pixley
Subject: Satisfactory Academic Progress
Authorities: MNSCU Policy 2.9; Federal Financial Aid Guidelines HEA Sec 484; 34CFR668
Purpose
Pine Technical College requires that students make satisfactory progress toward
a degree, diploma, or certificate to remain in good standing.
Policy
Pine Technical College requires that students make satisfactory progress toward
a degree, diploma, or certificate to remain in good standing. Additionally,
federal law requires that a recipient of state or federal financial aid make
satisfactory academic progress toward a degree, diploma or certificate to
remain eligible for aid. In compliance with federal and state laws and to
implement policy, Pine Technical College has established the following criteria.
I. Qualitative Measure of Progress
A. A cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher is required to maintain satisfactory academic progress for students.
II. Quantitative Measure of Progress
A. Completion at least 67% of the cumulative credits attempted.
B. Maximum credits allowed for completion of an award: For Financial Aid purposes, the maximum number of credits a student may earn per academic award is 150% of the published credit length of the program major. At the point a student registers for credits beyond the 150% limit, he/she will be considered not making satisfactory progress.
III. Evaluation Period for Satisfactory Academic Progress
Academic progress will be evaluated at the end of each term. Incomplete grades
(I), Repeat course grades (R), and grades for which the student was granted
academic forgiveness, are not included in Pine Technical College’s
GPA calculation for purposes of determining satisfactory progress. However,
grades of F, W, I, NC, are factored into the cumulative completion ratio.
Transfer courses are excluded when determining Satisfactory Academic Progress
Students with a cumulative GPA of less than 2.0 or a cumulative credit completion rate of less than 67% will be placed on academic probation the following term of enrollment. Students exceeding the 150% limit will be considered not making satisfactory progress for financial aid purposes.
IV. Failure to Meet Standards
A. Probation and Suspension.
A.1 Probation
1. All students with registered credits during a term will be evaluated at the end of the term.
2. Students who have not been evaluated in the prior semester will be identified and evaluated for probation by the tenth (10th) day of the semester.
3. Any student who fails to meet the minimum satisfactory progress for one term will be placed on probation immediately for the next term.
4. During the probationary term, a student must earn a term GPA of at least 2.3 and term credit completion ratio of 100%, or raise their cumulative GPA and completion ratio to satisfactory academic progress.
5. A student may continue on academic probation, if the probationary requirements
are met, even if the cumulative GPA and Completion Ratio standards are not
met. The student retains their financial aid eligibility, until such time as:
a.) the student fails to meet the College’s probationary requirements
without attaining the Cumulative Standards.
b.) The College determines that it is not possible for a student to raise their
GPA or Completion percentage before reaching the end of the program for which
they are receiving financial aid.
A.2 Suspension.
1. A student on probation who fails to meet the minimum probationary requirements, will be suspended from the college and financial aid eligibility, one term in duration (excluding summer sessions), commencing immediately. Subsequent suspensions will be for a minimum of one year in duration.
2. All suspended students, including those wishing to regain financial aid eligibility, must appeal at the point of return.
3. Once it is determined that it is not possible for a student to raise the GPA or course completion percentage to meet these standards before the student would reach the end of their program for which they are receiving financial aid, the student will immediately become ineligible for financial aid.
4. The notation of suspension will appear on the student’s transcript. It remains on the student’s transcript until a certificate, diploma, or degree is posted, at which time it will be removed.
B. Extraordinary circumstances.
The college may also immediately suspend a student from financial aid eligibility
in the event of extraordinary circumstances, such as:
1. A student who was previously suspended and whose academic performance falls below acceptable levels during a subsequent term;
2. A student who registered for but does not earn any credits for two consecutive terms;
3. A student who demonstrates an attendance pattern that abuses the receipt
of financial aid.
V. Notification
The Dean of Students shall notify all students who are placed on academic probation or suspension in writing, within twenty-one (21) days from the end of the term. Notice will include the conditions of the probationary status for students on Academic Probation and the process by which a student may appeal for reinstatement for students on suspension.
VI. Suspension Appeal
A. A students who is suspended from Pine Technical College, financial aid eligibility, or suspended for the same term from another MnSCU institution, may appeal for immediate reinstatement based on unusual or extenuating circumstances, including but not limited to death of a relative, illness, hospitalization, or injury. A suspended student with extraordinary circumstances outside their realm of control must appeal within fourteen (14) days from the date of their suspension notification.
B. Likewise, a student wishing to return following a period of suspension or a student who was suspended from another MnSCU institution must also appeal for reinstatement prior to registering for courses.
1. The student must meet with a counselor to complete the Suspension Appeal Form. When possible, they must provide Documentation of their circumstances. The appeal must include rationale for their return, including:
a. An explanation of the circumstances that affected academic progress.
b. An explanation of what has changed to allow the person to be successful, if allowed to return.
c. A statement of the student’s academic and personal goals.
d. A Success Plan including concrete steps they plan to take to be successful upon return and accomplish their goals.
2. Appeals are then submitted in writing to the Dean of Students and reviewed by the Appeals Committee at predetermined dates and times.
3. The Appeals Committee will make a decision on the merits of the appeal and arrive at a decision within three (3) days of the date of the appeal.
4. The Appeals Committee consists of the Dean of Students, Financial Aid Director, Counselor and Registrar.
a. The Appeals Committee will make a decision on the merits of the request with one of the following options: 1) uphold the suspension, 2) allow the student to return at their own expense, 3) allow the student to return with financial aid reinstated, if otherwise qualified.
b. If the Appeal is granted, the student returns on academic probation.
c. If the student requests a review of the committee’s decision, the final decision will rest with the College’s Appeals Review Committee (CAO and the Business Manager).
VII. Reinstatement
Students whose financial aid eligibility has been suspended may regain their
eligibility only through the appeal process or at the point when they are
again meeting the qualitative and quantitative standards. Neither paying
for his or her own classes nor sitting out a period of time is sufficient
in and of itself to re-establish a student’s financial aid eligibility.
VIII. Additional Elements
A. Treatment of grades
Courses for which a student receives a letter grade of A,B,C,D,and P are included
in the calculations of cumulative credit completion percentage as courses
successfully completed.
Courses for which a student receives a letter grade of I, NC, W, and F shall be treated as credits attempted but not successfully completed. Blank (Z) grades shall be treated as credits attempted but not successfully completed. Audited Courses (AU) are not assigned credits and are not counted.
B. Academic Forgiveness
Credits for which students have been granted academic forgiveness shall be
recorded and retained in the Student Data System and will be included in
both the qualitative and quantitative measurement of financial aid satisfactory
academic progress. See Policy 304.
C. Audited Courses
Audited courses shall not be funded by financial aid and are not included in
any financial aid satisfactory academic progress measurement.
D. Consortium Credits
Credits for which financial aid is received under a consortium agreement will
be recorded in the Student Data System to be included in both the qualitative
and quantitative measurement of financial aid satisfactory academic progress.
E. Developmental Courses
Developmental credits shall be included in the qualitative and completion percentage
measurement of satisfactory academic progress. Up to 30 developmental credits
shall be excluded from maximum time-frame calculations.
F. Repeated Courses
Courses will be limited to one repeat only as per financial aid policy. After
processing,. The previous/original grade course grade(s) will not be included
in the GPA but remains on the transcript and counts in the credit completion
ration. The last grade of the repeated course is computed in the GPA. Refer
to Policy 209R for additional information.
G. Transfer Credits
Transfer credits accepted shall not be counted as credits attempted for calculation
of cumulative completion percentage, and grades associated with these credits
shall not be used in calculating cumulative GPA for satisfactory academic
progress.
Transfer credits accepted and applied toward a student’s general education, program or degree requirements shall apply toward the maximum time-frame calculation.
H. Withdrawals
Credits for which a grade of W is received are considered attempted credits
but not completed for the purpose of monitoring satisfactory academic progress.
A grade of W does not impact GPA but does negatively impact the cumulative
completion percentage.
Responsibilities:
The Dean of Student Affairs, Financial Aid Director, Counselor, and Registrar,
Dissemination:
To all faculty and staff, Student Handbook, Orientation, General Catalog, Pine
Technical College Web.
Reviewed by Executive Cabinet: 12/04/00, Revision 12/15/03
Reviewed by Faculty Senate: 12/13/00, 1/16/04
Revision Reviewed Leadership Team: 10/08/07
Reviewed by Faculty Shared Governance: 11/07/07
Approved by:_____________________________________ Date: 11/07/07
Robert L. Musgrove, Ph.D., President