I.    Federal Law requires the College to have a SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress) policy.

II.    Too many withdrawals (grades of W), are the #1 reason for student's losing their eligibility at MECC.

III.    You must pass THREE SAP criteria to get aid:

1.  Complete 67% of all courses attempted with grades of A,B,C,D,S,P or  R.
2.  Have a cumulative grade point average requirement of:

3. Not exceed 150% of the credit hours required to graduate from your plan. 
Example: If the total credits in your degree plan are 66, then your 150% max is 99.  (66 * 1.5 = 99).  

IV.  The official college policy on SAP is below.

Appeal of Unsatisfactory Academic Progress Status for Financial Aid Students

Satisfactory Academic Progress For Financial Aid Students  

I. Purpose:

To reinforce responsible student behavior and describe the satisfactory academic progress standards to which students that receive financial aid must adhere in order to maintain their financial aid eligibility. This policy is designed to satisfy the requirements set forth in 34 CFR (Compilation of Federal Regulations), Part 668, Section 668.16(e) and Section 668.34. The law requires we establish qualitative standards (grade point average) and quantitative standards (completion rate and maximum timeframe) to ensure students are making progress toward their educational goals.

II. Definitions:

Documentation – As it relates to appeals, documentation includes, but is not limited to, letters from physicians, licensed counselors, clergy, or other professionals not related to the student. It should be legible, and reference a time period that corresponds with semesters where the student had academic problems.

III. Policy:

Financial aid recipients at Mountain Empire Community College are expected and have the responsibility to complete the courses they attempt with a satisfactory grade. In order to continue financial aid eligibility, federal law requires a student to maintain satisfactory academic progress in the program he/she is pursuing. Satisfactory academic progress means that a student is maintaining a cumulative grade point average at the minimum standard or higher and is completing the minimum number of semester credit hours or courses required in order to finish program requirements within the maximum allowable time frame. The standards used to judge satisfactory academic progress are cumulative and include all periods of a student's enrollment, even periods in which the student did not receive financial aid.

In keeping with Mountain Empire Community College ’s Academic Standing and Status Policies, if a student is academically suspended or dismissed, then that student's financial aid eligibility is terminated.

1. Assessment of Academic Progress
   The college will assess students prior to awarding financial aid and at the end of each Fall and Spring semester. While the college will NOT run SAP after Summer semester grades, these grades will be counted in subsequent SAP program runs. It is possible that a student could loose their eligibility based on poor Summer semester performance. Returning students who have not been assessed within the previous aid year will be re-assessed prior to making awards.
    
2. Quantitative Standards
    
   
   1. Semester Credit Hour Completion Requirements: Students will be assessed for their completion rate when they have attempted 17 hours (credit + developmental) or 50% of the total credits required for their program of study. Federal regulations require a student to make measurable progress toward completing program requirements during each period of enrollment. To be making satisfactory academic progress, a student must successfully complete 66 2/3 percent of the classes he/she has attempted. Successful completion is defined as earning an A, B, C, D, R, P. For example, if, at the point progress is assessed, a student has attempted a total of 17 credit or developmental hours, then he/she must have successfully completed at least 12 hours to be making satisfactory progress. If, at any point after 17 attempted hours, the student fails to comply with the 66 2/3 percent successful completion requirement, his/her financial aid eligibility terminates. After such a termination, the only way for a student to regain his/her financial aid eligibility is to successfully complete enough academic classes to bring his/her successful completion percentage up to the required standard, without help from financial aid programs.
       
   2. Maximum Time Frame Requirement: Federal regulations require the college to set a maximum time frame in which a student is expected to finish program requirements. For an undergraduate program, the maximum time frame may not exceed 150% of the published length of the program. Since developmental courses are not counted in any program requirements, they are not considered in the 150% rule.
      
      The maximum time frame for any MECC program is computed by multiplying by 150% the number of credit hours listed for the program in the college catalog for the year the student entered the program. For instance, if the length of a program is published in a catalog as 60 credit hours, then the maximum time frame for that program is 90 credit hours (150% X 60 = 90). (NOTE: Program length information is contained in the college computer system, and a maximum time frame calculation is made for each student, at the time academic progress is assessed.)
      
      Once a student has enrolled for the number of credit hours allowed under the maximum time frame for his/her program, that student's financial aid eligibility terminates even though he/she may not have finished the classes required for program completion. If terminated for exceeding the maximum time frame, a student may appeal in accordance with the appeal process described later in this policy.
       
3. Qualitative Standards

   Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirements: To be making satisfactory academic progress, a student must have at least a cumulative GPA of:

   1. 1.50 from the point 16 credit hours have been attempted and thru the point where 31 credit hours have been attempted.
      
   2. 1.80 from the point 32 credit hours have been attempted and through the point where 47 credit hours have been attempted.
      
   3. 2.00 from the point 48 credit hours have been attempted and until all program requirements have been completed.
       
   Failure to have the required cumulative GPA will result in termination of a student's financial aid eligibility. After such a termination, the only way for a student to regain his/her financial aid eligibility, is to successfully complete enough academic classes to bring his/her cumulative GPA up to the applicable standard without help from financial aid programs.
   
   The Higher Education Amendments of 1986 require a student to have a grade point average of at least C by the end of the second academic year. At MECC, "the end of the second academic year" means the point at which a student has attempted the equivalent of 48 semester credit hours at the college (excluding developmental classes). "A grade point average of at least C" means a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher.
    
4. Developmental Studies
   Federal regulations allow a student to receive financial aid for only the equivalent of the first 30 semester credit hours of developmental studies attempted, regardless of whether or not the student received any financial aid for these developmental credit hours. Developmental courses will count toward the completion rate described in section 2(a) above.
    
5. Course Repeat
   Repeated courses will be counted in the quantitative standards of completion rate and maximum timeframe. Repeated courses will NOT be counted in the qualitative, grade point average, standards. Students may receive financial aid for repeated courses that fall within the VCCS repeat policy.
    
6. Withdrawal ("W" Grade)
   For financial aid, satisfactory academic progress purposes, a withdrawal counts as a class attempted but not successfully completed.
    
7. Incomplete Class ("I" Grade)
   For financial aid, satisfactory academic progress purposes, an incomplete class counts as a class attempted but not successfully completed.
    
8. Missing Grades
   Courses that do not have grades will count as a course attempted but not successfully completed.
    
9. Audited Class
   The college does not grant academic credit for an audited class; therefore, a student cannot receive financial aid for such a class. Audited classes are not counted for financial aid satisfactory academic progress purposes.
    
10. Transfer Courses
    Transfer courses that have been accepted by the college for the current academic plan will count toward the Maximum Timeframe.
     
11. Graduation - Degree, Diploma, or Certificate Requirements Completed
    Once a student has completed his/her program requirements, that student's financial aid eligibility ends. The college will not continue to award financial aid for additional periods of enrollment in a completed program.
     
12. Second Program
    The college may award financial aid to a student who enrolls in a second program, once the student has been admitted into the "new" program and granted credit for all previously completed classes that fulfill the requirements of the new program. The maximum time frame for completion of a second program will be individually determined based upon the number of additional classes the student must take. Also, the total previously attempted credits taken plus the credits needed to finish the second plan must be less than or equal to the absolute maximum total credits in #2B above.
     
13. Change of Program
    For students who meet the GPA and Completion Rate standards, the college may award financial aid to a student who changed his/her program once the student has been admitted into the "new" program and granted credit for all previously completed classes that fulfill the requirements of the new program. The maximum time frame for completion of the new program will be individually determined based upon the number of additional classes the student must take.
     
14. Appeals and Reinstatement
    If a student’s financial aid eligibility is terminated because he/she has failed the minimum standards within this policy, they may appeal the termination to the Director of Financial Aid. Appeals must be written and should state the reason(s) why the student was unable to satisfy the standards and they must cite and document a special mitigating circumstance that coincides with the problem semester(s). The form used for appeals is the Appeal of Unsatisfactory Academic Progress Status for Financial Aid Students.
    
    Federal regulation allows the college, specifically, the Director or designee, to consider special mitigating circumstances that prevented a student from meeting the standards. Examples of special circumstances are the death of a relative of the student, an injury or illness of the student, change of program, etc . If the Director or designee reinstates a student’s eligibility, the mitigating cause must be noted and the supporting documents attached for the record.
     
    1. Student Affairs Committee: In most cases, the Director’s decision is final. However, if a student’s appeal has been denied by Financial Aid, they may request additional appeals as outlined in the Student Handbook.
        
15. Subsequent Appeals
    In those cases where a student fails to meet the condition of their reinstatement, they will not be entitled to future financial aid until they meet the standards. If a student experienced a new mitigating circumstance during their reinstatement, they may appeal the loss of their aid by following the steps outlined in section 16 above. If, after the third reinstatement, the student again fails the standard, they loose the ability to appeal and will not be entitled to financial aid until they meet the standards. This would require them to pay for classes from personal funds until they have earned sufficient credits or a grade point average that meets the standards in this policy.

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