Regaining Academic Eligibility after Academic Suspension

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal: An Academic Suspension (and therefore a Financial Aid Suspension) may be appealed based on mitigating circumstance(s). A mitigating circumstance is defined as an exceptional or unusual event(s) beyond the student’s direct control, which contributed to or caused the academic difficulty. Some examples include: the death of a relative, issues relating to the care of a dependent child, an injury or illness of the student, emotional or psychological issues, or numerous other special circumstances.

Appeal letters should be addressed to the Campus President at your campus and must include a complete description of the circumstances that led to the academic difficulty, how those circumstances have changed, and a plan for future academic success. Copies of supporting documentation should be included. It is strongly advised that each student filing an appeal meet with their Faculty Lead or Advisor before submitting their appeal letter. The Faculty Lead or Advisor will assist the student, provide guidance, and suggest appropriate documentation to include with the letter submission.

A form is available for this purpose (Satisfactory Academic Progress – Student Appeal Form) which guides the student through the proper format and documentation for an appeal. It can be downloaded from the University’s website or obtained from the Registrar’s Office. If the appeal cannot be approved at the campus, it is automatically forwarded to a committee of administrative staff (known as the SAP Appeals Committee). At this time, the student may be asked to submit additional documentation or explanation to the committee which could benefit the student’s appeal review. Decisions of the SAP Appeals Committee are final and not subject to additional appeal.

Appeal Granted Status: Students whose appeals have been approved will be placed in Appeal Granted status. A student in this status is required to meet with his/her Faculty Lead or Advisor at least once each term until returning to Good Academic Standing status. The meeting with the Faculty Lead or Advisor will include discussion of:

• The resolution of the mitigating circumstances (reason for the appeal) and any necessary accommodations that the University might be able to provide,
• The student’s need (if any) for tutoring, counseling, reduced course load, or other appropriate accommodations,
• The appropriateness of the student’s current program to the student’s goals, personality, and skill set; and options for changing programs/career paths, and
• Any other issues potentially affecting the student’s success.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Faculty Lead or Advisor and the student will work together to create an Academic Plan for the student designed to promote the student’s successful completion of a program at the University. The Academic Plan is a set of requirements that are designed to return the student to good academic standing before graduation (generally within the maximum timeframe standard, but not necessarily). The Faculty Lead or Advisor will then ensure and certify to the Registrar each term that the student is meeting the terms of his/her Academic Plan.

For student financial aid recipients/applicants, Appeal Granted status means the student is on Financial Aid Probation and remains academically eligible to receive financial aid as long as he/she continues to meet the objectives of his/her academic plan, as certified each term by the student’s Faculty Lead or Advisor. Students who fail to meet the terms of their academic plan will lose eligibility for future financial aid (return to Financial Aid Suspension status).

Regaining Eligibility Other Than Through Appeal: Students who have lost federal financial aid eligibility may potentially also regain academic eligibility by making up the academic deficiencies and returning to Good Academic Standing without benefit of federal financial aid.

Return to Good Standing: Once a student has returned to good academic standing, any previous academic difficulty, shall have no future bearing on the student’s status. Hence, such students will have benefit of all provisions of this policy, including a warning term and an opportunity to submit an SAP Appeal.