This document outlines the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy for undergraduate students receiving financial aid at a university. It defines SAP as maintaining both a 2.0 GPA and completing at least 67% of attempted credit hours. Students who do not meet SAP after a warning period can appeal, and if approved will be placed on probation with an academic plan. Those who do not meet the terms of probation will be suspended from financial aid eligibility.

1. Undergraduate Satisfactory Academic Progress EFFECTIVE 2011-2012 668.32 1

2. Contents Introduction Measuring SAP GPA HOURS MAXIMUM TIMEFRAME Monitoring SAP Financial Aid Warning Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Financial Aid Probation Financial Aid Suspension 2

3. Introduction Satisfactory Academic Progress The Higher Education Act of 1965 mandates that institutions of higher education monitor the academic progress of students who receive federal financial aid. Only students receiving federal financial aid and institutional grants will be reviewed by these policies. Satisfactory Academic Progress Changes Effective July 1, 2011: Rationale for Regulation: The department, concerned that students are receiving federal student aid despite lack of academic progress, has tightened existing regulations. 3

4. Measuring SAP GPA: OSFS will continue to require a 2.0 GPA for Undergraduate Students 4

5. Hours: Hours are now measured by reviewing a student’s completion rate also known as Pace. Current Undergraduate students must maintain a 67% completion rate to continue on financial aid eligibility. Pace is determined by dividing the cumulative number of credit hours successfully completed by the cumulative number of credit hours attempted. Measuring SAP 5

6. Measuring SAP Pace = cumulative number of hours successfully completed cumulative number of hours attempted Successfully Completed Hours: Letter Grades A – D- and Credit (CR) Unsuccessfully Completed Hours: Letter Grade F, Q-dropped courses, Incompletes (I), Temporary delay of course grades (X), No credit (NC) and Withdrawn courses (W) Attempted Hours: Transfer hours, UT hours, Credit by Exam, Extension and Study Abroad Remedial Coursework does not count toward pace 6

8. A period that is no longer than 150% of the published length of the educational program, as measured in credit hours

9. Current Undergraduates will have a maximum timeframe of 180 hours

10. Incoming students beginning in Summer 2012 will have a maximum timeframe of 133% which leads to a 75% Pace.7

11. Monitoring SAP Satisfactory Academic Progress will be evaluated at the end of each semester If SAP is not met a student will be in one of the following statuses: FINANCIAL AID WARNING FINANCIAL AID PROBATION FINANCIAL AID PROBATION WITH AN ACADEMIC PLAN FINANCIAL AID SUSPENSION Students will be sent an email directing them to their CA$H website for an update 8

12. Monitoring SAP Example: Pace Susan, an incoming freshman, completes the semester with 12 attempted hours, 9 successfully completed hours (2 A’s & 1 C), one Q-drop. Her pace is 9/12= 75%. She is meeting SAP. Jane, a senior, completes the semester with 15 attempted hours, 6 successfully completed hours (1 D & 1 C), 9 hours of Q-drops. She is a transfer student this fall and transferred 91 hours. Her pace, including transfer hours, is 97/106= 91%. She is meeting SAP. Michael, a sophomore, completes the semester with 12 attempted hours, 9 successfully completed hours (2 B’s & 1C) and one F. He withdrew from 12 hours the Fall semester of his Freshman year and successfully completed 6 of 12 hours Spring of his Freshman year. His pace is 15/36=42% . He is not meeting SAP. 9

13. Monitoring SAP FINANCIAL AID WARNING PERIOD If at the end of the current semester a student is not meeting SAP (2.0 GPA or 67% pace) the student is determined to be ineligible for federal financial aid but will be placed on Financial Aid Warning and can continue to receive aid for the following semester without appealing. Financial Aid Warning lasts for one semester only 10

14. Monitoring SAP FINANCIAL AID APPEAL PROCESS If a student fails to make SAP at the close of their Warning Period, they may be able to appeal their ineligibility if one of the following is true: Student had a personal injury or illness Student experienced the death of a relative Student experienced other special circumstances that affected their ability to meet SAP Students must submit the SAP Appeal Form, a personal statement, relevant documentation, and the completed advisor section Lack of documentation and explanation will be grounds for denial SAP Appeal DEADLINES: Two Weeks prior to the 20th Class Day/Compliance date 11

15. Monitoring SAP FINANCIAL AID PROBATION A status assigned to a student who fails to make satisfactory academic progress but submits a successful appeal. Financial Aid Probation follows a Financial Aid Warning Period for undergraduates. Financial Aid Probation lasts for one semester. 12

16. Monitoring SAP FINANCIAL AID PROBATION WITH AN ACADEMIC PLAN If a student submits an appeal and OSFS determines that they cannot make SAP at the end of one semester they will be placed on an Academic Plan. Academic Plan: Is student specific and must specify a certain point in time in which the student will meet SAP. If may require a student successfully complete X number of hours per semester for X number of semesters to meet pace. It may require a certain semester GPA for X number of semesters to meet the minimum cumulative GPA requirement. 13

17. Monitoring SAP Academic Plan Example: Michael has a Pace of 42%. OSFS must determine how many hours he must successfully complete to meet a 67% pace. Michael must successfully complete 24 hours in the Fall and Spring to meet pace. 14

18. Monitoring SAP FINANCIAL AID SUSPENSION If a SAP appeal is denied the student is placed on Financial Aid Suspension. If a student fails to meet the stipulations of their Academic Plan they are placed on Suspension. A student may also be placed on Financial Aid Suspension if we determine that they cannot make SAP at all. 15

19. Questions? Satisfactory Academic Progress Committee: Sonje Johnson - Assistant Director: sonje.johnson@austin.utexas.edu Veronica Castro – Financial Aid Officer II: vcastro@austin.utexas.edu Lauren Moore – Financial aid Officer II: lauren.d@austin.utexas.edu 16