1991-1992 Academic Catalog

212 Financial Information Standards of SatisfactoryAcademic Progress for Recipients of Financial Aid Policy Financial aid recipients at Cedarville College are required to achieve satisfactory academic progress to be eligible to continue to receive federal financial assistance. The purpose of this policy is to define the requirements for satisfactory academic progress as it pertains to recipients ofTitle IV federal aid programs. Cedarville College recognizes that conditions which create the need for financial assistance may also create other educational needs which require extra time and slower progress in achieving educational goals. Students who, because of exceptional educa– tional needs, must make slower progress than outlined in the policy or who fmd them– selves victims of unusual circumstances are encouraged to discuss their situations with their academic advisors and the financial aid office. Where legally possible, because of mitigating circumstances, exemption to this policy can be considered. When the Congress of the United States enacted the Higher Education Amendments of 1976, eligible institutions were directed to defme and enforce standards of progress for students receiving federal financial assistance. The programs directly involved at Cedarville College are: (1) Pell Grant, (2) The Perkins Loan, (3) The Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant-SEOG, (4) College Work Study-CWS, and (5) Stafford/SLS/PLUS Loans. Full-Time Students To be eligible for full benefits of federal title IV funds, undergraduate recipients of financial aid must enroll for a minimum of twelve (12) credit hours of classes during each quarter that aid is received. All students are required to have a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 (C) in order to be graduated from Cedarville College. The following academic requirements would be appropriate in achieving this goal and fulfilling the term "carrying to comple– tion" the required credit hours. fu order to meet academic progress standards, students must complete a minimum number of credit hours based on a percentage of work to be completed and maintain a minimum cumulative grade point consistent with the requirements for graduation. The followirig illustrates the academic progress policy: Hours attempted 1-48 49-96 97-144 145-240 Completed (percent) 65% 70% 75% 80% Completed(credits/yr) 31 34 36 38 Completed (cum credits) 31 65 10 l 139 Minimum cum GPA 1.70 1.90 2.00 2.00 Satisfactory academic progress means that first-time students must, after a reason– able probationary period not to exceed two quarters except in cases of mitigating circumstances, have registered the minimum cumulative grade point average each quarter thereafter above. fu addition these students must complete 65% or 31 credit hours the first academic year, 70% or 34 credit hours (total of 65 credits) the second year, 75% or 36 credit hours (total of 101 credits) the third year, 80% or 38 credit hours (total of 139 credits) the fourth year. NOTE: Cumulative grade point is measured each quarter; percentage of work or credit hours completed is measured once each academic year. It is assumed that the majority of students will graduate in the normal time frame. However, no student may continue more than five years in order to complete his/her academic program. Regard– less of the credit hours a full-time student attempts, which carmot exceed 240, he/she must complete the percentage of work (credit hours) and have the appropriate cumula– tive grade point as stipulated. Aid recipients who fail to complete the required number of credit hours listed above during the applicable academic year and who do not meet the minimum grade point requirements each quarter will be considered as not making satisfactory academic progress. These students will be subject to having their federal aid discontinued unless there are mitigating circumstances involved that may affect a student's academic progress. Students who withdraw from all courses during any quarter will be required to confer with the financial aid office and other appropriate offices. If permitted to con– tinue, students who withdraw from all courses during each quarter for two consecutive quarters will be considered as not making satisfactory academic progress and will be discontinued from receiving federal financial aid. In conjunction with school policy the grading marks F, I, and WF will not be considered as successful completion of courses attempted. Incomplete (I) grades can be considered when completed according to the provisions in the college catalog. Courses that are repeated will count in the calculation of hours attempted and com– pleted hours earned if the student receives a passing grade; however, all grades re– ceived for the course will be included in the grade point calculation. Credit hours in which a (CR) has been earned count toward total graduation require– ments but are not used in the computation of grade point averages. Non-credit hours for which an (NC) has been earned are not used in the computation of grade point averages. Repeat course credits earned are averaged into the cumulative grade point averages, however credit hours are counted only once. (AU) Audit, (W) Withdrawal, (WP) With– drawal Passing do not constitute hours attempted or completed. Summer school credit hours earned will be included in the academic year to which summer sessions are assigned. They will be evaluated the same as hours earned in regular quarter sessions.