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The New & Improved SAP Rules

This presentation by Rick Shipman, Director of Financial Aid at Michigan State University, outlines the updated regulations and guidance surrounding Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) as mandated by the Higher Education Act and federal regulations. Key aspects include the clarification of SAP as an administrative capability requirement, establishing written policy components, and delineating the distinctions between monitoring frequencies. Additionally, it addresses specific considerations for graduate students and highlights appeal standards. Understanding these components is critical for maintaining student eligibility for federal financial aid.

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The New & Improved SAP Rules

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  1. The New & Improved SAP Rules Rick Shipman Director of Financial Aid Michigan State University October, 2011 Grand Rapids, Michigan

  2. Satisfactory Academic Progress • Regulations/Guidance • Higher Education Act (HEA) • 484(a) and (c) Student Eligibility • Code of Federal Regulations • §668.14 Program participation agreement • §668.16(e) Standards of administrative capability • §668.32(f) Student eligibility • §668.34 Satisfactory academic progress • §668.42(c) Financial assistance information • 2009-2010 Federal Student Aid Handbook • Volume 1, pages 1-10 through 1-13 • Volume 2, page 2-125 • Volume 4, page 4-20

  3. Satisfactory Academic Progress • What’s New? • Clarifies that SAP is an administrative capability requirement • Consolidates most rules under §668.34 • Lays out school policy components • Differentiates between every semester versus less frequent monitoring • Standardizes terminology • Sets broad appeal standards

  4. Satisfactory Academic Progress • Required Components • Written Policy • Repeats • Incompletes • Withdrawals • Transfers • Minimum GPA • Maximum Timeframe • Pace to Completion

  5. Satisfactory Academic Progress • One note about Graduate/Prof Students • Federal SAP rules are specific to undergrads • Schools must establish and follow reasonable graduate/professional SAP rules

  6. Satisfactory Academic Progress • Written Policy • A school must establish own policy, but it must contain the federally mandated elements • Must describe standards, monitoring processes, and steps to reestablish eligibility after failing the standards.

  7. Satisfactory Academic Progress • Written Policy • Allowing appeals is optional • Must address impact of transfer credits • Must address impact of repeats, incompletes and withdrawals • Must describe required documentation • Can have multiple policies based on specific populations

  8. Satisfactory Academic Progress • Minimum GPA • GPA standard must be consistent with the school’s graduation requirement • A single bright line standard • 2.0 for an undergraduate, for example • A graduated standard • 1.5 for a freshman, 1.8 for a sophomore, 2.0 thereafter, for example • Other • If GPA is not used, another method is required

  9. Satisfactory Academic Progress • Maximum Timeframe • Regulations allow aid eligibility for 150% of the normal time required for a degree • Example: An associate’s degree that requires 60 credits is allowed 90 credits • This is equivalent to 8 semesters of minimal full time enrollment • For graduate students, you should follow the published institutional standards

  10. Satisfactory Academic Progress • Pace to completion • Specifies the rate at which a student must complete courses to stay within the maximum time frame for the degree • Total hours completed / total hours attempted • A 67% pace for a 4 year degree permits 180 attempted & 120 completed credits • The rate calculation should use cumulative hours

  11. Satisfactory Academic Progress • Monitoring SAP Standards • No less than annually • As often as every payment period • If you monitor every payment period, you are allowed to grant a semester of aid ‘grace’ without student action • If you monitor less than every payment period, students who fail standards become immediately ineligible for aid (no ‘grace’ period)

  12. Satisfactory Academic Progress • Consistent Language • Must use specific words in SAP policies • Financial Aid Warning • Financial Aid Denial • Financial Aid Appeal • Financial Aid Probation

  13. Satisfactory Academic Progress • Consistent Language • Financial Aid Warning • Student failed SAP standards in a semester he started in good standing • He may continue to receive aid without taking action • Only for schools that monitor every term • Allowing this “Warning” semester is optional for an eligible school

  14. Satisfactory Academic Progress • Consistent Language • Financial Aid Denial • School monitors every semester: • Student failed SAP standards in a semester she started in Warning, Denial or Probation • School monitors less than every semester: • Student failed SAP standards for the monitoring period • No federal aid payments are permitted • That means no Parent PLUS • Policy should state if other aid is stopped too • School may allow an Appeal

  15. Satisfactory Academic Progress • Consistent Language • Financial Aid Appeal • A petition for waiver of Financial Aid Denial • Can be for 1 or more semesters • If granted for more than 1 semester, student adherence must be monitored each semester • Financial Aid Probation • Student in Financial Aid Denial who successfully appeals for aid reinstatement • May be granted for one or more semesters

  16. Satisfactory Academic Progress • Appeal Components • Strong evidence that student can return to good standing at end of semester of Probation or • Academic plan that moves student to good standing in a defined time frame

  17. Satisfactory Academic Progress • Appeal Components • Student statement • What went wrong that caused the failure • What has changed to prevent a recurrence • Regulations specify death of a relative, a student injury or illness as reasonable • Regulations also state “other special circumstances”

  18. Satisfactory Academic Progress • Academic Plan • Plan rules are not spelled out by regulation • Who prepares Plan is not spelled out either • Can require specific courses, grades, tutoring or other interventions • School must monitor each payment period if Plan covers more than 1 semester • Student must be given Appeal decision

  19. SAP Rules at MSU

  20. Michigan State University • MSU SAP Approach • Needed a high tech approach for quantity • Needed a high touch approach for quality

  21. Michigan State University • MSU SAP Approach • Written Policy – web • Minimum GPA – follow University standards • Maximum Timeframe – 150% • Pace – 67% • Maximum withdrawals – 3 • Repeats count against 67% & 150% but we will only go back 1 semester for aid reinstatement • Incompletes are assumed as passed but rechecked at next semester midterm • Monitor Every Semester • Allow Appeals

  22. Michigan State University • MSU SAP Approach • Include default aversion for Warnings • Requires academic and financial web counseling for aid • Combine high tech with high touch • Process performed online • Student statement • Academic plan • Review comments and decision

  23. Michigan State University • Academic Plan • Created by academic advisor • Initiated by student • Authorized by dean’s office • Recorded in online student academic folder • Plans are identical for those with and without aid

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