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2016-2017 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Appendix XI: Satisfactory Progress (3.8)

Satisfactory Progress (3.8)

Statement on Satisfactory Progress

  1. The grading system employed by each college should accurately reflect the academic achievement of the student. In order to ensure appropriate use of state resources available for the education of its citizens, each college will develop procedures to monitor satisfactory progress through its warning, probation and suspension policy.
  2. This policy shall be applicable to all students enrolled for developmental and/or credit courses, no matter the number of credits for which they are enrolled.
  3. No course may be repeated for credit more than twice. The highest grade received will be used in calculating the student’s academic average. This does not apply to those courses that are designed to be repeated for additional credit.
  4. Satisfactory completion of fifty percent of the credits attempted (this phrase means actual continued enrollment beyond the add/drop period) will be the minimum standard for good standing.
  5. Students who have completed 11 or fewer credits whose Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) falls below 1.5 will be given a written warning. Students who have completed between 12 and 30 credits inclusive whose CGPA falls below 1.7, and those who have completed 31 or more credits whose CGPA falls below 2.0, will be given a written notice that they are placed on academic probation.
  6. Students placed on academic probation will be required to take a reduced course load for one semester.
  7. Students who, after being placed on academic probation for one semester and after taking a reduced course load, fail to attain the required CGPA as shown above will be notified in writing that they are suspended for one semester.
  8. After the period of suspension, students may be reinstated, either as regular or probationary students, upon application to the college.
  9. An appeals process will be established by each college, which provides for due process.
  10. College procedures will be included in appropriate publications and communications.

Adopted October 17, 1993; amended January 28, 2002; amended February 23, 2004; amended September 20, 2004; amended February 14, 2005)

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for Student Financial Aid Recipients

In March 2005 the Connecticut Community Colleges approved a uniform satisfactory academic progress policy for all students receiving financial aid. Recent changes to federal regulations, announced in October 2010, require the Connecticut Community Colleges to make updates to this policy. The updated policy is reflected below and is in effect as of July 2011.

Policy

A student receiving Federal Title IV financial aid or other financial aid directly administered or certified by the college must maintain satisfactory academic progress towards the completion of a certificate or degree program of study. Satisfactory academic progress for financial aid recipients is measured by both quantitative and qualitative standards and is an assessment of a student’s cumulative academic record at the college.

A student must complete successfully two-thirds (66.66%) of the credits (earned credits/attempted credits) s/he attempts. All attempted credits resulting in either an academic grade or administrative transcript notation will be included in the quantitative calculation. Incomplete courses, course withdrawals, course repetitions, noncredit remedial courses (with appropriate credit equivalency evaluation), and ESL courses will be included in this assessment. Transfer credits will be counted as both attempted and earned credits in the calculation for determining satisfactory academic progress.

A student must also maintain a cumulative minimum grade point average as noted below to be making satisfactory academic progress and be eligible to receive financial aid.

Earned Credits Minimum GPA
≤15.99 1.50
≥16.00 2.00

A student’s cumulative and inclusive academic history will be evaluated prior to each term’s financial aid disbursement. This policy will be used to evaluate full-time and part-time students.

Maximum Credit Hours

A student may receive financial aid for any attempted credits in his/her program of study that do not exceed 150% of the published length of the student’s educational program at the college. For example, a student enrolled in a 60-credit degree program may receive financial aid for a maximum of 90 attempted credit hours. Similarly, a student enrolled in a 30-credit certificate program may receive financial aid for a maximum of 45 attempted credit hours. Any attempted credits at the college must be included in the calculation. This 150% maximum credit hours rule is applicable to students who change majors or who pursue a double major.

Communication

A student will receive notification prior to the start of a period of enrollment via postal mail or email that will describe any changes to the status of their academic progress. Updates to academic progress standing will also be made available to students through the use of myCommNet online access (http://my.commnet.edu).

Financial Aid Warning

Any student who fails to meet the minimum satisfactory academic progress standard will be placed on Financial Aid Warning ONCE. The Warning period will be the student’s next semester of enrollment at the college. The college will communicate the Warning status to the student and inform the student that s/he must meet the academic progress standard by the end of the subsequent enrollment period in order to maintain eligibility to participate in the financial aid program at the college.

Termination

Any student who fails to meet the minimum satisfactory academic progress standard at the end of the Warning Period will be dismissed from the financial aid program at the college. The college will communicate the Termination status to the student and inform the student of the Reinstatement and Appeal Process available.

Reinstatement Policy

A student’s financial aid eligibility will be automatically reinstated at such time as the student meets the minimum satisfactory academic progress requirements. Reinstatement to the financial aid program may also occur upon a successful appeal by the student.

Financial Aid Probation

A student may request reinstatement to the financial aid program through the following Appeal Process:

Appeal Process

If the student feels his/her failure to meet the minimum satisfactory academic progress standard was the result of an extraordinary or unusual situation that affected successful academic progression, the student may appeal to the Financial Aid Office. Extraordinary or unusual situations could include illness or injury of the student, caring for an ill member of the immediate family, death of a member of the immediate family, domestic violence, or divorce. All situations must be documented. An appeal form is available in the financial aid office.

To provide consistency in decision-making, a financial aid administrator will make all appeal decisions in a timely manner after the receipt of the appeal form. The student must:

  1. Explain the extraordinary or unusual situation causing the non-compliance
  2. Substantiate it with third party documentation (e.g., letter from the doctor who treated the student)
  3. Give a detailed explanation of specifically what has changed that will allow satisfactory progress to be demonstrated at the next evaluation

Should an appeal be approved and the student is not mathematically able to return to satisfactory academic progress at the conclusion of subsequent enrollment period, a financial aid administrator will require that the student meet with an academic advisor. The student will then be required to sign an agreement to the terms of the following academic plan:

  1. Register and successfully complete a minimum of six (6) credits; and
  2. Complete 100% of the courses attempted for the semester with a minimum GPA of 2.0.

At the end of the semester, grades will be evaluated. If the student has met the required terms of the academic plan, the student may continue to receive financial aid the following semester. If the student fails to meet the terms of the academic plan in any subsequent semester, the student will be terminated from the financial aid program until he or she is able once again to meet the minimum requirements for academic progress. The student’s progress will continue to be monitored at the end of each semester with the same terms in place until the student is in compliance with Connecticut Community Colleges’ Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.

If the student’s appeal is denied and the student is already registered for the upcoming semester, the student is responsible for any monies owed to the college. If the student pays for the next semester and successfully completes all classes in accordance with the academic plan listed above (minimum of six credits; 100% completion with a minimum GPA of 2.0), the student may appeal again after that semester.