ACADEMIC PROGRESS AND ACADEMIC STANDING
The college establishes standards for academic achievement in order to assist students in meeting their academic goals and to maintain a campus environment conducive to the mission of the college.
Acceptable academic standing. To be in acceptable academic standing, a full-time student must meet all of the following standards:
- Earn a minimum of 3 or more course credits each of the first six semesters and 4 course credits or more per semester subsequently;
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Meet the cumulative GPA standard based on the cumulative number of courses registered/attempted:
- GPA of 1.6 or higher when cumulative attempted credits are less than 8.
- GPA of 1.8 or higher when cumulative attempted credits are less than 12.
- GPA of 1.9 or higher when cumulative attempted credits are less than 16.
- GPA of 2.0 or higher when cumulative attempted credits are 16 or greater.
Part-time and non-degree seeking students are considered to be in acceptable academic standing when they earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 1.60 prior to completing 6 course credits, and will follow the chart thereafter.
Academic probation. Students whose low grades and/or slow accumulation of course credits indicate they are at risk of being dismissed from the college are placed on academic probation. Students on academic probation are not considered to be in acceptable academic standing. However, because they are earning credits consistent with the minimum pace required by the federal Department of Education, they are considered to be making Satisfactory Academic Progress. The determination of Academic Standing (based on a 4 to 5 year graduation rate) and the determination of Satisfactory Academic Progress (based on a maximum 6 year graduation rate) are two separate matters evaluated and determined by the Registrar.
Students on academic probation are required to consult with a faculty advisor and develop a plan for returning to acceptable academic standing. Students on probation must also request and receive permission from the Admission and Academic Status Committee for anything beyond the normal course load. In some cases, students on probation may be restricted from participating in extracurricular activities by the Admission and Academic Status Committee for the period of probation. Academic probation may be noted on the transcript.
Academic Warning Period. After completion of a student’s first semester of unsatisfactory academic progress, the institution will place the student on an automatic one-semester academic warning period. This action is not appealable. During this one-semester academic warning period, the student will be encouraged to meet with their academic advisor and/or academic coach and develop a plan for returning to a good Satisfactory Academic Progress standing. At the end of this one-semester academic warning period, the student will again be evaluated for satisfactory academic progress and be held to the requirements outlined in the chart above to determine academic standing moving forward.
Academic dismissal. Students may be dismissed when:
1. The student’s cumulative GPA falls below the following standards:
a. 0.8 when cumulative attempted credits are less than 8.
b. 1.4 when cumulative attempted credits are less than 12.
c. 1.6 when cumulative attempted credits are less than 16.
d. 1.7 when cumulative attempted credits are less than 20.
e. 2.0 when cumulative attempted credits are 20 or greater.
2. The student falls below the standards in cumulative course credits earned of:
a. 33.3% when cumulative attempted credits are less than 8.
b. 50.0% when cumulative attempted credits are less than 12.
c. 55.6% when cumulative attempted credits are less than 16.
d. 58.3% when cumulative attempted credits are less than 20.
e. 66.6% when cumulative attempted credits are 20 or greater
3. In the judgment of the college, the student is not serious about seeking an education at the college or when the student’s academic performance or other behavior has become disruptive to the academic mission of the college.
Academic dismissal may be noted on the transcript.
Appeal of academic dismissal. Students have the right to appeal academic dismissal. Students may file an appeal by submitting the appeal form, written statement, and any supporting documentation to the Office of Academic Affairs by the deadline stated on the notification of dismissal. Appeals are evaluated by the Admission and Academic Status Committee comprised of faculty members from various disciplines. Representatives from the following offices are also present at the appeals meeting, but do not cast a vote: Academic Support Services, Office of the Registrar, Residence Life and Student Life. Students are notified of the decision immediately following the appeals meeting. Only in extraordinary circumstances can a student appeal the committee’s decision to the dean of the faculty, who will render a final decision. The student must submit additional documentation and evidence not previously considered in order for a second appeal to be considered.
Readmission. A student who was dismissed, or has been away from the college for a semester or more, must apply for readmission through the Monmouth College Registrar’s Office in order to return.
Academic expulsion. A student may be expelled for academic reasons if performance following readmission continues to fall below college standards. Expulsion is a permanent separation of the student from the college and is noted on the transcript.
Disciplinary dismissal. A student dismissed for disciplinary reasons will be assigned a grade of W or WF in cases where coursework has not been completed prior to dismissal. Policies and procedures for disciplinary dismissal are published in the Scots Guide.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ELIGIBILITY AND SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS POLICY
A student is required to be making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in order to maintain eligibility for Federal and/or State financial assistance. (See chart above.) At the end of each academic semester, after final grades have been issued, the Associate Vice President for Student Financial Planning will verify the academic progress of each student. All periods of enrollment (Fall, Spring, and any future terms Monmouth may offer such as summer, J-term or May-term) will count toward SAP, including when a student does not receive federal/ Title IV aid.
The three components of Satisfactory Academic Progress which must be evaluated and met are:
1) Qualitative Standard (Incremental GPA)
2) Quantitative Standard (Incremental Pace)
3) Maximum Time Frame (to complete a program)
All remedial coursework, repeated coursework, and coursework from which a student withdraws, will be counted and calculated in the appropriate SAP formulas. When a course is repeated, only the most recent grade is used in the Qualitative—GPA calculation. However, both courses (original and repeated) will be used in the Quantitative—Pace calculation.
Definitions:
Registered/Attempted courses include all courses officially enrolled in at Monmouth College, and includes all accepted transfer work, AP credit, IB credit recorded on our academic transcript. It does not include courses taken as audit.
Official Enrollment is defined as the credits for which a student is registered at the end of the period for adding a course without a fee (typically the end of the first week of classes) or any 2nd half semester classes for which the student enrolls during the allowable period for adding a 2nd half semester course.
Financial Aid Warning Period refers to a status assigned to a student who fails to make satisfactory academic progress at the institution, but who is allowed to collect state and/or federal aid for one semester.
Financial Aid Probation Period refers to a status assigned to a student who fails to make satisfactory academic progress and who has appealed and has had eligibility for state and/or federal aid reinstated for one semester.
Financial Aid Appeal refers to a process initiated by a student who is not meeting the satisfactory academic progress standards and petitions the institution for reconsideration of the student’s eligibility for Federal and/or State assistance.
Academic Plan refers to a plan developed by a student in conjunction with their academic advisor and/or the Registrar which when adhered to, will allow them successfully meet SAP standards within a designated period of time. An Academic Plan must accompany a Financial Aid Appeal submitted by a student.
Qualitative Standard (Cumulative GPA). Students must meet an incremental minimum cumulative GPA (see chart) on a 4.0 scale. If the student fails to meet the incremental minimum GPA, a loss of eligibility for Federal and/or State financial assistance will occur.
Per federal regulation, when a student is enrolled in an educational program of more than two academic years, the student must have a GPA of at least a 2.0 or its equivalent by the end of the second academic year. Monmouth College defines “second academic year” as the term in which a student registers for their 15th course credit (60th credit hour equivalent) which is the semester they have attempted enough credits to have been able to achieve a junior standing.
In the case of a student who receives a grade equal to “I” (Incomplete) or “IP” (In-progress), the eligibility for financial assistance for the next semester will be determined without regard for the “I” or “IP” grade. Subsequent removal of an “I” or “IP” grade and replacement of those grades with final grades may have an impact on future semesters and the eligibility for financial assistance, but it will not have a retroactive effect on semesters for which assistance has already been approved.
Quantitative Standard (Incremental Pace). Students must also be making incremental progress and consistently earning credits towards a degree. (See chart). If the student fails to make incremental progress towards the degree, a loss of eligibility for Federal and/or State financial assistance will occur.
Maximum Time Frame (to complete the program). The federal regulations contain a maximum time frame component, which allows a student to take up to 150% of the time needed to achieve and obtain a degree. For example, a full-time student may take up to six years to obtain a four-year bachelor’s degree and still remain eligible to receive financial assistance. Once the student has reached the 150% point in time, no further Title IV aid will be processed. (Transfer credits from another institution, as well as AP and IB credits will be counted toward the incremental pace and maximum time frame but will not be counted toward the GPA.)
Financial Aid Warning Period. After completion of a student’s first semester of unsatisfactory academic progress, the institution will place the student on a one-semester financial aid warning period. This action is not appealable. During this one-semester warning period, the student will be allowed to receive Federal and/or State assistance. At the end of this one-semester warning period, the student will again be evaluated for satisfactory academic progress and be held to the requirements outlined in the chart above to determine eligibility for aid moving forward.
Financial Aid Appeal. In any semester where a student has lost eligibility of financial assistance, the student may make a written appeal for reinstatement of eligibility for Federal and/or State assistance to the Associate Vice President for Student Financial Planning. Such written appeal must be made by the deadline set forth in the notification received by the student. (See below Notification.) The student must show that their cumulative GPA fell to below the minimum or they failed to make incremental progress towards a degree (as outlined in chart) as the result of 1) the death of an immediate relative of the student, 2) a severe injury to the student, 3) a severe illness of the student, or 4) other unusual circumstances that interrupted their ability to perform academically. It is expected that the student will develop an academic plan with the assistance of their academic advisor and/or the Registrar and submit said academic plan with the appeal.
Appeals are evaluated by the Financial Aid SAP Appeals Committee, comprised of the AVP for Student Financial Planning, members of the Student Financial Planning staff, and the VP for Enrollment Management. Students are notified of the decision of the committee immediately following the appeals meeting. The decision of the Financial Aid SAP Appeals Committee is a final decision regarding the appeal.
If an appeal is granted, the student will be placed on a Financial Aid Probation Period for one semester and will be eligible to receive Federal and/or State assistance. If, at the end of the probation period, a student does not 1) meet the incremental minimum cumulative GPA requirement or 2) meet the incremental minimal pace toward the degree (as outlined in the chart), the student will again be considered ineligible for aid and will be notified of their right to appeal. A second appeal would only be considered if the student can illustrate that they have met the requirements specified in their Academic Plan and they will be able to meet the SAP standards by a specific point in time as outlined in their Academic Plan.
Notification. Students are notified of their SAP status in a number of ways. The status is viewable at all times through the student’s My MC self-service portal. In addition, when a student fails to meet SAP standards or a student appeals their eligibility, official notifications are provided via postal mail, email, and through the self-service portal.
Re-establishing Eligibility. A student may re-establish eligibility for financial assistance in a number of ways. 1) A student may enroll at the college without the benefit of financial assistance and achieve or reestablish satisfactory academic progress during this time. Once a student has done this, by increasing the grade point average and/or pace, the student could be eligible for financial assistance in the following semester. 2) A student may enroll at another institution. When doing so, a student is encouraged to discuss potential class selections with the Registrar’s Office to determine their eligibility for transfer back to Monmouth College. The SAP calculations would then be re-run to consider the newly earned transfer credits. When the student has successfully met the SAP requirements, their eligibility for financial assistance will be re-established and granted for the following semester. Note: This could be done over a summer semester and a student could successfully re-establish eligibility for the fall semester. These options are not available to students who have been dismissed from financial aid because of exceeding their maximum time frame.
Changing of Major/Program. If a student elects to change their major during their enrollment at Monmouth College, and this change is granted by the academic departments and the Registrar’s Office, the student will still be held to the Maximum Time Frame Component or 150% rule stated above. All coursework taken at Monmouth College will continue to be counted in the Qualitative (GPA) and Quantitative (Pace) formulas outlined above. The SAP status of a student will be applied in continuation from one major/program to the next.