Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) POLICY

Satisfactory Academic Progress Standard (SAP) 2011-12

The United States Department of Education requires that students applying for financial assistance must be enrolled in a program for the purpose of completing an AA/AS Degree, transfer requirements, or certificate program. All students must have their academic progress reviewed to determine if Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) has been achieved. The government requires that students who apply for financial assistance meet two standards:

 

Qualitative Standard

All students at Riverside Community College District (RCCD) must have a Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0.

 

Quantitative Standard

All students must complete a certain percentage of units attempted in order to make progress toward their goal. There are two parts to this standard:

1. Pace of progression: Students must complete at least 67% of the cumulative units attempted. If you unable finish your program within the maximum time frame, as explained below, you may loose eligibility for Title IV aid.
2. Maximum Time Frame: Students must also complete their educational objective (graduation, transfer or certificate) by the time they have attempted 90 units. This includes ALL units attempted at RCCD. A student can only receive financial assistance for a maximum of 150% of the published length of the program. 60 units is the standard for completion of many of the programs at RCCD. Thus, 90 units is the maximum for which a student can receive financial assistance (60 units X 150% = 90 units). The 90 unit maximum includes one change of academic program.

Evaluation

All students will be evaluated at the end of each semester to determine if they are meeting the standards listed above, beginning with the Fall 2011 semester.

* If you have attempted less than 12 units at RCCD, then you will be required to maintain a 1.5 Cumulative GPA and must complete 50% of the courses you attempt to maintain SAP. Once you have attempted 12 or more units, you will be held to the standard as explained above.

 

Grade Standards

All semester units at RCCD include:

• Attempted units include: A, B, C, D, F, CR, P, NC, NP, FW, W, I, IB, IC, ID, IF
• Completed units are units with a grade of: A, B, C, D, CR, P
• Transfer credits from other institutions will be included as attempted and completed units in the SAP calculation.

Courses in which a student receives a grade of F, NC, NP, FW, W, I, IB, IC, ID and/or IF will not be counted as completed units for satisfactory academic progress purposes, but will be counted as attempted units.

Only practicum/labs that are required, recommended or academically beneficial should be taken at the same time as the corresponding course.

Adding and/or dropping units after the first grant disbursement will require a review and possible adjustment of any future disbursements. Student Financial Services follows all Title V regulations in relation to financial assistance regulations for repeated courses and IP grades.

SAP Warning: Students failing to meet SAP will be placed on a 1 semester "warning" which will allow a student to receive financial assistance even though they are not meeting the SAP standard. This "warning" is only for students who have not previously received a warning/probationary period at RCCD. If after the "warning" semester, the student is still not meeting the SAP standard, they will become ineligible.

SAP Ineligible: A student can become ineligible for 2 reasons:

1. Student failed to meet SAP standards after their "warning" semester and/or
2. Student exceeds the 150% maximum time frame (90 units) under the quantitative standard

Students on an SAP Ineligible status can appeal this status once during their lifetime at RCCD. In order to appeal, the student must have extenuating circumstances that occurred during the period that the student did not meet SAP. To appeal, the student must document the circumstance for not meeting SAP and must provide official documentation. Examples of extenuating circumstances may include:

• Death of an immediate family member
• Documented illness
• Major accident or injury of yourself or an immediate family member
• Change in major (1 time only)
• Completed Remedial (ESL or Basic Skills) courses which affected the maximum time frame requirement

Students must turn in their extenuating circumstances appeal to their home college only. Each student who is approved for a "probation" period must have an academic plan developed which will outline the courses the student may receive financial assistance for.

SAP Probation: Students will be placed on "probation" only if your appeal of your ineligible status was approved. Students on "probation" must meet the SAP standard each semester in order to maintain their status.

If you fail to meet SAP while in a "probation" status, you will become ineligible to receive financial assistance until you bring your SAP up to the minimum cumulative standards.

Please meet with your Student Financial Services Counselor at your home college, utilities tutorial services and time management in order to maintain your financial assistance eligibility. Please see our consumer guide for additional information regarding Satisfactory Academic Progress at www.mvc.edu, click on the financial aid link.