Satisfactory Academic Progress

The U.S. Department of Education (34 CFR Section 668.34) revised the requirements for Colleges & Universities to define and implement Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards for students receiving Title IV Federal Financial Aid. As required, the Lane College SAP policy for Title IV students is the same or stricter than the College's standards for students enrolled in the same educational program who are not receiving Title IV funds. These requirements apply to the following programs: The Federal Pell Grant, the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, the Federal TEACH Grant, Federal Work Study, Subsidized Direct Student Loans, Unsubsidized Direct Student Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, all Tennessee Student Assistance Awards, all TELS Awards, and all Institutional Aid.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) measures a student's completion of coursework toward a degree. Students who do not complete classes in which they are enrolled, or fail to achieve the minimum standards for grade point average may lose their eligibility for all types of federal, state, and institutional aid. SAP is measured both qualitatively (GPA) and quantitatively by a completion standard or pace based on attempted and earned credit hours. Students are no longer automatically placed on financial aid probation for not complying with satisfactory academic progress standards. Students not meeting satisfactory academic progress standards are placed on financial aid suspension. All students must successfully appeal financial aid suspension to be placed on financial aid probation and remain eligible to receive federal financial assistance from the College.

The Office of Academic Affairs, in conjunction with the Office of Financial Aid, monitors the academic progress of each student to determine if that student meets academic requirements as well as federal and state guidelines that govern the administration of student financial assistance. Prior to the disbursement of any federal financial aid, the Office of Financial Aid must confirm that all students receiving federal financial aid are meeting these standards.

SAP is evaluated annually, at the end of the spring semester (May), of each academic year and is comprised of three components. Failure to comply with any component may result in academic sanction and a loss of financial aid eligibility. The components are as follows:

• Qualitative Measure: Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA)
• Quantitative Measure: Minimum Completion Standard for Attempted Credit Hours (APCR)
• Maximum Timeframe for Degree

QUALITATIVE MEASURE OF ACADEMIC PROGRESS

A Lane College student must maintain a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) that satisfies the academic standards established by the college. The qualitative measure of academic progress is based on semesters of enrollment; attempted credit hours; and the cumulative GPA. Students are expected to enroll full-time (at least twelve credit hours) to be eligible to receive full financial assistance. Equivalent qualitative and quantitative measures of academic progress are also required of part-time students receiving federal financial aid

Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA)

Non-remedial coursework assigned a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F contributes to the cumulative GPA. Grades of W (withdrawal), WP (withdrawal passing), WF (withdrawal failing), F (failed), and I (incomplete), do reflect completion of courses; the hours assigned to courses are only counted in attempted credit hours. At the end of four (4) semesters or at the end of the second academic year, a student must have a cumulative GPA of at least a 2.00.

QUANTITATIVE MEASURE OF ACADEMIC PROGRESS

Students must adhere to the minimum specified academic progress completion rate (ACPR) specified in the chart below for all credit hours attempted or accepted as transfer credit by Lane College. This percentage includes all credit hours attempted, regardless of whether or not financial aid was received. Students enrolled full-time are required to take a minimum of twelve (12) hours; students must complete/pass 67% of all credit hours attempted with grades of A, B, C, or D. Enrollment status for financial aid is defined based on hours enrolled at the end of the College's 100 percent fee refund period.

Minimum Completion Standard for Attempted Credit Hours (Full-time)

Minimum Completion Standard for Earned Credit Hours

MAXIMUM TIMEFRAME MEASURE FOR DEGREE COMPLETION
Students are eligible to receive financial assistance for a limited period while pursuing a degree. A student must not exceed 150 percent of the number of credits it takes to obtain a degree. Credit hours are cumulative hours. The minimum credit hours required to receive a degree is 124 credits. Therefore, students may not exceed 186 attempted credit hours in order to remain eligible for financial aid. Students who exceed 186 attempted credit hours are considered ineligible for financial aid based on excessive hours. In some limited instances, a student may be granted an extension in maximum timeframe.

TRANSFER STUDENTS
Transfer students are required to meet the same satisfactory academic progress requirements as Lane College students. All accepted transfer credit hours will be included in credit hours attempted and earned to determine academic progress toward degree completion. We do not count the grades on those transfer credits toward the qualitative measure (i.e., CGPA). At initial enrollment, a transfer student not meeting SAP requirements may be placed on financial aid probation only after a successful appeal.

READMISSION
Readmitted students (students who previously attended Lane College) must meet the same satisfactory academic progress requirements. Readmitted students with transfer credits from others institutions will be evaluated based on transferable credit hours attempted and earned plus credit hours previously attempted and earned at Lane College. Upon readmission, a readmitted student not meeting SAP requirements may be placed on financial aid probation only after a successful appeal.

REPEAT COURSES
Students are allowed to repeat a previously passed course (grade of "D") only twice. Only the highest grade counts toward the qualitative measure of SAP. All repeated courses count toward attempted hours and the ACPR evaluation. Repeating a course(s) with a grade of "D" more than once, affects enrollment status (i.e., student classification). Students are allowed to retake previously failed courses (grade of "F") until successful completion; all repeats of previously failed courses are counted in attempted credit hours and in the APCR evaluation.

WITHDRAWAL FROM COURSES
Withdrawals from course(s) with grades of W, WP, or WF (after the official add/drop period) are counted in attempted credit hours and in the APCR evaluation.

INCOMPLETE COURSES
Students with incompletes must adhere to the academic policy associated with removal of the incompletes within a specified time period. The credit hours assigned to the "I" (incomplete) are counted in attempted credit hours and in the APCR evaluation.

REMEDIAL COURSES
Students may receive financial aid for no more than 30 credit hours of remedial coursework in any degree program. The grades earned in remedial courses are not included in a student's qualitative SAP evaluation or in the student's academic GPA. Remedial courses are also not included in the quantitative SAP component or used to evaluate pace. Students are required to receive a final grade of "C" in remedial courses and will not be allowed repeat these courses more than once.

CHANGE OF MAJOR
Students who change majors are subject to the same SAP requirements. All coursework taken by a student previously enrolled in another major(s) is included in the qualitative and quantitative components of SAP.

FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH SATISFACTORY PROGRESS STANDARDS

Financial Aid Suspension
Students who fail to satisfy any of SAP standard requirements at the end of each SAP evaluation period are placed on financial aid suspension. A student on Financial Aid Suspension at the end of the spring semester is not eligible for financial aid during the summer. The student is denied all types of federal and state aid (grants, work study, and loans) until the deficiency has been removed and the student is in good SAP standing. The student must pay his or her educational expenses from personal funds during the time period financial aid is suspended. This policy applies to all students at Lane College receiving financial aid.

Students who do not meet SAP standard requirements may exercise one of the following options to restore eligibility for financial aid:

1. Attend the following summer term(s) without receiving financial aid and meet the minimum satisfactory academic progress requirements by the end of the summer term. The student returns to good standing and will be eligible for financial aid during the next semester. Appeal the financial aid suspension to the SAP Appeal Committee (See procedures below).

Appeal Procedures
Students who fail to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress standard requirements may appeal the suspension of their student financial assistance. A letter of appeal must contain an explanation of the mitigating circumstances that impacted negatively upon the student's ability to meet the required standards. Examples of such circumstances are: (1) death/prolonged illness of an immediate family member, (2) medical illness by the student that created undue hardship, (3) natural disasters or other acts of God beyond the control of the student (i.e. hurricanes, storms, etc.) or other personal or family matters/situations that may have negatively impacted the student's ability to meet the required standards.

Appeal Process

1. The student must submit a completed SAP Appeal Form to the Office of Financial Aid addressed to:
   
   SAP Appeal Committee
   Lane College
   545 Lane Avenue
   Jackson, TN 38301
   
   
2. The student must attach all necessary supporting documents (grade change, current academic transcript, doctor's statement, death certificate, accident report, etc.) to the written appeal request.
3. The student's completed SAP Appeal Packet will be reviewed within two weeks of submission.
4. The student will be notified in writing of the Committee's decision to approve or deny the Appeal.

Incomplete submission of any of the requested documentation within the requested timeframe, will result in a denial of the appeal due to lack of sufficient evidence.

STUDENTS ARE TO SUBMIT ALL FINANCIAL AID APPEALS TO THE OFFICE OF FINANCIAL AID NO LATER THAN FIFTEEN (15) BUSINESS DAYS AFTER THE OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION OF THEIR FINANCIAL AID SUSPENSION STATUS. NO EXCEPTIONS.

STUDENTS NOTIFIED OF SUSPENSION OF FINANCIAL AID DURING THE REGISTRATION PERIOD MUST SUBMIT A WRITTEN LETTER OF APPEAL ALONG WITH THE REQUESTED DOCUMENTATION TO THE OFFICE OF FINANCIAL AID WITHIN SEVEN (7) BUSINESS DAYS OF THE NOTIFICATION IN ORDER TO HAVE A DECISION MADE REGARDING HIS/HER FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY FOR THE CURRENT SEMESTER.

REINSTATEMENT OF FINANCIAL AID

Appeal Approval
If the SAP Appeal Committee determines that the student is eligible for reinstatement of financial aid, s/he will be considered for aid available at the time of reinstatement. The student will be reviewed again at the end of the following semester and will be subject to the same required standards as previously stated, unless otherwise stated in the SAP Committee letter of reinstatement. The SAP Committee may recommend the development of an Academic Plan (AP) for the student. This Academic Plan outlines the specific requirements the student must fulfill in order to satisfy the College's satisfactory academic progress standards within a specified timeframe. The student's academic progress will be evaluated at least twice during the semester, and at the end of each academic semester to ensure that s/he is making progress according to their AP.

Financial Aid Probation
Financial Aid Probation is no longer granted automatically. A student must successfully appeal financial aid suspension in order to be placed on financial aid probation and remain eligible to receive federal financial assistance from the College. Upon review of a student's Appeal Packet, the SAP Appeal Committee may make one of the following three determinations:
The student is placed on financial aid probation without an academic Plan. After review of the Appeal Packet and the student's academic record, the SAP Appeal Committee determines that the student should be able to meet SAP standards by the end of the subsequent semester without an academic plan. The SAP Appeal Committee reviews probationary students at the end of each subsequent semester.

The student is placed on financial aid probation with an Academic Plan. After review of the Appeal Packet and the student's academic record, the SAP Appeal Committee determines that the student will require more than one semester to meet SAP standards; it may place the student on probation and develop an academic plan for the student. The College monitors the student's progress at least twice a semester and at the end of each semester to ensure that the student is meeting the requirements of the Academic Plan. As long as the student is meeting the requirements of the Academic Plan, the student is eligible to receive Title IV financial aid.

The student is placed on financial aid probation with an Academic Plan after a subsequent appeal of his/her original probationary status. The SAP Appeal Committee may consider an additional appeal from a student initially placed on financial probation without an Academic Plan. After review of the subsequent Appeal Packet, the Committee may extend the probationary status of the student by placing him/her on an Academic Plan.

Appeal Denial
After review of the Appeal Packet and the student's academic record, the SAP Appeal Committee may determine that the student should remain on financial suspension and ineligible to receive any Title IV funds. S/He must make arrangements pay all educational expenses from personal resources and/or non-federal sources (i.e., private loans, etc.). All decisions rendered by the SAP Appeal Committee are final and not subject to further review.

Prior Satisfactory Academic Progress Status
Students on financial aid probation under the prior SAP rules and regulations are evaluated at the end of the next semester using the new standards for satisfactory academic process. A student not meeting SAP requirements may be placed on financial aid probation only after a successful appeal.

Financial Aid Appeal Limits
Students are allowed to appeal financial aid suspension twice during his or her academic career at the College, unless special and extenuating circumstances justify one additional appeal. The student must provide information explaining what has changed to permit him/her to make satisfactory progress at the next evaluation period. The College may request additional documentation when a particular circumstance warrants it. A student is limited to one probationary period per appeal unless s/he is following an academic plan. Therefore, a student may be placed on probation more than once during his/her academic career.

Financial Aid Committee
A college-appointed Financial Aid Committee will conduct an annual review of the SAP Policy to ensure federal compliance and timely dissemination of relevant financial aid information to students.