Policy 2.9

Chapter 2:  Students
2.9 Satisfactory Academic Progress

Purpose:

Satisfactory academic progress measures a student鈥檚 progress toward the completion of a particular degree or licensure program at 91吃瓜 Community and Technical College - MNWCTC.  All students must comply with the standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress as outlined in this policy without exception for full-time/part-time status or regardless of program of study.

91吃瓜 is authorized by the U.S. Department of Education to administer federal Title IV student aid based on students' eligibility for Pell, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Work study and Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans awards. Students receiving financial aid funds are required by federal regulations to meet the requirements of financial aid satisfactory academic progress using qualitative and quantitative measures.

Part A: Policy and Definitions

Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements for Financial Aid Recipients: Financial aid eligible students failing to meet these standards jeopardize their ability to receive financial student aid. Students bear responsibility for academic progress and should seek assistance when experiencing difficulties.

  1. Qualitative Measure
    1. All students are required to maintain a minimum 2.0 (C) cumulative grade point average beginning with the first term of attendance. (Note: A 2.0 GPA is required to graduate).  The minimum standard is progressive based on cumulative registered credits and is detailed below.

Grades of A,B,C,D, and F will be included in calculating a student's GPA.

Cumulative Registered Credits Minimum Required GPA
0 - 5 0.00
6 - 15 1.60
16-30 1.80
31+ 2.0
    1. Quantitative Measures
      1. To remain eligible for financial aid, a student is required to progress toward the completion of an academic program by successfully completing 66.67% of all credits attempted at MNWCTC. Courses for which a student receives a letter grade of A, B, C, D, and P are included in the calculation of cumulative credit completion percentage as courses successfully completed. Courses for which a student receives a letter grade of F, I, FN, IP, N, NC, NR, W, and Z grades will be treated as credits attempted but not successfully completed. Any credits accepted in transfer by MNWCTC are also counted as completed and attempted credits in the completion calculation.
Cumulative Registered Credits Minimum Completion Percentage
0 - 5 0.00%
6 + 67%

The completion percentage will be reviewed after the end of each term. Grades of Incomplete (I), Failing (F), Ceased to attend (FW), Withdraw (W), No Credit (NC) or No Grade Assigned (Z) do not count toward satisfactory completion but as attempted credits.

Part B: Maximum Time Frame:

The maximum allowable time frame for a student to complete an academic program is 150% of the published credit length of the program of record. Credits attempted at MNWCT and applicable transfer credits from other institutions are counted for determining this standard. Maximum time frame calculations apply to all terms of attendance, whether or not you received financial aid during each term. Financial aid recipients pursuing more than one program/major or who have changed their program/major may need to appeal to continue receiving financial aid.  Remedial level credits (up to 30), that do not count toward the student鈥檚 declared program/major of study will be excluded from the maximum time frame calculation.

A student seeking an additional degree/diploma/certificate will be granted 150% allowable time frame for all required credits for that program. A student who reaches or exceeds the maximum number of credits will have aid terminated at the end of that semester. If at any point, it is determined a student cannot complete their program requirements before reaching or exceeding the maximum time frame allowed, they will have their financial aid eligibility suspended immediately.  Students who are suspended for breaching the allowable credits, and who have been placed on suspension will be given the opportunity to appeal that suspension.

Part C:  Evaluation

91吃瓜 evaluates satisfactory academic progress after each semester, including fall, spring and summer. All students with registered credits during a semester, will be evaluated at the end of that semester.

  1. PSEO/Concurrent Enrollment students will be evaluated once annually, due to the scheduling of their courses not aligning with the 91吃瓜 academic calendar.
  2. Students enrolled in customized training courses and programs, who are funded by third parties are excluded from the SAP evaluation.

Part D: Failure to Meet Standards

  1. Academic and/or Financial Aid Warning
    1. If at the end of the evaluation period a student has not met either 91吃瓜鈥檚 GPA or completion percentage standard, the student will be placed on warning for the next term of enrollment. Students on warning are eligible to register and receive financial aid.
    2. If at the end of the warning period a student who has been on warning status has met both the cumulative GPA and cumulative completion percentage standards, the warning status is ended and the student is returned to good standing.
    3. If a student fails to meet the SAP standards at the end of their warning period, he/she will be placed on Academic and/or Financial Aid Suspension.
  2. Academic and/or Financial Aid Suspension
    1. Suspension of Students on Warning Status - If at the end of the warning period a student who has been on warning status has not met both 91吃瓜鈥檚 cumulative grade point average and completion percentage standards, the student shall be suspended from registering and/or financial aid eligibility.
  3. Suspension of Students Not on Warning Status-Exceeding Maximum Timeframe
    1. If at the end of the evaluation period a student has failed to meet 91吃瓜鈥檚 standard for measurement of maximum time-frame, the student shall be suspended from financial aid eligibility.
  4. Suspension for Inability to Meet Program Requirements within the Maximum Time-Frame
    1. If at the end of the evaluation period 91吃瓜 determines it is not possible for a student to raise their GPA or course completion percentage to meet the College's standards before the student completes their program of study at 91吃瓜, the student shall be suspended from financial aid.
  5. Suspension for Extraordinary Circumstances
    1. The college may immediately suspend students in the event of extraordinary circumstances, including but not limited to previously suspended (and reinstated) students whose academic performance falls below acceptable standards during a subsequent term of enrollment; students who register for courses, receive financial aid, and do not attend any classes; and students whose attendance patterns appear to abuse the receipt of financial aid.

Part E: Notification

Students will be notified of their satisfactory academic progress, academic and financial aid status based on the status information listed below 鈥�

  1. Warning status 鈥� students will receive an email to their 91吃瓜 Student email account, or default email address provided.
  2. Suspension Status 鈥� students will receive an email to their 91吃瓜 Student email account, or default email address provided. A paper letter will also be mailed to the student鈥檚 permanent address.
  3. Probation Status - students will receive an email to their 91吃瓜 Student email account, or default email address provided.

Students will also see an updated status within their student dashboard in e-services, regardless of the classification of that status.

Part F: Appeals

In order to appeal an academic and/or financial aid suspension a student must complete an online Academic/Financial Aid Reinstatement Appeal form providing information on what circumstances caused their inability to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards and what steps the student has taken to ensure academic success going forward.

The student must have an academic plan that includes an agreement that the student will complete a minimum of 75% of their enrolled courses within that term and have a term grade point average of 2.50 or higher.  The student will also include a copy of their unofficial college transcript, and supporting documentation related to the circumstances that contributed to their financial aid suspension.

Submitted appeals are reviewed for approval or denial by the College-wide Appeals Committee for academic suspension appeals and the Director of Financial Aid for financial aid suspension appeals. Timelines for appeal submission can be found on the student calendar.  Students whose appeal application is denied may request a secondary review by the College Provost, or submit a new appeal in a subsequent term.

An Academic Dean can approve registration into one course without lifting the suspension only if the Academic Appeal form is completed by the student and signed by an Advisor with consultation of SAP requirements

  1. Late Appeals - Any appeal received after the final appeal deadline, (or once the semester begins) will be considered as being received past the appeal deadline.  Late appeals will be reviewed on a case by case basis and the College-wide Appeal Committee and the Director of Financial Aid reserves the right to deny the appeal due to missing the deadline if it is decided it would be in the best interest of the student鈥檚 academic success. Additional documentation may also be required for late appeals, prior to appeal consideration.

Part G: Academic Reinstatement

A student who has been suspended from enrollment may return to the college on probationary status after an appeal has been approved with the following requirements.

  1. The student will be continued on probationary status if the student completes 75% of their registered credits in the probationary semester with a 2.5 term grade point average but has not met the institution's cumulative standards.
  2. The student will be removed from probationary status when both the cumulative qualitative and quantitative criteria for satisfactory academic progress have been met.

Part H: Financial Aid Reinstatement

A student will be eligible for Reinstatement of Aid when:

  1. They satisfactorily complete acceptable academic work (2.0 GPA and 67% completion) in a minimum of 6 credit hours taken toward completion of their degree in the same semester. This student cannot receive financial aid for the period during which eligibility is being reinstated. A student who has met this condition must still be approved through the appeal process. Reinstatement of financial aid is not guaranteed.
  2. They have had a financial aid suspension appeal approved based on unusual or mitigating circumstances including but not limited to death of a relative, illness, hospitalization, or injury to the student. Mitigating circumstances are situations that are out of the control of the student and were not present at the time of initial enrollment.
  3. They have met the conditions specified in his/her academic plan but have not met the institution's cumulative standards. In such cases, MWCTC shall permit the student to remain renew their probation status for a subsequent evaluation period.
  4. They have a grade of Incomplete (I) turn into an acceptable letter grade during the first twenty days of the semester following the suspension that enables the student to meet the minimum Satisfactory Progress requirements.
  5. They have met the cumulative GPA and completion rate requirements by taking credits on their own (no financial aid). Students need to contact the Director of Financial Aid in writing when they have met the requirements.

Part I: Additional Elements

  1. Treatment of Grades: A course repeated with the intent of improving GPA will have both the initial and repeated course counted when calculating courses attempted. Grades of Incomplete (I), Failing (F), Failure, Never Attended (FN), Failure, Ceased to Attend (FW), Withdraw (W), No Credit (NC), In Progress (IP), or No Grade Assigned (Z) shall be treated as credits attempted but not successfully completed.
  2. Academic Amnesty: Credits for which students have been granted academic amnesty (鈥渁cademic forgiveness鈥�, 鈥渁cademic renewal鈥�, etc.) will be included in both cumulative GPA and completion percentage for financial aid warning/suspension calculations.
  3. Audited Courses: Audited courses (AU) are not included in any financial aid satisfactory academic progress measurements.
  4. Consortium Credits: Credits for which financial aid is received under a consortium agreement will be included in cumulative GPA, completion percentage and maximum time frame calculations for financial aid warning/suspension.
  5. Remedial Credits: Developmental courses are those awarded for remedial course work (below 1000 levels). Students may receive financial aid for developmental credits up to a maximum of 30 credit hours (excluding ESL). These credits are included in all financial aid satisfactory academic progress measurements. Up to 30 credits of developmental credits shall be excluded from maximum time frame calculation.\
  6. Repeated Courses: Repeated credits are credits awarded when a student repeats a course in order to improve a grade. The last grade will become the grade calculated for GPA purposes. Academic policyallows a student to repeat a course no more than two times, however, a student shall not be permitted to receive financial aid for more than one repetition of a previously passed course. All repeated credits are included in the percentage of completion and maximum time frame calculation for financial aid purposes.
  7. Transfer Credits: Transfer credits accepted by 91吃瓜 shall be counted as credits attempted for calculation of cumulative completion percentage, and grades associated with these credits shall not be used in calculating cumulative GPA. Transfer credits accepted and applied by 91吃瓜 Community & Technical College toward a student鈥檚 general education program, or degree requirements shall apply toward the maximum time frame calculation.
  8. Withdraws: Credits for courses that a student withdraws from after the drop period will be included in credits attempted but not successfully completed for purpose of monitoring academic satisfactory progress. Thus, a 鈥淲鈥� does not impact GPA, but does negatively impact the cumulative completion percentage.
  9. Students who have not met the institution鈥檚 cumulative grade point average and completion percentage standards and have not met the conditions specified in his/her academic plan, the student shall be re-suspended immediately upon completion of the evaluation.
  10. Federal Title IV Eligibility Requirements:
    1. A student must be a citizen of the United States or an eligible nonresident.
    2. A student meets the requirements of the Selective Services regulations.
    3. A student may not be in default on a student loan or owe an overpayment on a Title IV funding at any previously attended postsecondary school.
    4. A student must be making "satisfactory progress" toward graduation.
    5. A student must have a high school diploma or a GED certificate.
    6. A student must be enrolled in (or applied for admission to) an eligible program.
  11. State Financial Aid Eligibility Requirements:
    1. A student must be enrolled in an eligible program of at least three credits.
    2. A student must be a Minnesota resident.
    3. A student must demonstrate financial need.
    4. A student must be past mandatory high school age or if under 17, hold a high school diploma or GED.
    5. A student must not be delinquent on child support payments.

Approved by: Richard Shrubb, President
History & Revision:  Originated July 1, 2003
Revision April 19, 2010
Revision May 1,2008 effective August 25, 2008
2.9 Satisfactory Progress Standard
Revision:  June 25, 2009 Section 2. A.
Revision July 19, 2011 amendment due to new federal regulations that require institutional SAP policies to follow a process of warning, suspension, appeal and probation.
Revision November 2, 2012 changed "fresh start" to "academic renewal"
Revision May 2, 2014 language update
Revision July 25, 2017 Minnesota State link
Revision November 2017 FN
Revised May 7, 2025
Revision Approved by: Dr. Terry Gaalswyk, President