Satisfactory Academic Progress

Federal regulations require students receiving financial aid to maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP) and be working toward a degree. Students’ academic status will be determined according to the guidelines set forth in this policy.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Review Policy

Undergraduate Students

The Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy for Title IV federal aid is based on the current Academic Standing policy that Regis follows. In order to qualify for the degree, a student must attain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.00. In addition to maintaining the required GPA, a student must complete a minimum of 67% of attempted courses.

All federal aid eligible students will be reviewed at the end of each payment period for grade point average and rate of completion (qualitative and quantitative). If federal eligibility is lost, any state funds and/or Regis grants will not be awarded. A student has the right to complete an appeal process to request re-instatement of federal aid.

GPA Requirement - Qualitative

1. Upper-class student (any undergraduate student who has completed two or more semesters) who has not earned a cumulative GPA of 2.00 at the end of each payment period (semester) will be given one “warning” semester.
2. If at the end of the warning semester the student has not regained a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 as required, federal aid will not be renewed for the following semester.
3. Students who lose their federal eligibility due to failure to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress will have the right and the opportunity to appeal such decision. See Appeal Process.

GPA Review Process:

1. Undergraduate students are reviewed for SAP at the end of each payment period/semester. GPA will be reviewed in January and during the file review process for fall eligibility (April-July).
2. If a student attends classes in the summer, SAP will be determined after the summer period.
3. Any student who is not making SAP will be put on warning. A letter addressed to the student will be sent to both the student’s home address and emailed to the student.
4. The Colleague system will be used to track students with a warning status.

Completion Rate and Maximum Timeframe (PACE)

A student must complete their program within 150% of the published timeframe. For example, a four-year program must be completed within six years. Each year a student must complete a minimum of 67% of attempted credits.

1. Any student who is not progressing at a pace which will lead to completion within 150% of the published time frame will be given one “warning” semester.
2. If at the end of the warning semester the student is not progressing at the required pace federal aid will not be renewed for the following semester.
3. Students who lose their federal eligibility due to failure to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress due to incomplete coursework will have the right and the opportunity to appeal such decision. See Appeal Process.

Transfer Credits

Transfer credits are counted as attempted and completed credits when calculating both GPA and Completion rate and Maximum Timeframe.

Repeat Courses

The first repeated course will be allowed when calculating both GPA and Pace.

Pass/Fail Courses

Courses taken Pass/Fail will not be calculated into a student’s Cumulative GPA. Courses taken Pass/Fail will be included in the calculation of Pace.

Warning Status

The first time you do not meet SAP standards, you will be given a Financial Aid Warning, which allows the student to receive financial aid for one additional semester, during which they are expected to bring their academic standing up to the required standard. The student will be monitored for SAP again at the end of the warning period. The student must meet the academic standing by the end of the Warning Period to be eligible to continue to receive financial aid.

Appeal Process/Probation

1. Students found ineligible for federal aid based on the failure to regain SAP at the end of the Warning period will have the right to appeal. The Appeal form can be requested from the Financial Aid Office. General criteria for appeals include student’s injury or illness, death of a relative, or other special circumstances.
2. To complete the SAP Appeal form the student must:
   • Provide information about why he/she did not meet financial aid SAP standards
   • Indicate what has changed that will now allow him/her to achieve financial aid SAP standards
   • Agree to be put on an Academic Plan if appeal is approved.
3. If a complete SAP Appeal is received from a student it will be reviewed by the SAP review committee.
4. If the committee approves a student’s appeal, the student will be granted one payment period/semester of Financial Probation.
5. Students granted Financial Probation must meet with an academic advisor, the Registrar, or equivalent and receive an Academic plan specifically for him/her.
6. The terms of the Academic Plan must be approved by Associate Dean of Academic Support or his/her designee.

Academic Plan

1. An Academic Plan is an agreement between the university and the student.
2. An Academic Plan will be specific to the student. Regis and the student should develop a plan that ensures the student is able to meet SAP standards by a specific time, though an Academic Plan could take a student through successful completion of a program.
3. Students must appeal to change their Academic Plan. They must explain what happened to make the change necessary and how they will be able to make SAP.
4. If a student fails to follow the Academic Plan, he/she will not be eligible for federal aid.
5. A student may receive federal aid once SAP has once again been achieved.

Academic Standing

The quality of a student’s course work is indicated by grades with the following significance:

Grade Quality Points

* A grade of B- is the passing grade required for all baccalaureate Nursing courses.

Course grades are determined by the combined marks of class work, attendance, participation, and term examinations.

In order to qualify for the degree, a student must attain a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of at least 2.00. To be in good academic standing, a student must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00. Students pursuing Education, Social Work, or Nursing must maintain a higher grade-point average and should request that information from the program. Class standing is determined as follows: To be eligible to enter the sophomore year, the student must have successfully completed a minimum of nine courses/30 credits; to be eligible to enter the junior year, the student must have completed a minimum of 18 courses/60 credits; to be eligible to enter the senior year, the student must have completed a minimum of 27 courses/90 credits.

Pass/No Pass Grading Option

Students may take no more than four courses required for a degree on a pass/no pass (P/NP) basis. Only one P/NP course may be taken in any given semester. Courses that are only offered on a P/NP basis do not apply to either of these limits. The P/NP option is not allowed for courses that are required for the major/program, for certain key requirement courses (EN 105, EN 106, QR 103F, QR 103P, QR 103S, and RC 101), and/or to satisfy certain course prerequisite requirements. Only one course may be taken with the P/NP option in the minor field. Refer to specific program criteria regarding P/NP limitations. Only P or NP will be recorded on the student’s transcript. The P/NP grade is not computed in the grade point average (GPA); however, earned credits will be applied toward graduation requirements. Students are responsible for filing the appropriate request form with the Registrar’s Office prior to the published deadline. The pass/no pass choice may not be requested retroactively.

Institutional Credit

Certain courses such as MA 096 and EN 100 carry institutional credit only. Institutional credit is credit that may not be applied toward graduation, but may be assigned value for purposes of semester load and tuition. Institutional credit is included in the GPA and in determining eligibility for financial aid. Students required to take courses receiving institutional credit do so in addition to the courses required for graduation credit.

Repeating a Course

Students may not repeat a course in which they have earned a passing grade unless a higher grade is necessary to advance to a sequential course or to progress within a certain major/program. Students may not repeat any course more than once unless it is the only course that meets a specific core curriculum requirement or is a course that only bears institutional credit. Specific major/program criteria may supersede this policy. When a course is repeated, an asterisk is attached to the failing grade on the transcript and the failing grade does not get calculated into the student’s GPA.

Dismissal from a Major

Students who earn two or more failing grades in a major subject or make insufficient progress within the major may be dismissed from that major. The maximum number of Ds in courses taken to fulfill the requirements of a major field may be no more than two. Determination and authority for dismissal from the major lie within each department or program.

Academic Probation and Academic Mandatory Leave (AML)

A student who is not in good academic standing is placed on academic probation. This is a serious warning that the student’s record is unsatisfactory.

Student records are reviewed each semester by the Academic Standing Committee, which will advise the student with regard to the course load that the student should carry and/or the student’s ability to continue as a Regis student. A student on academic probation may not hold student office or participate in intercollegiate athletics.

A student on academic probation who shows no signs of improvement and/or a student who fails three courses in any semester will be placed on a mandatory leave of absence from the university for at least one semester. If the student can make up deficiencies and produce evidence that he/she would benefit from the opportunity of continuing his/her program at Regis, he/she may petition the Associate Dean, Academic Support Services, in writing for re-entry to the university.