Financial Aid Policies for Undergraduates

I. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Requirements for Federal and University Financial Aid Programs

To be eligible to receive financial assistance under any federal or University scholarship, grant, loan, or work program, students must demonstrate minimum qualitative and quantitative academic measurement standards. The qualitative and quantitative standards used to measure satisfactory academic progress are cumulative and encompass all enrollment periods, including periods of enrollment during which the student did not receive federal or University aid.

A. Qualitative Measurement

The qualitative measurement standard is expressed as a minimum cumulative grade point average (CUM/GPA), which must be demonstrated prior to each semester of enrollment. The following chart illustrates the minimum CUM/GPA requirement:

B. Quantitative Measurement

The quantitative measurement standard has two concepts: a maximum time frame in which the student is expected to finish a degree program; and a comparison of the number of credit hours the student attempted with the number of credit hours the student successfully completed to determine whether the student is progressing at a rate which will allow the student to finish the program within the maximum time frame. This is referred to as the minimum completion ratio.

Maximum Time Frame

The maximum time frame in which the student is expected to finish a baccalaureate degree program is defined as 150% of the published length of the program, according to the Alfred University Catalog, measured in attempted credit hours. For example, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences requires 124 credit hours to complete a degree. Therefore, the maximum time frame for which a liberal arts student may be eligible for aid is the period during which the student attempts 186 credit hours (124 X 1.5 = 186).

Minimum Completion Ratio

The percentage of attempted credit hours a student must successfully complete to demonstrate SAP is the minimum completion ratio. For all undergraduate degree programs at Alfred University, this percentage is 67%. The minimum completion ratio is determined by dividing the program credit hours required for graduation by the maximum time frame credit hours.

The application of the completion ratio is cumulative. Therefore, a student must successfully complete 67% of all credit hours attempted to demonstrate SAP for federal and University aid. For example, if a student attempted 60 credit hours during the first four semesters of enrollment, this student would need to demonstrate at least 40 successfully completed credit hours to satisfy the SAP minimum completion ratio requirement (60 X .67 = 40.2).

C. Evaluation Periods and Frequency of Measurement

The review of a student's SAP is done annually at the end of each semester, after final grades are posted by the Registrar. All students are reviewed regardless of the student's enrollment status or number of semesters attended during the academic year.

D. Cumulative Grade Point Average (CUM/GPA)

The CUM/GPA is the CUM/GPA as determined and recorded by the University Registrar on the student's official Alfred University academic record. Grades earned at other institutions for transfer credits are not considered to determine the student's Alfred University CUM/GPA or for SAP CUM/GPA requirements.

E. Attempted Credit Hours

For purposes of SAP, a credit hour is considered attempted unless the student's academic record demonstrates one of the following grade designations for the course credits: CH, AU, or EX. Classes/courses which carry a designation of 0 credit hours are not considered attempted credits. Transfer credits are also considered attempted credits. See G below, "Transfer Credit Hours."

F. Earned Credit Hours

A credit is considered successfully completed and earned if the student's academic record demonstrates a P, or A through D grade for that credit hour. Classes/courses which carry a designation of 0 credit hours are not considered earned credits. Transfer credits are also considered earned credits. See G below, "Transfer Credit Hours."

G. Transfer Credit Hours

Credits transferred into Alfred University are considered as both attempted credit hours and earned credit hours for the SAP quantitative measurement standards, maximum time frame and minimum completion ratio.

H. Failure to Demonstrate Satisfactory Academic Progress

Loss of Aid Eligibility

Students who fail to meet one or more of the SAP standards become ineligible to receive further Federal Title IV and University aid payments at Alfred University.

Right to Appeal

Students determined to be ineligible for Federal Title IV and University aid programs have the right to appeal. Appeals must represent extenuating circumstances which occurred to cause the student to fail achieving SAP. Appeals must be made in writing (a letter or email), authored by the student, presented to the director of financial aid within 15 days of the date on the letter notifying the student of the lack of SAP, and supported by appropriate documentation. Appeal decisions are made by the director of financial aid.

All appeals must include an academic plan which, if followed, will ensure the student is able to meet SAP standards within one or two semesters of additional attendance. Academic plans must be approved by the student's college/school dean and identify specific actions and academic performance criteria the student will satisfy during and at the end of each semester in the academic plan.

Students are provided specific, detailed guidance for appeal letters, allowable appeal circumstances, and academic plans when notified of SAP noncompliance.

Financial Aid Probation

If a student's appeal is approved, the student will be placed on financial aid probation for the next semester attended. Students may receive aid payment during probation. At the end of the probation semester, the student must satisfy all SAP standards and/or their academic plan requirements to be eligible for continued aid payments the following semester.

I. Reinstatement of Aid Eligibility

Students who do not satisfy the SAP requirements may reinstate their aid eligibility by correcting SAP deficiencies without the benefit of Federal or University aid or submitting a successful appeal and satisfying SAP standards after a probation period.

II. New York State Progress Standards

New York State has established academic progress standards for the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), State scholarships, and other State aid programs. For New York State, the student is subject to three progress standards: program pursuit, satisfactory academic progress, and a C average requirement.

A. Program Pursuit

Program pursuit is defined as receiving a passing or failing grade, in a certain percentage of a full-time course load, in each semester for which a State aid award is received to be eligible for the next semester's payment. The percentage increases from 50% of the minimum full-time course load (12 credit hours) in each semester of study in the first year for which an award is received, to 75% of the minimum full-time course load in each semester of study in the second year for which an award is received, to 100% of the minimum full-time course load in each semester thereafter.

The following chart illustrates the program pursuit requirements for New York State aid. The chart defines the number of credit hours a student must complete during the semester for which a State aid payment was received according to the student's cumulative number of State aid payments received.

For program pursuit, a credit hour is considered completed if the student received an A through F, Z, P or I grade.

B. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

The New York State satisfactory academic progress measurement defines the minimum number of earned credits and the minimum CUM/GPA which must be met for each term of study in which a State award is received. The following chart illustrates these standards. A credit is considered successfully completed and earned if the student's academic record demonstrates a P or A through D grade for that credit hour.

*Only students enrolled in a five-year baccalaureate program or an approved Education Opportunity Program may receive a fifth academic year of payment.

C. C Average Requirement

Students who have received the equivalent of four semesters of New York State-funded student financial aid payments must have a minimum CUM/GPA of 2.0 to be eligible for subsequent State aid payments.

D. Evaluation Periods and Frequency of Measurement

New York State SAP and program pursuit standards are measured at the end of each semester for which the student received State aid. The C average requirement must be met for all semesters after receiving four semesters or more of State aid payments.

E. Reinstatement of New York State Aid

Students who have lost good academic standing and payment eligibility under the New York State SAP, program pursuit, or C average requirements may regain eligibility in one of the following ways:

1. Make up the academic deficiencies without the benefit of New York State aid.
2. Be readmitted to the University after an absence of at least one calendar year. This provision of the State aid regulations does not apply to the C average requirement.
3. Transfer to another institution where the student must meet that institution's admission requirements.
4. Appeal for a waiver of the SAP, program pursuit, or C average requirement based on extenuating circumstances. The appeal procedures are provided with the notification that the student does not meet good academic standing for NY state aid.

New York State aid regulations state that a student may receive an extenuating circumstance waiver only once for the SAP and program pursuit requirements. An extenuating circumstance waiver of the C average requirement may be granted more than once. Financial aid probation is not permitted for New York State aid programs.