USAO requires that minimum standards for “Satisfactory Academic Progress” (SAP) toward the earning of a degree is met by new and continuing students who are receiving financial aid.  This is in accordance with federal guidelines set forth by the Department of Education.  This aid includes the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Work-Study, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant, Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant, FFEL Stafford Loans (subsidized and unsubsidized), the Federal Loan Plus Program, and Perkins Loans.

USAO has also adopted this standard to govern its institutional based aid, which includes (but is not limited to): tuition and / or room waivers, academic, athletic, incentive, foundation, and talent scholarships.

ALL students participating in the financial aid programs at USAO will be evaluated uniformly at the end of each term.

It is the student’s responsibility to be aware and know his or her eligibility status at the end of each term.  Be aware that hours attempted on transcripts do not include hours attempted such as withdrawals.  Also, the cumulative GPA on a grade report may differ from the student’s retention / graduation GPA.  If assistance is needed regarding financial aid eligibility status, contact the Financial Aid Office.

SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS STANDARDS

The minimum standards are as follows:

Ø       Students must maintain a minimum of a 2.00 retention / graduation GPA.

Ø       Students planning to enter teacher certification programs must maintain a minimum of a 2.50 retention / graduation GPA.

Ø       Full-time students must complete a minimum of 12 hours in the enrollment period.*

Ø       Three-quarter time students must complete a minimum of 9 hours in the enrollment period.*

Ø       Half-time students must complete a minimum of 6 hours in the enrollment period.*

*Enrollment status is determined by the number of hours the student is enrolled in at the end of the designated add / drop date of each term.  This is the student’s total hours attempted for the term.  All summer session hours will be added together to determine enrollment status for the summer.

The following grades are counted as hours attempted for financial aid, but not successfully completed: F, I, W, AW, WP, WF, and NP.  Audited classes are not counted towards hours attempted or hours completed.  Clep Credits will be counted towards a student’s overall hours attempted and earned, but will not excuse a previous term’s deficit in hours.

All transfer students and all continuing USAO students applying for financial aid for the first time must meet the minimum standards described above.  Financial aid will be held until transcripts from all schools attended by the student have been received and reviewed.  It is required by federal regulation that all periods of enrollment be reviewed whether or not aid was previously received.

In addition, students must not exceed the maximum hour limit for completing their undergraduate coursework (including a 2^nd Bachelor’s Degree and Teacher Certification).  186 hours attempted (including all course work from all collegiate schools attended such as remedial, non-credit, withdrawal, repeat, incomplete, pass, fail, etc.) is the maximum for a student to remain eligible for financial aid at USAO.  Students pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree will be allowed a maximum of 202 hours due to the length of the program.  Once the hour limit is met or passed, the student is considered to have “exhausted” their eligibility for financial aid and is automatically placed on financial aid suspension.

FINANCIAL AID PROBATION AND SUSPENSION

If a student fails to meet the above minimum standards, the student will be placed on financial aid probation for their next term of enrollment.  During this probationary term, the student will remain eligible for financial aid. 

If at the end of the probationary term the student again fails to meet the minimum standards, the student will then be placed on financial aid suspension and cannot receive the assistance of federal or institutional financial aid.  Students may still remain eligible for external resources such as Vocational Rehabilitation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, ASCOG, etc.

If during the probationary term the student meets the minimum standards of GPA for the term and completes their enrollment status but the overall retention/graduation GPA remains below the minimum, the student may be continued on financial aid probation if the student is showing improvement.

If the student meets the minimum standards during the probationary term and/or corrects the GPA, the student is then removed from probation.

Any student who completes NONE of the hours attempted during a term and is not already on financial aid probation may be automatically suspended without a probationary period.  If the zero completion is found to be justified by the appeals committee upon review of the circumstances surrounding the situation, the student may be placed on financial aid probation and remain eligible for financial aid.  If the situation is not found justifiable, the student will remain on suspension and may go through the formal process of appeal or attend at their expense.

Students placed on financial aid suspension (with the exception of those exceeding the hour limit) may have their aid re-instated by attending their next term at USAO or another accredited institution and completing the minimum standards of their enrollment status successfully.  Reinstatement requires that the student attempt a minimum of six hours.  However, if the student enrolls as full-time, 12 must be completed.  If the student enrolls as three-quarter time, 9 must be completed.  The student must then request that the Financial Aid Office review their status to restore their eligibility for aid.

Financial aid probation and suspension are completely separate from academic probation and suspension.  However, a student who is academically suspended is automatically suspended from financial aid.

APPEAL OF FINANCIAL AID SUSPENSION

Students who are suspended from financial aid may submit an appeal of the suspension if there are extenuating circumstances affecting the student performance.  Extenuating circumstances include (but are not limited to) illness, severe injury, or death in the family.

Appeal forms are available in the Financial Aid Office, Troutt Hall 108, and are also enclosed in the letter of notification of financial aid suspension.  Appeals must be submitted by the deadline specified on the letter of notification.

Incomplete appeals will not be considered.  Appeals must consist of a signed personal explanation of extenuating circumstances and a complete current mailing address, a degree plan completed with the assistance of and signature of the student’s advisor, and complete unofficial transcript(s).

Appeals will be reviewed by the School Relations / Student Aid Committee.  Decisions will be mailed to the student following the committee meeting.  If aid is re-instated upon the review of the appeal, the student will be continued on probation for the next term of enrollment.  Aid will be based on available funding at the time of re-instatement.

All decisions of the committee are final.

Effective August 26, 2002