Scope:
Applies to all Financial Aid applicants and recipients at Green River.

Definitions:

• Probation – A status which is applied when a student has not maintained grade and/or credit requirements, but the student will be allowed to receive financial aid.
• Termination – A status which is applied when a student has not maintained grade and/or credit requirements such that the student is not eligible to receive financial aid at Green River until the standards have been met or a petition has been approved.

Policy:
In order to receive financial aid at Green River Community College, students must be making satisfactory academic progress. The satisfactory progress policy applies to any period of enrollment, regardless of whether financial aid was received. It is possible to be on financial aid probation or termination status without ever having received aid. Students receiving financial aid must enroll in an eligible degree or certificate program, and the classes taken must apply to the program at Green River.

Green River’s policy consists of the following three basic requirements:

1. Quality - Students must keep a minimum 2.0 quarterly grade point average (GPA) each quarter. At the end of the sixth quarter, students will be required to have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0.
2. Quantity – Students must complete a specified number of credits each quarter as outlined on the chart that follows.
3. Time Frame – Students can be considered for financial aid for the equivalent of the first nine full-time (12 credits) quarters of attendance. This period includes transfer credits, which count toward a student’s program of study. The nine quarters allow time for developmental classes, prerequisites and changes in programs of study. Financial aid covers only coursework which counts toward the student’s eligible program of study. All attempted credits 100 level and above are included in the time frame, regardless of the source of tuition payment. Part-time students will be allowed additional quarters on a pro-rated basis. [Half-time students (6-8 credits) can be considered for the first 18 quarters of attendance; three-quarter time (9-11 credits) can be considered for the first 12 quarters of attendance; students attending less than half-time will be allowed the equivalent of nine full-time quarters of enrollment.] Court Reporting students are allowed the equivalent of 15 quarters of full-time attendance.

The following chart indicates the number of credits that must be completed quarterly.
 

If you are Enrolled for You Must Complete Probation Status Termination Status

Full-Time 12 or more credits 12 credits 6-11 credits less than 6 credits Three-Quarter Time 9-11 credits 9 credits 5-8 credits less than 5 credits Half-Time 6-8 credits 6 credits 4-5 credits less than 4 credits Less Than Half-Time 5 or fewer credits All attempted NO probation less than attempted     2.0 quarterly GPA 1.5-1.99 quarterly GPA 0.0-1.49 quarterly GPA

1. Probation Status
   1. Students on Probation Status are eligible to receive financial aid.
   2. Students are placed on probation for not completing the required number of credits OR because their quarterly GPA was between 1.5-1.99.
   3. Students can be on probation two times. Probations may be in consecutive quarters.

2. Termination Status
   1. Students are not eligible to receive financial aid or work-study funds when terminated.
   2. Students may be terminated after only one quarter of attendance. Probation quarters do not necessarily come before a quarter of termination status. The quarterly grade point and credits completed determine students’ academic standing.
   3. Students who have already had two quarters of probation will lose financial aid eligibility the next time credits drop below the number required for their enrollment level or the quarterly grade point falls below 2.0.
   4. Students with a cumulative GPA of less than 2.0 at the end of the sixth quarter will be terminated.
   5. Students who officially or unofficially withdraw after the first day of the quarter and complete no credits are terminated. A repayment of some financial aid funds may also be required. In addition, if the college is required to return financial aid funds to Federal accounts in excess of the state tuition refund policy, the student will be billed for the amount of the excess refund.

3. Appeal of Financial Aid Termination
   1. Sometimes a student’s failure to maintain academic progress results from circumstances beyond his or her control. A student in this situation may request reinstatement of financial aid by filing an appeal form along with supporting documentation. The appeal forms (petitions) are available in the Financial Aid Office. Students may be required to take developmental or part-time course work and complete an instructional plan with an advisor as a condition of their academic progress appeal.

4. Reinstatement of Financial Aid
   1. Students terminated from financial aid are not entitled to financial aid and are required to pay their own tuition. To be reinstated, full-time students will be asked to pay for one quarter and to complete at least 12 credits with a 2.0 quarterly GPA; half-time students will be required to complete six credit hours in one quarter with a 2.0 quarterly GPA; and three-quarter time students will be required to complete nine credits in one quarter with a 2.0 quarterly GPA. Students enrolled less than half-time will be asked to complete the number of credits attempted during the quarter resulting in termination status.

5. Reinstatement of Financial Aid
   1. Students may receive financial aid to take up to 45 credits of developmental study courses (courses below 100-level).
   2. Students may repeat a class once to improve their grades for financial aid purposes as long as they did not previously receive a 3.5-4.0 grade point in the class. They may not receive financial aid to pay for a class that was given an “I’ (incomplete) grade.
   3. Grades of 0.0 – 0.6, I, N, W, NC,V,Z or Y do not count toward completed credits.
   4. Adult Basic Education (ABE), G.E.D. Preparation, English as a Second Language, Continuing Education, some High School Completion classes, non-credit classes, and Parenting classes do not apply toward financial aid eligibility or attempted credits for the period of enrollment.
   5. A student completing a financial aid application file late in the year can be paid retroactively for quarters already completed during the current academic year (based on eligibility and remaining funds). However, retroactive payment is based on good academic standing throughout the academic year. A student my not be paid for a preceding quarter of poor academic performance, or for the current quarter.
   6. A student must be working toward an eligible degree or certificate program to receive financial aid, and the classes must apply toward the degree or certificate program at Green River.
   7. Students transferring to Green River will be considered to be making satisfactory academic progress at the time of their transfer. Credits transferring into a student’s program of study will be counted toward the eligibility time limits.
   8. Students completing their degree or certificate programs in less than nine quarters (counting 100 level courses and above) can be considered for financial aid for a second degree or certificate program. Nine quarters of attendance are considered the maximum time period for financial aid eligibility for two-year degrees. Extensions beyond that are granted only under exceptional circumstances through a petition process.
   9. Students with a documented disability can be allowed reasonable accommodation to make up credits and improve grades. These decisions will be based on individual circumstances and determined by the Financial Aid Office.

Procedures:

1. The Financial Aid Staff will review the satisfactory progress status of all financial aid applicants at the time they award financial aid to the students.
    

2. The Financial Aid Staff will review the satisfactory progress status of all financial aid recipients at the end of each term in which the student received financial aid.
    

3. The Financial Aid Staff will notify all students who are on Probation or Termination status of their financial aid status, appeal rights & appeal procedures.
    

4. Students must complete an Academic Progress Petition packet prior to participating in an appeal appointment.
    

5. Students must make an appointment at a specific time to have an appeal heard.
    

6. To receive aid immediately following a quarter in which a student was terminated from eligibility, the student must successfully complete the appeal process within the first ten days of the quarter.
    

7. Satisfactory progress appeals must be attended in person by the student filing the appeal. Students taking only distance learning courses may request to have the appeal conducted using the telephone.
    

8. The first satisfactory progress appeal will be heard by the Director of Financial Aid or a designee.
    

9. Subsequent appeals will be heard by an Appeals Committee consisting of one person from each of the following offices: Financial Aid, Educational Planning, and Student Programs.
    

10. The student will be notified of the appeal results immediately following the appeal.
     

Specific Authority: Federal Regulations (HEA Sec. 484(c), 34 CFR 668.32(f), 668.34)

Law Implemented: