2003 - 2004 Catalog (Archived)
Standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Colleges of the DCCCD are required by law to formulate standards to gauge the progress of students receiving financial assistance through federal, state, or institutional student aid programs by applying both qualitative and quantitative measurements to academic work. [34 CFR 668.16(e)] A maximum time limit for the completion of a degree, a comparison of attempted to completed credit hours, and a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) are used by the DCCCD to measure satisfactory academic progress. Satisfactory progress is reviewed at least once per academic year, at the end of the spring semester. Students who do not meet either the qualitative or quantitative standards at the end of the spring semester will be placed on suspension. An exception to this rule is for students who exceed the overall time limits for program completion. Once the maximum time frame is reached the student is suspended from receiving additional financial assistance to complete that program at the end of that particular academic term.

Quantitative Progress

Federal student aid regulations state that student eligibility cannot extend past 150% of the stated length of a student's program of study. Associate degree programs in the DCCCD may require up to 72 semester credit hours for completion. Therefore, a student who is working toward an associate degree must complete that program within 108 attempted semester credit hours (72 hrs. x 1.5). The maximum time frame for a certificate program would be similarly calculated. A student's entire enrollment history is considered when evaluating academic progress within the established time frame, whether or not aid has ever been received. An otherwise eligible student may receive financial aid for a maximum of 30 attempted credit hours in developmental/remedial course work. Once the 30 credit hour maximum is reached, additional developmental credit hours will not be used to calculate the award amount, but will continue to count toward the overall maximum time frame. Credit-hour courses completed with a grade of "C" or higher will not be counted in the enrollment status for determining financial aid funding levels. However, repeated attempts of successfully completed courses will count toward the overall maximum time frame. As indicated in the above paragraph, at the end of the academic term in which the maximum number of allowed hours has been attempted, the student loses eligibility for financial assistance to complete that program.

A financial aid recipient must also be making progress toward completing his or her program by successfully completing at least a minimum number of the hours attempted. The table below indicates the minimum number of hours that must be successfully completed before the end of the spring semester each year for the applicable enrollment level.

Courses with a recorded grade or mark of "F", "W", "WX", "E", or "I" are not considered successfully completed. Only courses attempted within the DCCCD will be considered in measuring the completion rate for academic progress. Courses transferred from other institutions outside the DCCCD will be considered only for monitoring the overall time frame for completion of a student's program of study.

Qualitative Progress

Each financial aid recipient's academic record is reviewed at the end of the spring semester to measure the student's qualitative academic progress. Students are expected to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.00 while they are enrolled within the DCCCD. Only courses attempted within the DCCCD will be considered in measuring the CGPA for academic progress. The GPA on transfer work will not be considered in computing the CGPA for financial aid satisfactory academic progress. A student falling below this minimum CGPA at the end of the spring semester will be placed on financial aid suspension.

Reinstatement Procedures

Students who have lost eligibility to receive financial aid as a result of financial aid suspension must complete the number of deficient hours or deficient grade points using their own resources and attain the minimum standards of satisfactory academic progress before becoming eligible to re-apply for aid. If the student on suspension meets the minimum required standards prior to the end of the next academic year, a request for reinstatement to good standing may be submitted in writing to the Financial Aid Office. If a determination is made that the student is qualified for reinstatement, the upgraded status will become effective with the start of the next period of enrollment.

Appeals Procedures

The DCCCD recognizes that students sometimes encounter circumstances beyond their control that can adversely affect their academic progress. Any student subject to suspension of financial aid eligibility may appeal to the Director of Financial Aid for a review of the decision. The appeal must be made to the director at the college where the student is planning to enroll. The appeal must be submitted in writing and must include an explanation and documentation of the reason(s) why the minimum academic standards required by this policy were not achieved, and that the adversity has been resolved. All appeals must be attached to an Appeal of Financial Aid Suspension form that can be obtained from the Financial Aid Office. The Director of Financial Aid will review the appeal and the student will be notified by the Financial Aid Office, in writing, within five working days of the appeal decision. All documents pertinent to the appeals process become part of the student's financial aid record. If the petition is denied, the student has the right to request that the appeal decision be reconsidered by the college administrator to whom the financial aid office reports. The decision of the supervising administrator is final. The administrator shall also have the authority to place conditions upon the receipt of any financial aid for those cases in which aid is reinstated.