Policy Information 

PDF Version

Number: 2.9.1

Name: Satisfactory Academic Progress Procedure

Effective Date: January 29, 2024

Next Review Date: AY 2028–2029

Regulatory Authority

Part 1. Qualitative Measure of Progress—Grade Point Average (GPA).

Academic progress is monitored beginning with the first registered credit. All students are required to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA as follows:

  • 1-5 attempted credits 0.00
  • 6-12 attempted credits 1.50
  • 13 or more attempted credits 2.00

The GPA calculation includes grades of A, HA, B, HB, C, D, F, and FN.

Part 2. Quantitative Measure of Progress—Completion Rate and Maximum Time Frame.

Subpart A. Completion Rate.

Academic progress is monitored beginning with the first registered credit. All students are required to maintain a minimum cumulative Completion Rate of 66.67%. The cumulative Completion Rate is calculated by dividing the cumulative completed credits by the cumulative attempted credits. The Completion Rate also includes credits accepted in transfer and applied to the student’s degree/certificate.

Subpart B. Quantitative Measure of Progress - Maximum Time Frame.

All students are expected to complete their degree/certificate within an acceptable number of credits. The maximum time frame for financial aid recipients is 150% of the published credit length of the program(s). Students pursuing a double major or a second degree are eligible to receive financial aid until their cumulative registered credits equal 150% of the required number of credits for their dual or second program. The calculation includes courses attempted whether or not the individual received financial aid for the course and includes credits accepted in transfer from other colleges. Financial aid recipients may continue to receive aid through their cumulative registered credits that equal 150% of the required number of credits needed to complete their degree/certificate at NHCC.

Part 3. Evaluation Period.

Satisfactory academic progress is evaluated at the end of each term (fall, spring, and summer) for any student registered during the term.

Part 4. Failure to Meet Standards.

Subpart A. Warning.

Students who do not meet either the GPA or Completion Rate standards are placed on warning. Students on warning are allowed to register and receive financial aid for one evaluation period. At the next evaluation, students on warning who meet both the cumulative GPA and Completion Rate standards return to good standing. Financial aid suspension may occur without a warning semester under certain circumstances.

Subpart B. Suspension.

After satisfactory academic progress is evaluated again, students on warning who do not meet either the cumulative GPA or Completion Rate standards are placed on suspension. Suspended students are unable to register and/or receive financial aid until an appeal is approved or academic progress standards are met.

Subpart C. Suspension due to Maximum Time Frame.

Students who do not meet the Maximum Time Frame standard are immediately suspended from financial aid eligibility. In addition, financial aid eligibility is immediately suspended when it is determined it would be impossible for a student to meet the cumulative GPA or Completion Rate requirements within the Maximum Time Frame length. Students suspended due only to Maximum Time Frame may register but are unable to receive financial aid.

Subpart D. Suspension due to Extraordinary Circumstances.

Students may be immediately suspended from registration and financial aid due to extraordinary circumstances, such as a student who was previously suspended at NHCC or prior institutions and whose academic performance falls below acceptable standards during a subsequent term, a student who registers for but does not earn any credits for two consecutive terms, or a student who demonstrates an attendance pattern that abuses the receipt of financial aid either at NHCC or prior institutions.

Part 5. Appeals and Probation.

Subpart A. Appeals.

Students have the right to appeal their suspension based on unusual or extenuating circumstances, including, but not limited to military deployment, death of a relative, or extended illness, hospitalization, or injury of the student.

  1. Appeals must be submitted in writing using the Academic and Financial Aid Suspension Appeal Form.
  2. Appeals must be submitted by the appeal deadline.
  3. Appeals must include both an explanation of what prevented the student from making progress. In addition, the appeal must include a statement of what has changed that will allow the student to make progress. In most cases, supporting documentation is required.
  4. Academic appeals are considered separately from financial aid appeals. Denied appeals may be resubmitted for consideration by an Appeals Committee.
  5. Students whose appeals are denied by the Appeals Committee have the right to appeal to the Senior Student Affairs Officer. The decision of the Senior Student Affairs Officer is final and binding.
  6. Appeals may be approved if it is determined that a student would be able to meet cumulative progress standards at the next evaluation.
  7. Appeals may also be approved if it is determined that a student would be able to complete their program of study by following an academic plan that requires progress standards of at least a 2.5 GPA and a 75% Completion Rate during the term.

Subpart B. Probation.

Students whose appeals are approved are placed on probation for one evaluation period under an approved academic plan. Students on probation are allowed to register and may receive financial aid if eligible. If, at the end of the next evaluation period, a student on financial aid probation status:

  1. Has met the institution’s cumulative grade point average and completion percentage standards, the student shall be returned to good standing
  2. Has not met the institution’s cumulative grade point average and completion percentage standards but has met the conditions defined in the student’s academic plan, the student shall retain financial aid eligibility as specified under the probation.
  3. Has not met the institution’s cumulative grade point average and completion percentage standards and has also not met the conditions specified in the student’s academic plan, shall be suspended immediately.

Part 6. Notification of Status and Appeal Results.

Subpart A. Status Notification.

Students are notified in writing when the evaluation of satisfactory academic progress results in warning, suspension, or probation. Notice includes the conditions of the current status and the conditions necessary to retain or regain eligibility for registration and financial aid. Notice of suspension also includes the right and the process necessary to appeal suspension.

Subpart B. Appeal Results.

Students are notified in writing of the result of any appeal. Approved appeals include the conditions under which an appeal is approved and the conditions necessary to retain eligibility for registration and financial aid. Denied appeals include the reason for the denial and the process to appeal the denial.

Part 7. Reinstatement.

Academic reinstatement is separate from financial aid reinstatement. It is possible to regain eligibility to register for classes but not regain eligibility for financial aid. Academic suspension may lapse if the student experiences an extended period of absence. Neither a period of absence from college nor paying for classes out-of-pocket is sufficient to regain financial aid eligibility. Students on suspension may regain eligibility to register and/or receive financial aid through an approved appeal. Students return to good standing under either of the following circumstances:

  1. achieving a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 and a minimum cumulative Completion Rate of 66.67%;
  2. achieving a minimum term GPA of 2.5 and a minimum term Completion Rate of 75%.

Part 8. Treatment of Grades.

1.   Grade Point Average (GPA) Calculation: Courses with a letter grade of A, B, C, D, F, or FN (including honor grades of HA and HB) are included in the GPA calculation.

2.   Completion Rate Calculation: Courses with a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or P (including honor grades of HA and HB) are included in the Completion Rate calculation as credits successfully completed. Courses with a letter grade of NC, NN, F, FN, I, W, or Z (in progress/unreported) are included in the Completion Rate calculation as credits attempted but not successfully completed.

3.   Audit (AU): Audited courses are not funded by financial aid and are excluded from GPA and Completion Rate calculations.

7.   Consortium Credits: Consortium credits are included only in financial aid progress calculations.

8.   Developmental Credits: Developmental credits (courses below the 1000 level) are included in GPA and excluded from Completion Rate calculations (if completed Fall 2021 and after). Students may receive financial aid for developmental credits up to a maximum of 30 credit hours (excluding EAP). Up to 30 developmental credits are excluded from the Maximum Time Frame calculation.

9.   EAP Credits: EAP credits are included in all in GPA and Completion Rate calculations.

10. Repeated Credits: Students may repeat a course to review course material or improve a grade. Students may not receive financial aid for more than one repetition of a previously earned credit course. All grades of repeated courses remain on the transcript. Only the highest grade recorded is included in the GPA calculation. Repeated credits are also included in the cumulative Completion Rate and Maximum Time Frame calculations.

11. Transfer Credits: Transfer credits accepted and applied toward the student’s degree are excluded in the GPA calculation, but included in the Completion Rate calculation and in the Maximum Time Frame calculation.

Part 9. Campus Review.

Review Action                                                                 Date(s)

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Review:   11/8/2023 – 11/30/2023

Campus Community Review Period:    10/16/2023 - 10/27/2023

AFSCME Review:                                     11/8/2023 – 11/30/2023

MAPE Review:                                          11/8/2023 – 11/30/2023

MMA Review:                                           11/8/2023 – 11/30/2023

Shared Governance Council Review:                          11/17/2023

Student Senate Review:                                                11/30/2023

President Rolando Garcia Approval:                             1/29/2024

Campus Community Dissemination:                             2/14/2024

History

  • Revised: 01-31-2011
  • Revised: 10-08-2008
  • Revised: 12-04-2007
  • Adopted: 12-16-2005
  • Expedited process: summer 2015.  In the procedure, added grade of FN under Part 1.  Add additional language under Part 5, Subpart B, 2nd bullet.
  • Revised 12-21-15 to change probation completion percentage from 100% to 75%.
  • Revised February 2016 due to Federal requirement changes.  Part 2B and Part 8.13.
  • Reviewed Spring 2019; signed Feb 27, 2020 by Jesse Mason as proxy for Interim President Jeffery Williams
  • Expedited process Fall 2021 to align with MnState Board Policy; added GPA/credit scale.
  • Full Review Spring 2022
  • Expedited process Summer 2022
  • Reviewed Spring 2023 to align with Federal and State guidelines; revised revise “probation” language under Part 5.Bto “academic plan”
  • Reviewed Fall 2023 to align with Federal and State guidelines

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