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Satisfactory Progress Policy

Definitions

Completion of courses is defined as receiving one of the following grades: A, B, C, D, F, FA, NC, NR or P. Credit hours completed with audits (X), withdrawals (W), incompletes (I), work in progress (IP) grades and non-credit courses will not be considered as credits completed.

A student who receives financial assistance based on full-time enrollment must successfully earn a required number of credits each academic year (see Maximum Time Frame to Complete Degree). The number will be pro-rated for half-time students. Credit accumulation will be checked at the end of each spring term.

Minimum Cumulative Grade Point requirements will be measured at the end of each term.

Class repeats. Any class that can be repeated for credit will count toward full-time or half-time status. However, a failure in a repeated course may affect the student’s ability to maintain satisfactory academic progress. Refer to the definition of completion of courses above and the chart for minimum gradepoint average.

Incomplete grades. Satisfactory progress decisions will be postponed until the incomplete grade is resolved and a letter grade has been issued. (See "Incomplete Grades") If the student chooses to enroll the following term, financial assistance will be awarded until the time that a satisfactory progress decision is made. Students who do not meeting the satisfactory progress policy based on a graded incomplete grade will be asked to withdraw from the institution at that time, with refunds based on the withdrawal policy. Students may not graduate with an I on their record.

In-Progress grades. Satisfactory progress decisions will be postponed until the in-progress grade is resolved and a letter grade has been issued. (See "In-Progress Grades") If the student chooses to enroll the following term, financial assistance will be awarded until the time that a satisfactory progress decision is made. Students who do not meet the satisfactory progress policy after the in-progress grade has been changed to the actual letter grade will be asked to withdraw from the institution at that time, with refunds based on the institution's withdrawal policy.

Withdrawals. Course withdrawals are not used in calculating the grade-point average; they are, however, considered when calculating maximum time frame to complete a degree. They also apply toward the 33 credits allowed for the year. Repeated withdrawals may not allow a student to earn the required minimum number of credits (see the Chart for Maximum Time Frame to Complete Degree).

Academic Progress

Any student enrolled at or admitted to Augustana College must meet the college’s standards of satisfactory progress to continue enrollment and qualify for federal, state or institutional financial assistance.

The Office of Financial Assistance follows the decisions of the Faculty Senate in determining whether a student is meeting the college’s satisfactory prog­ress standards. Although a student may be placed on academic probation, if the student is not suspen­ded for academic reasons or dismissed for poor scholarship, he/she may continue to receive financial assistance.

The C or 2.00 average is the mark of acceptable work and good standing.

The grade-point average is used to determine the student’s academic standing at Augustana College. If the average is below 2.00 but at or above the minimum for his/her classification (see table below), the student will be placed on academic probation and will be allowed to continue. First-year students who move from good standing to suspension without having previously been on academic probation will be placed on deferred suspension and allowed to continue under conditions set forth by the Dean of Students Office. Students on probation or deferred suspen- sion are eligible for financial aid. Students (excluding those on deferred suspension) having grade-point averages below the minimum allowed for their clas- sification will be suspended for the next full term, and this notation will be placed on the student's official college permanent record: Suspended for Academic Reasons.

Minimum Grade-Point Average to Maintain Academic Progress

The following table represents standing consistent with graduation requirements for degree-seeking students.

An exception to these standards is made for first-term non-transfer students. These students must achieve a 1.00 GPA or better, no matter how many credits are completed. A first-year non-transfer student who does not meet College academic standards for continued enrollment, but who has not previously been on academic probation, will be granted the special status of deferred suspension for academic reasons.  This status allows students an additional term to increase their GPA to the minimum allowed for their classification.  An exception also is made for cer­tain transfer students completing their first term of enrollment. Transfer students with 59 credits or fewer must achieve a 1.50 in their first term of enrollment. Transfers with 60-89 credits completed must achieve a 1.80 GPA or better; transfer students with 90 or more credits completed must achieve a 1.90 GPA or better. After the first term at Augustana, transfer students are required to meet the minimum for all degree-seeking students (see table above). All transfer coursework posted to the transcript will be used to calculate academic progress and academic standing beginning with a student's first term of enrollment at Augustana. Half-time students will be expected to maintain the appropriate cumulative GPA.

Students suspended for academic reasons who are permitted to re-enroll are not eligible for financial assistance for the first term of re-enrollment unless they have demonstrated “satisfactory progress” toward a degree during their separation from Augustana. Students may obtain a Petition to Regain Financial Assistance from the Dean of Students Office. The following criteria must be met in order to be eligible for financial assistance during the first term of re-enrollment at Augustana:

1. Submit a completed Petition to Regain Financial Assistance to the Office of the Registrar.
2. Successfully complete a minimum of six semester credits earning a 2.50 cumulative GPA or better for all coursework attempted. One-credit courses will not be counted toward the 6-credit requirement. The six credits may be taken at Augustana (without financial assistance), or they may be completed at another accredited college or university and then transferred to Augustana. Students must obtain approval of proposed transfer coursework from the Committee on Advanced Standing and Degrees prior to enrollment in courses at another institution.
3. Students may not enroll concurrently at another institution and Augustana. Transferred courses and grades must be completed and reported to Augustana College prior to re-enrollment and re-instatement of financial assistance.

Subsequently, financial assistance is available only if the student’s GPA is higher than 2.00 for the previous term until such time as the student’s overall GPA is at or above 2.00.

Students who re-enroll after being suspended for academic reasons are required to achieve a GPA higher than 2.00 each term they are enrolled until their overall GPA is at or above 2.00. Failure to achieve higher than 2.00 for any term prior to re-establishing a 2.00 overall average will result in the student being dismissed; this notation will be placed on the student’s official academic permanent record: Dismissed for Poor Scholarship.

Maximum Time Frame to Complete Degree

Augustana College has established a maximum time frame of five years for a student to earn a degree based on full-time enrollment status. Half-time students have a maximum of 10 years to earn a degree. The minimum number of credits a student must have earned to remain eligible for financial assistance is as follows:

Student records will be evaluated on a yearly basis and the end of each spring term. Students who do not complete the required number of credits for satisfactory academic progress are able to attend summer school to bring the credit total to the needed level to allow maintenance of financial assistance.

Students who do not meet satisfactory progress requirements may have the Financial Aid Committee review individual and personal mitigating circumstances. Students wishing to appeal based on GPA must submit a letter to the Dean of Students; the completion rate for credits earned must be submitted to the Director of Financial Assistance. Supporting documents upholding the appeal must be submitted with the appeal letter.

Note: This degree progression would not allow a student to graduate within four years. (See "Normal Progress Toward a Degree")