REVISED – EFFECTIVE FALL 2011

A financial aid recipient is required to meet satisfactory academic progress as established by Macomb Community College, based on Federal regulations. This policy is separate from the College’s general probation policy.

Policy

To maintain satisfactory academic progress, the student must comply with all three standards of this policy. Satisfactory academic progress status is calculated at the end of each semester in the academic year. There are three standards the student must meet:

1.     Maintain a cumulative 2.0 or higher grade point average (GPA)

2.     Maintain a cumulative completion rate of 67%

3.     Not exceed 150% of the maximum credits required for the student’s program

Standard 1: Maintain a Cumulative 2.0 or Higher Grade Point Average (GPA)
The student must maintain a cumulative 2.0 or higher grade point average (GPA) at the end of each semester.

Standard 2: Maintain a Cumulative Completion Rate of 67%
The student must complete, with a passing grade, 67% of all credit hours attempted at Macomb Community College, whether or not financial aid was received for those attempted credits.

Standard 3: Not Exceed 150% of Attempted Credit Hours -- Maximum Time Frame to Receive Financial Aid
The maximum time frame for a student to complete his/her academic program cannot exceed 150% of the published length of the program.  See examples below:

The student should review the Macomb Community College catalog or consult with an academic advisor/counselor to find the number of credits required for his/her program; multiply that number by 1.50 to determine the maximum number of credits he/she can attempt to receive financial aid. The student will be denied financial aid when he/she has attempted more than 150% of the credit hours required for his/her program.

Attempted Credit Hours include the following, whether paid for by financial aid or by the student:

·         Classes with an earned letter grade of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, E, P or F

·         Classes with an unearned letter grade of E, W (withdrawal) or I (incomplete)

·         Repeated classes

·         Classes transferred from other colleges or universities

Note: The student cannot receive financial aid for audited classes and these credits are not included in attempted hours

Initial Eligibility for a First Time Financial Applicant

A student who applies for financial aid for the first time and has credits already accumulated at Macomb Community College must have successfully completed, with a 2.0 cumulative grade point average or above, 67% of all credit hours attempted. The student cannot have attempted more than 150% of the credit hours required for his/her current program. The student with transfer credits from other institutions will have the total number of transfer credits counted in the total number of attempted credit hours. All credits, even if paid for from the student’s own funds, will be included. When the student does not complete 67% of all cumulative credit hours attempted with a 2.0 cumulative GPA or above, he/she will be placed on financial aid warning. The student can receive financial aid while on financial aid warning.

Consequences of Failing to Meet One or More of the Progress Standards

Warning Status
A student who fails to maintain satisfactory academic progress will be placed on warning for the next semester he/she enrolls for classes. This is a warning to the student that he/she must meet the College’s satisfactory progress standards (2.0 cumulative GPA and a cumulative completion rate of 67%) during the next semester of enrollment. If the student meets the standards, he/she will be off warning the next time the satisfactory academic progress calculations are processed.

Unsatisfactory Status
A student who fails to meet the College’s progress standards by the end of the warning period will be placed in an unsatisfactory status and will be denied aid until he/she meets the reinstatement requirements.  This means the student must pay for classes at Macomb at his/her own expense until he/she meets the reinstatement requirements. A student with extenuating circumstances should review the appeal procedures below.

Reinstatement
The student’s financial aid eligibility can be reinstated after the student meets the institution’s satisfactory academic progress standards (2.0 cumulative GPA and a cumulative completion rate of 67%) or after the student has filed an appeal and that appeal has been approved.  The student may not be reinstated more than two times at Macomb Community College. Failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress during the second reinstatement will result in termination of financial aid. Classes taken at institutions other than Macomb Community College do not count towards reinstatement.

Termination
Termination means the student has failed to meet the College’s satisfactory academic progress standards by not adhering to the student’s academic plan for the specified period of time. A student is not eligible for financial aid for any future semesters at Macomb Community College.

Probation
A student will be placed on probation status if an appeal has been approved. This status will continue until the student meets the College’s satisfactory progress policy or the end of the approval period.

Appeal Process
A student who does not meet the College’s satisfactory academic progress due to extenuating or special circumstances may appeal in writing by submitting the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form. Extenuating or special circumstances may include, but are not limited to, personal illness or accident, serious illness or death within the immediate family or other circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the student. Acceptable documentation may include letters from a physician, attorney, social service agency, parole officer, copy of a death certificate, divorce decree, and/or academic records. A committee, on a case-by-case basis, reviews each appeal. Deadline dates to submit appeals are scheduled each semester. The student can review the dates on the website at www.macomb.edu/financialaid, contact the office at finaid@macomb.edu or call 586.445.7228. Submission of an appeal does not guarantee reinstatement of financial aid eligibility. If an appeal is approved, the committee may impose enrollment restrictions on the student for the best chance of academic success. Also, the student may be required to follow an academic plan, developed with the assistance of an academic advisor/counselor, to continue to receive aid. Appeal forms may be requested from the Macomb Community College Financial Aid Office only after written notification the student has been denied financial aid.

Approved by President’s Council
April 18, 2009
Revised March 31, 2010
Revised July 11, 2011