Academic Progress Policy

Students are expected to maintain satisfactory academic progress for each term of attendance.  It is the student's responsibility to achieve satisfactory academic progress (SAP), and students should seek assistance from the college's many academic support services in a consistent and timely manner. Students are encouraged to keep a file of their grades and transcripts.

The college policy is based upon Federal and State regulations and MnSCU Policy 2.9. The following requirements are reviewed when determining satisfactory academic progress:

Requirements

Qualitative: Grade point average (GPA)

• All students must maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 2.0 or above.

Quantitative: Completion Rate

• All students must maintain a cumulative completion rate of at least 67% for all attempted credits.

Cumulative Registered Credits	Minimum Required GPA	Minimum Required Completion Rate
5	--	--
6 or above	2.00	67%

Maximum Timeframe:

• All students are expected to complete their degree/certificate within an acceptable timeframe, and monitoring begins with the first attempted credit.

The maximum timeframe for financial aid recipients is 150% of the published number of credits for the program or degree.  Financial aid recipients may receive aid until their cumulative registered credits equal 150% of the required number of credits needed to complete their degree/certificate.

Students required to take developmental courses may have a maximum of 30 credits of developmental coursework excluded from the 150% limit.  Financial aid recipients who exceed the maximum timeframe may submit a petition documenting extenuating circumstances and, if reinstated, must meet with a college counselor to develop an educational plan

Evaluation period:

• Academic progress is evaluated at the end of each term (fall, spring and summer) by the Registrar and Director of Financial Aid.

Failure to meet standards:

• Students who do not maintain satisfactory academic progress are placed on probation.  Students on probation are allowed to register and receive financial aid. 
• Students on probation who achieve a term GPA of 2.0 and a term completion rate of 67% can continue their probation status.  Students on continuing probation status are allowed to register and receive financial aid.  However, financial aid eligibility shall be immediately suspended if it is determined that it is not possible for a student to meet the GPA or completion rate requirements before the student would complete the program.
• Students on probation who do not achieve a term GPA of 2.0 and a term completion rate of 67% will be suspended from the college for two terms.  Suspended students also lose eligibility for future financial aid until the cumulative standards are met or an appeal is approved.
• Students who fail to meet the college's maximum timeframe requirement will be suspended from financial aid eligibility.  
• Financial aid eligibility may be immediately suspended under circumstances such as the following: (1) students who were previously suspended and, after reinstatement, fail to achieve satisfactory academic progress during a subsequent term; (2) students who register for but do not earn any credits for two consecutive terms; or (3) students who demonstrate an attendance pattern that abuses the receipt of financial aid either at IHCC or other institutions.

Notification:

• Students will be notified in writing when placed on probation status and/or suspension status.

Appeals:

• Students can appeal their academic suspension by submitting a Petition for Enrollment Eligibility and/or Financial Aid after Suspension to the Enrollment Services Office. 
• Students should enclose supporting documentation of extenuating circumstances when submitting the petition form. Extenuating circumstances include, but are not limited to, an extended illness, hospitalization, or a death of a family member.
• The Registrar processes petitions regarding enrollment eligibility and the Director of Financial Aid processes petitions regarding Financial Aid eligibility. It is possible to be readmitted to the college, but not be eligible for financial aid.
• If a student's petition is denied by the Registrar or Director of Financial Aid, the student may submit an appeal to the Suspension Appeals Committee. The committee's decision is final.
• Students will be notified in writing of all decisions concerning enrollment eligibility and/or financial aid eligibility. 

Reinstatement:

Enrollment Reinstatement: After the suspension period ends and prior to re-enrolling, students should meet with a college counselor for academic advising and career planning.

Financial Aid Reinstatement: If a student has been suspended, financial aid eligibility is reinstated when a cumulative GPA of 2.0 and a cumulative completion rate of 67% are earned or if a petition/appeal to reinstate financial aid is approved.

Additional Elements:

Attempted Credits: Credits for which a student is officially enrolled after the end of the registration ?no obligation? withdrawal period each term.

Attempted, Earned Credits: Earned credits include grades of A, B, C, D, and P (pass). Earned credits count toward the completion rate requirement.

Attempted, Not Earned Credits: Letter grades of I (incomplete), W (withdraw), F (failure), FN (failure, never attended), U (college-initiated withdrawal), NC (no credit) and Z (grade not yet recorded) are treated as credits attempted but not successfully completed (earned).

Grade Point Average: Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated using a grade point value for grades of A, B, C, D, F, and FN. Although a P (pass) counts as credits completed, it carries no grade point value. 

Academic Renewal: If academic renewal is approved, credits for which a student has been granted academic renewal will be included in all financial aid academic progress calculations.

Audited courses: Audited courses are not funded by financial aid and are not included in academic progress calculations.

Consortium Credits: Consortium credits are included in all financial aid academic progress calculations.

Developmental Credits: Coursework numbered below 1000 which prepares the student for college-level courses. Developmental credits are included in academic progress calculations.

Repeated Credits: Courses may be repeated once in order to improve a grade, and the higher grade will be calculated in the GPA. Both grades remain on the student's transcript. All repeated credits are included in the completion rate and maximum time frame calculations.

Transfer Credits: Credits earned at another college which are accepted by IHCC are not included in the GPA and completion rate calculation, but are considered in the maximum time frame calculation.

Withdrawals: A W is assigned when a student withdraws from a class after the "no obligation withdrawal" period for the term has ended. Withdrawals are considered attempted, not earned credits. Thus, a W does not impact GPA but does negatively impact the completion rate.

Date of implementation: May, 2007.