Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

In order to retain financial aid eligibility, it is important for students to me be making satisfactory academic progress towards their degree objective.  Per federal regulations, the Financial Aid Office is required to monitor all student’s academic progress. All programs of study and all enrollment statuses (full-time and part-time) are monitored.

Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA), maintain progress towards their degree at a minimum cumulative pace, and must complete their degree within a maximum time frame. The specific requirements are described below.

These requirements apply to a student’s entire period of enrollment at Chaminade University and in some instances may include enrollment at other institutions before transferring to Chaminade University, even though the student may not have received financial aid for all terms in which they were enrolled.

It is important for financial aid recipients to understand that satisfactory academic progress requirements and enrollment standards for financial aid purposes may not be the same as those for academic purposes. It is possible to be in good academic standing for academic purposes while at the same time not be making satisfactory progress for financial aid purposes. Therefore, it is important for students to contact the Financial Aid Office and speak with a counselor when considering schedule changes or changing the number of credits in which they are enrolled.

Satisfactory Academic Progress for financial aid purposes is reviewed annually at the end of the Spring Term. Students not meeting the standards outlined below will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension. Students will be notified in writing via their Chaminade email address if they have not maintained satisfactory academic progress at the time of review.

Financial aid eligibility will be suspended for students who are not making satisfactory academic progress as outlined below and will not be able to receive financial aid until the standards are met. The suspension status may be appealed as explained in the Appeals section below.

 Undergraduate students

 To be making Satisfactory Progress the student must:

1.       Maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.00.

2.       Maintain Pace towards the degree by passing a minimum of 67% of all courses attempted. See below.

3.       Complete the academic program within a maximum timeframe that cannot exceed 150% of the total credits needed to complete the academic program. Total credits attempted cannot exceed 150% of the published number of credits needed to earn the degree.

Graduate students 

To be making Satisfactory Progress the student must:

1. Maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0

2. Maintain Pace towards the degree by passing a minimum of 50% of all courses attempted. See below.

3. Complete the academic program within a maximum timeframe that cannot exceed 200% of the total credits needed to complete the academic program. Total credits attempted cannot exceed 200% of the published number of credits needed to earn the degree.

Pace

Pace measures progress towards the student’s degree within the maximum time frame and are calculated by dividing the cumulative number of credits the student has completed by the cumulative number of credits has attempted at the end of any review period.

Some important Pace considerations include:

·         For students with transfer credits, all accepted credits count as both attempted and completed credits for the purpose of evaluating pace.

·         Grades of A, B, C, D and CR count as passing grades.

·         Grades of F (failed), W (withdrawal), I (incomplete), IP (in progress), and NC (no credit) count as credits attempted but not completed credits. I (incomplete) and W (withdrawal) grades are not included in the calculation of grade point average.

·         At the time an I (incomplete) grade is converted to a passing grade, the credits will then be considered in the calculation as completed credits. An I (incomplete) grade that is converted to a grade of F (failed) will continue to count as credits attempted by not credits completed.

·         If a class is repeated, successfully completed credits count only once but each enrollment will count in credits attempted.

 Process for Appealing Suspension of Financial Aid

A student not meeting SAP requirements has the option to appeal their suspension of financial aid. It is the responsibility of the student to initiate any appeal. Academic reinstatement by the University Registrar or the Office of Undergraduate Admissions does not constitute reinstatement of federal aid eligibility. Neither paying for your own classes nor sitting out for an enrollment period is sufficient to re-establish eligibility for Title IV aid.

Appeals are reviewed based on a documentable extenuating circumstance impacting academic performance. Extenuating circumstances are considered to be past events that are no longer barriers to academic progress. The appeal application should support how the student is now in a position to be academically successful. Examples of extenuating circumstances to be considered for appeal:

·         Serious illness or injury to the student or immediate family member (parent, spouse, sibling, child) that required extended recovery time

·         Death of an immediate family member

·         Significant trauma in the student’s life that impaired the student’s emotional and/or physical health

·          Withdrawal due to military service

·         Second degree, double major, change of major (maximum timeframe only)

·         Other unexpected circumstances beyond the control of the student

Appeals are reviewed by the Director and/or Associate Director of Financial Aid and all decisions are final. Students are strongly encouraged to appeal within 15 days of notification of suspension to allow adequate time for processing and review. Appeals submitted after the priority date for the term will not be reviewed by the Director / Associate Director until after the first day of classes for the term. Appeals submitted and approved after a term has begun will have the effective term determined on a case-by-case basis.

Appeals must contain the following:

·         An explanation of the extenuating circumstances that prevented the student from meeting satisfactory academic progress requirements for financial aid and

·         What has changed in the situation that will allow the student to regain satisfactory academic progress in the future.

·         Supplemental documentation that supports the appeal.

 If an appeal is approved, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Probation for the next enrollment period.   Conditions may be established that the student must meet by the end of the Probation period. Students who fail to meet the minimum satisfactory academic progress standards or meet the established conditions at the end of the Probation period will be placed back on Financial Aid Suspension.

SAP appeals may be submitted to the Office of Financial Aid in Clarence T. C. Ching Hall 6, mailed to Office of Financial Aid, 3140 Waialae Ave, Honolulu, HI 96816, faxed to (808) 739-8362 or emailed to finaid@chaminade.edu.

 Regaining Eligibility to Receive Financial Aid

If a student’s financial aid eligibility is suspended due to failure to make satisfactory academic progress, the student may be able to regain eligibility by pursuing their education without the benefit of financial assistance from Chaminade University.  This may involve taking additional classes at Chaminade University to raise their cumulative GPA to an acceptable level or taking additional credits in order to meet the Pace requirement.

Regaining eligibility is generally difficult to do so students are highly encouraged to meet with a Financial Aid Counselor to ensure that they understand what is required to regain eligibility.

Once students meet the minimum standards outlined above, they will again be eligible to receive financial aid.