Satisfactory progress is defined by the average attendance and academic progress maintained by the student. The institution requires that all students enrolled be evaluated academically and attendance in evaluation periods as follows: Students are evaluated for SAP at the end of each term.
Students are required to meet the standards of academic progress that are outlined in the sections below to determine that the standards are met. These standards have multiple components (qualitative and quantitative measurements) that include a minimum cumulative grade point average requirement (CGPA); a minimum successful completion rate based on all clock hours attempted: and, a maximum time frame requirement.
SAP – Qualitative Criteria
Under the qualitative criteria, to make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), by the end of each semester, the student must have a minimum 2.0 GPA (CGPA) to be considered making satisfactory academic progress.
SAP – Quantitative Criteria
Quantitative Requirement (the 150% Rule) – Satisfactory Length of Time: Students must complete at least 75% of all attempted credits. Every class that is taken counts as “attempted credits,” but a class will count as “earned credits” only once, no matter how many times the class is taken. For an undergraduate program the time frame can not exceed 150% of the published length of the program measured in semester credit hours. Therefore, if the published length of an academic program is 120 credit hours, the maximum period must not exceed 180 (120 x 1.5). Thus, a new student, entering the institution for the first time could have up to eight years to complete their degree, provided all other criteria are met.
SAP – Evaluation and Academic Probation
A student who fails to establish or maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (fails to meet the SAP Quantitative criteria or SAP Qualitative criteria) will be placed on academic probation and maintain this status of academic probation during the following SAP evaluation period. At the end of the period in which the student is on probation, the student’s overall GPA and clock hours completion percentage will be recalculated. A student will be removed from academic probation only if the student completes the appropriate percentage of coursework and earns a “C” or better in all courses attempted during the corresponding period in which he or she is on academic probation and earns a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.
SAP – Appeals
Any student who has been placed on academic probation but who feels that there were mitigating circumstances that caused him or her to fail the SAP standard, may file a written appeal with supporting documentation to the President, who will make the final decision regarding about the student’s appeal within 5 days. If the student’s appeal is granted, the students status will be changed to making satisfactory academic progress.