The United States Department of Education requires institutions of higher education to establish minimum standards of "satisfactory academic progress" for students receiving federally funded financial aid. These standards have been established to encourage students to complete courses for which financial aid is received and to progress satisfactorily toward a degree.
What financial aid does this apply to?
Federal, State, and Institutional grants and scholarships
Federal and Private Student Loans
Federal Work-Study and Dominican Employment
Students currently receiving financial assistance under the programs listed and who are classified as undergraduates. Currently enrolled students who have not applied for financial assistance are also subject to the standards.
Qualitative MeasureUndergraduate students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.00. Some academic scholarships have more stringent requirements, such as a higher GPA to be renewed. Please refer to your original scholarship announcement regarding its stipulations.
Quantitative MeasureStudents must complete 75% of all credit hours attempted.
Attempted hours are defined as the hours for which the student is enrolled in a term. Earned hours are defined as the sum of hours for which a student has earned a grade of A, B, C, or D. Grades of F, I, IP, W, WW, WC, NC and NR are considered attempted hours but are not considered as completed credit hours. Passing credits received for pass/fail courses are considered attempted and earned hours; failing grades in pass/fail courses are considered attempted but not earned.
Retaking CourseworkFederal regulations permit a student to retake a failed course and have that course count as attempted hours. The regulations also permit a student to retake a previously-passed course (e.g. to earn a higher grade) and to have that course count as attempted hours. Only one repetition of a previously-passed course may be included in the student's enrollment status and a student can only repeat a previously passed course once during their academic career.
Maximum Time-FrameA student should not exceed 150% of the number of credits it takes to obtain a degree. The minimum hours required to graduate from Dominican University is 124, therefore undergraduate students must not exceed 186 attempted credit hours in order to remain eligible for financial aid . Transfer credits are used in the calculation of the maximum time frame requirement.
For students not in compliance with these standards, the following action will be taken:
Financial Aid ProbationIn the first semester that a student is not in compliance with the standards, the student will receive a probation letter from the Financial Aid Office explaining what standard was not met. The student will have one additional semester to regain compliance. If the student meets the minimum standards at the end of the second period of enrollment, he/she will return to good standing.
Financial Aid SuspensionWhen a student fails to comply with the standards for a second consecutive semester, eligibility for all Federal, State and Institutional aid will be withdrawn. The student will receive a letter from the Financial Aid Office stating the reason for the suspension and the procedures for reinstatement or appeal. Financial aid will not be reinstated unless the student's appeal is granted or the student requests reinstatement after making satisfactory academic progress.
A student who does not complete any credits or who receives a 0.00 GPA in a term, will be placed on immediate financial aid suspension.
A student who is admitted on probation status and who does not receive a 2.0 or better at the end of their first semester at Dominican University will be placed on immediate financial aid suspension.
ReinstatementA student who has been placed on financial aid suspension must achieve a term GPA of 2.00 and successfully complete a minimum of six credits within a term at Dominican University at his or her own expense. Courses taken at another college or university will not meet this requirement. Students must also meet with Academic Advising to implement an academic recovery plan. Requests for reinstatement should be made in writing to the Director of Financial Aid.
AppealsStudents may appeal based on mitigating circumstances which could include (but are not limited to) death/prolonged illness of an immediate family member, medical illness of the student, natural disasters of other Acts of God and/or personal or family matters which may have impeded the students ability to meet the required standards.
Appeals must be in writing and must contain supporting documentation (doctor's note, death certificate, accident report, etc.).
If the appeal is approved the student will be reinstated and will be eligible for one additional semester of financial aid. During the additional semester the student will be considered to be on probation.
The student will be reviewed again at the end of the probationary semester and is required to have met standards at that time, unless a valid academic recovery plan is in place, which may extend the probationary period.
A reinstated student who once again fails to meet standards will only be able to re-appeal with the support of an academic advisor recommendation.
If the appeal is denied, no further appeals will be considered. The only option would be to complete the requirements for Reinstatement (see above).
Effective July 1, 2011
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