1998-1999 Undergraduate Catalog
Indiana, Pennsylvania 15705

Finances

The Title IV Federal Student Assistance programs include the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Work Study Program, Federal Stafford Loan, and Federal PLUS Loan.

A student who meets the standard of academic good standing of the Academic Standards Policy but who does not meet the standard of sufficient quantitative progress may continue in university registration but without financial aid eligibility for the federal Title IV aid programs.

A full statement of requirements for Satisfactory Academic Progress for Title IV Federal Student Assistance is available through the Financial Aid Office.

Title IV Financial Aid Sufficient Progress Policy The Financial Aid Sufficient Progress Policy applies to undergraduate students enrolled in the university.

A. Sufficient Progress: To be in good standing on a sufficient progress basis, a student must have earned at least 75 percent of the cumulative number of registered credits at IUP and complete his/her degree without exceeding 133 percent of the credits required for completion.

"Registered credits" is the number of credits for which a student is enrolled at the end of the Drop/Add period (for a student who was originally registered and charged at full-time status, and who reduces during Drop/Add to part-time status, the registered credits will be calculated as twelve).

Each student will be measured for sufficient progress annually after fall grade processing. This evaluation will determine if the student has a sufficient percentage of credits earned in order to be eligible for Title IV funding for the next financial aid award year (July 1 through June 30).

Students will be notified of their financial aid suspension status when a completed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is on file in the Financial Aid Office.

B. Financial Aid Suspension: If a student does not meet the sufficient percent of progress evaluation after two consecutive annual reviews, then all Title IV aid for that student will be suspended beginning with the next financial aid award year (July 1 through June 30).

A student who is in this financial aid suspension status, however, will also be reviewed at the end of the spring semester and summer terms in order to evaluate whether or not the percent of progress has been met through additional coursework. If this improvement to 75 percent of progress is achieved, then the student's Title IV financial aid suspension will be rescinded beginning with the next term of enrollment.

C. Time Frame for Degree Completion: In addition to meeting the 75 percent of progress requirement, all students must complete their degree requirements within an established time frame. Since enrollment status may vary from semester to semester, the maximum time frame for degree completion is measured in terms of credits attempted at IUP plus any credits accepted in transfer to IUP.

An undergraduate student in a program requiring 124 credits must complete the requirements for a bachelor's degree without exceeding 165 credits, including transfer credits and IUP registered credits. Note that 165 credits represents 133 percent of the credits required for completion of the degree. For majors with graduation requirements in excess of 124 credits, the maximum number of IUP registered credits plus transfer credits would increase proportionally.

D. Appeal Process: For students who have experienced unusual circumstances which have led to a lack of sufficient progress, such as medical emergencies or death of a family member, a written appeal may be submitted to the Financial Aid Eligibility Review Board for consideration of reinstatement of Title IV aid eligibility.

A student who would like to appeal his Title IV financial aid suspension for the next financial aid award year must submit a written appeal to the Financial Aid Eligibility Review Board. This written appeal must specifically outline the reason(s) for the deficiency and how the student will make up this deficiency. For students who do not appeal for fall review, or who are denied an appeal for the fall semester, an appeal for reinstatement of Title IV aid for the spring term will be accepted for review.

After reviewing the written appeal of a student in Financial Aid Suspension, the Financial Aid Eligibility Review Board may decide to reinstate Title IV financial aid eligibility for specific periods of the next financial aid award year. All appeal letters will be answered in writing by the Financial Aid Eligibility Review Board as to the approval or denial of the requested financial aid reinstatement.

E. Reinstatement of Title IV Aid Eligibility: For a student who has Satisfactory Academic Progress deficiency, one of the following must occur in order for that student to receive Title IV assistance:

1. The student can reestablish eligibility for Title IV assistance by meeting the minimum requirements for Satisfactory Academic Progress through additional periods of enrollment at IUP.
2. For a student who has not met the minimum criteria for Satisfactory Academic Progress due to unusual or mitigating circumstances and has filed an appeal(s) which has granted the student continuance of financial aid eligibility, Title IV aid funds may be reinstated.

G. Treatment of Audits, Incompletes, and Other Grades: In order that a student fully understands how various grades and enrollments impact upon the calculation of Satisfactory Academic Progress, the following information is provided:

1. Audits and "S" and "U" Grades: Because course audits and "S" and "U" grades carry no credits, they are not reviewed or counted for sufficient progress purposes.
2. Incompletes: Designations of "I," "L," "R," and "*" are treated as credits attempted/zero credits earned/no effect on QPA. However, these designations are treated as noncompleted credits and have an impact in the calculation of the percent of progress measure. (Note: The "*" is an administrative symbol indicating that a grade was not submitted at the time of grade processing.)
3. "F" Repeat with Replacement: An "F" repeat with replacement is treated as credits attempted/credits earned/with the quality points of the new grade replacing the 0.00 QP of the original "F" grade. An "F" repeat has a positive effect on the QPA and the percent of progress even though it represents an additional number of credits attempted in regard to the percent of progress measure.
4. "D" Repeat with Replacement: Repeated classes that are "D" replacements to a student's record are treated as credits attempted/zero credits earned/with the quality points of the new grade replacing the 1.00 QP of the "D" grade. A "D" repeat with replacement may improve a student's QPA but decreases your percent of progress.
5. Repeats with Averaging: Courses that are repeated with averaging count as credits attempted/credits earned/with the quality points for the class averaged into the QPA. The maximum time frame for degree completion may be impacted by repeat with averaging classes.
6. Withdrawals: Designations of "W" and "Q" are treated as credits attempted/zero credits earned/no effect on QPA. Any type of "W" and/or "Q" designation is treated as noncompleted credits in the calculation of the student's percent of progress standing.
7. Pass/Fail Grades: Pass grades are treated as registered credits/credits earned/no effect on QPA. Fail grades are treated as registered credits/zero credits earned/with zero QP averaged into the calculation of QPA.
8. Noncredit Courses: Noncredit classes, such as those with Continuing Education Units (CEUs), are not used in measuring sufficient progress, since these classes cannot be applied towards degree requirements and no financial aid may be received for enrollment.
9. Institutional Credits: Institutional credits are counted as registered credits/credits completed. The QP for the course is not averaged into the student's overall QPA.
10. Canceled Semester: All credits for which a grade of "C" or better is earned in that canceled semester are counted as credits attempted/credits earned.
11. Fresh Start Program: Students who are readmitted under the Fresh Start Program will have their progress measured from their first semester of readmission without regard to prior enrollment.