This SAP policy applies to all SFC students including undergraduates, graduates and professional students as described below. These standards are for Title IV Federal Financial Aid purposes only and neither replace nor override academic policies outlined by SFC other state programs (i.e. NYS Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) or individual program requirements.

Undergraduate Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress

SAP standards (Grade Point Average (GPA), Pace, and Maximum Time Frame, hereinafter collectively referred to as "Standards") consist of quantitative and qualitative measurements that are determinants of SAP. The qualitative measurement evaluates the quality (i.e. GPA and Academic Standing) of the students’ academic work. The quantitative measurement evaluates the Pace by which students are working toward the completion of their program and the Maximum Time Frame required to complete their program.

1. GPA and Academic Standing (Qualitative): All students must maintain a minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA. All students are also required to achieve a GPA that is consistent with their program requirement for graduation.
2. Pace (Quantitative): Students must successfully complete at least 67% of all points attempted each semester. This is reviewed annually at the end of each spring semester and the aggregate percentage of coursework attempted and passed must equal 67% percent or greater at each review.
3. Maximum Time Frame (Quantitative): All students are expected to finish their degree or certificate program within a maximum time frame, no longer than 150% of the published length of their program. For undergraduate students, the maximum Time Frame is measured in credit hours; for graduate and professional students the maximum Time Frame is measured by the actual length of the program.

Graduate Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress

Below details each of the SAP standards for graduate students. All standards must be met for continued federal aid eligibility.

1. GPA and Academic Standing: A student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.
2. Pace (Quantitative): Students must successfully complete at least 67% of all points attempted each semester. This is reviewed annually at the end of each spring semester and the aggregate percentage of coursework attempted and passed must equal 67% or greater at each review.
3. Maximum Time Frame (Quantitative): All students are expected to finish their degree or certificate program within a maximum time frame, no longer than 150% of the published length of their program. For undergraduate students, the maximum Time Frame is measured in credit hours; for graduate and professional students the maximum Time Frame is measured by the actual length of the program.

Federal and Institutional Programs Affected

Frequency and Timing:

SFC evaluates all students’ academic progress annually. As grades are posted for the spring semester/term, the Office of Financial Aid will review the academic records of all students who are receiving federal financial aid funds to determine if they are meeting the Standards. This review will be performed for all students who were enrolled at SFC for the previous academic year (i.e. Summer, Fall and Spring). Students who enter in the spring semester/term will be evaluated after the spring semester/term using the Standards for the semester/term that the student is enrolled at SFC plus any accepted transfer credits.

Evaluation: The Office of Financial Aid will perform an eligibility review of at the end of the academic year of each student’s progress to ensure that students are meeting each of the standards. If it is determined that the student is not compliant with any of the standards, the student becomes ineligible to receive federal financial aid and financial aid eligibility will be suspended.

SAP Notifications: A student not meeting the standards will be notified by email of their financial aid SAP status after all grades have been posted for their program of study. The notification will include an explanation of the standards evaluated and instructions on how to proceed based on the following:

1. Financial Aid Suspension:

Students who do not meet the standards at the time of the annual evaluation will be ineligible to receive federal financial aid funds for the subsequent semester. Financial Aid is suspended for a student who fails to meet the standards of SAP and:

• Has not submitted an appeal of their status or has had their appeal rejected by the SFC Office of Financial Aid.
• Fails to regain eligibility by meeting the minimum standards after a successful appeal or
• Has not fulfilled the requirements set forth in their Academic Plan.
• Students with Financial Aid eligibility suspended may either:
  1. Remediate any of the Standards that are non-compliant while not receiving federal or state need-based financial aid, or
  2. Submit an SAP appeal.

If at any time during a non-review period, a student who has been suspended from financial aid eligibility has remediated any of the standards that are non-compliant (e.g., due to a late grade change or completing an incomplete course), that student must contact the SFC Office of Financial Aid to request a review of their academic record and reinstatement of their financial aid eligibility. Do NOT assume that reinstatement is automatic.

Unless academically dismissed, students may be permitted to enroll at SFC while financial aid is suspended. Students denied federal financial aid may continue attending SFC by funding their education themselves. It is the student’s responsibility to monitor academic progress and to be aware of their program requirements and SAP standards.

The letter of financial aid SAP from the SFC Office of Financial Aid will describe the appeal process and a link to the appeal form will be provided. Examples of special or unusual circumstances are personal injury or illness, the death of a relative, or other circumstances as determined by SFC. The appeal must explain why the student failed to make satisfactory academic progress and what has changed in the situation that will allow the student to make satisfactory academic progress at the next evaluation. The SFC Office of Financial Aid requires all students to submit additional documentation based on the student’s situation. Documentation examples include, but are not limited to a letter from a doctor, medical care provider, or objective third party (e.g. a minister, social worker, counselor, facilitator, or other professional) that supports the student’s situation.

The appeal letter/form along with the supporting documentation and an academic plan must be submitted through sfc.verifymyfafsa.com. The college will respond to the appeal via sfc.verifymyfafsa.com within two weeks of receiving the complete appeal and provide next steps to students.

Monitoring the Status of an Appeal

Once an appeal is submitted to the SFC Office of Financial Aid, that appeal will be reviewed and determined whether it has been approved or denied. All decisions are final. If a decision has not been made by the time tuition is due, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the SFC Office of Financial Aid to discuss the options on how to best proceed.

Below is a listing of the potential appeal statuses that could be determined:

• In-Progress: Appeal has been received, but not reviewed.
• Conditionally Approved: The SFC Office of Financial Aid has approved the appeal and is waiting for an academic plan from the office of Center of Student Success (CSS).
• Approved: Appeal has been approved and the student is eligible for financial
• Denied: Appeal was not approved based on the information that was provided. The student is no longer eligible to receive federal financial aid.

Limit of Appeals

Students may not initiate an appeal using the same extraordinary and extenuating circumstance more than once unless the circumstance is beyond their control (Office of Financial Aid will deem appropriate usage).

Appeal Decisions

Appeal decisions are delivered to you via your StudentForms portal on sfc.studentforms.com as quickly as possible, given the volume of work within the aid office. Submission of an appeal does not guarantee approval. Decisions of the appeals committee are final and cannot be appealed outside the Office of Scholarships and Student Aid.

Regaining Eligibility for Financial Aid through Self-Correction

Students who are denied federal financial aid on the basis of not meeting the standards, may regain federal financial aid eligibility by becoming compliant with all of the Standards while studying at their own expense. This is known as self-correction. It is the student's responsibility to notify the SFC Office of Financial Aid when they have self-corrected their SAP-related issue(s). The SFC Office of Financial Aid will then conduct a review to confirm that the student is meeting all Standards at that point in time.

Late Grade Posted or Grade Change

Students whose financial aid eligibility has been suspended or those who have a grade posted late or was changed must notify the SFC Office of Financial Aid to have their SAP re-evaluated. It is the responsibility of the student to notify the SFC Office of Financial Aid of these circumstances. There is no automatic process to clear financial aid suspension. If no notice is provided, the student’s SAP status will remain unchanged and will be re-evaluated during the next annual review.

Academic Plan

If an appeal is approved, the student will be given an academic plan. An academic plan is a written agreement between the student and the institution that may extend the student's eligibility for federal financial aid for one academic year. The academic plan specifies requirements (i.e., minimum course completion ratio, GPA, reduced course load or enrolling in specific courses) that the student must meet and exceed each semester/term to maintain or regain federal financial aid eligibility. A student that does not meet these Standards will again be suspended from financial aid eligibility and will be ineligible for federal aid in future semesters/terms until the student can meet the standards.

Deadline to Submit an Appeal (Starting 2022-2023 academic year and beyond):

• Fall Term: Last day of term as defined by the academic calendar.
• Spring Term: Last day of term as defined by the academic calendar.
• Academic Year: Last day of the spring term as defined by the academic calendar.