Satisfactory Academic Progress

The Office of Financial Assistance must assess each student's ability (if receiving financial aid) to make reasonable progress in pursuit of a degree. Students must comply with all academic requirements established by the University and meet the following conditions pursuant to federal regulations [674.9(a)(5)(d)] the following standard of academic progress has been proposed and accepted by the Faculty Senate and is in effect for UW-River Falls:

Assessment Periods for Progress Requirements: A qualitative and quantitative assessment of progress must be made annually, at the conclusion of the spring semester.

Qualitative Standards: Students must meet the same qualitative (GPA) requirements as those established by the university related to academic suspension. The institutional policy requires that students must maintain a cumulative 2.0, it complies with the federal regulation from the Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

Quantitative Standards: The first measure of quantitative academic progress requires that students enrolled in a full-time basis must earn 24 credits/academic year (or 12 credits/semester of attendance).

Should the student fail to successfully complete the first provision, quantitative evaluation defaults to a cumulative evaluation of multiple years which would require the inclusion of the semester minimum (12) times the number of semesters of post secondary attendance (e.g 5 semesters X 12 [minimum credits] = 60 [cumulative standard]).

Four grace credits would be deducted from the cumulative standard during annual assessments (e.g. 5 semesters x 12 [minimum credits] = 60 [cumulative standard] – 4 [grace credits] = 56 [adjusted cumulative standard]). Students who fail the first provision and whose total credits fall below the adjusted cumulative standard would fail to make academic progress toward the completion of their degree. Students enrolled less than full-time will be evaluated on the following basis:

9-11.5 registered credits must earn 18 credits/year (9/semester)

6-8.5 registered credits must earn 12 credits/year (6/semester)

0.5-5.5 registered credits are not required to earn credits.

All other provisions would be similarly prorated (e.g grace credits for half-time attendance = 2)

Time Frame: Students may receive continued eligibility for financial aid for 12 full-time semesters. For enrollment status less than full-time their semesters of attendance would be counted as follows:

9-11.5 credits = .75 semesters

6-8.5 credits = .50 semesters

0.5-5.5 credits = 0 semesters

Denial of Financial Assistance: Students who violate the established academic progress policy will be denied assistance for subsequent semesters. Students will be informed by the Office of Financial Assistance of their failure to make progress and their appeal options.

Appeal/Petition Procedures: Any student denied assistance may appeal for reinstatement. The Satisfactory Academic Appeal form must be in writing and must document the mitigating, extraordinary or unusual circumstances which led to the unsatisfactory progress. The appeals will be reviewed by the Office of Financial Assistance and the student will be notified of the outcome within two weeks of submission.

Successful Appeals: Students who successfully appeal will be reinstated for a single probationary semester. During that semester the student must demonstrate progress and meet the requirement list above.

Unsuccessful Appeals: Students who fail their appeal efforts or choose not to appeal may receive reconsideration by demonstrating progress and scheduling an appointment with the Office of Financial Assistance Director.

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Satisfactory Academic Progress