/Institutions/Hebrew-Union-College-Jewish-Institute-of-Religion/json/current/Academic-Catalog-local.json

/Institutions/Hebrew-Union-College-Jewish-Institute-of-Religion/json/current/Academic-Catalog.json

Satisfactory Academic Progress for Federal Aid

Federal guidelines mandate that all institutions offering Title IV funds have a Standard of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). The following information defines HUC-JIR’s minimum standards for SAP to maintain eligibility for all types of financial aid, including federal (Title IV), state, and institutional (HUC-JIR) funding. Programs administered by agencies other than HUC-JIR, such as private scholarships, may have their own academic standards for students. Students will need to contact such agencies to determine their requirements.

Federal regulations require HUC-JIR to establish SAP standards in the following areas which must include the student’s total academic history.

• cumulative GPA
• cumulative credits
• maximum period

These general principles apply to all HUC-JIR degree programs. In addition to the general principles, students must meet specific guidelines for their individual academic program(s). Program-specific requirements are detailed in the respective program handbooks.

SAP will be determined at the end of every payment period (semester).

To earn semester credits at HUC-JIR, a student must receive a grade of A, B, C, Pass, or Low Pass. Any other grade does not earn credits but will count as credits attempted and not as credits earned.

Classes from which a student has withdrawn will be counted as credits attempted but not earned and will negatively impact a student’s ability to satisfy SAP requirements.

Classes in which a student receives a grade of Incomplete (I) count as credits attempted but not as credits earned. Therefore, these will have a negative impact on a student’s ability to satisfy SAP requirements.

When a student repeats a course, the total attempted credits will increase with each repeat, but the student will only earn credits for a completed course once. Therefore, repeating courses will have a negative impact on a student’s ability to satisfy SAP requirements. When a student repeats a course, the higher grade will be counted towards the student’s cumulative GPA.

Attempted credits include all coursework attempted, including transfer credits, passed, repeated, incomplete, failed, and withdrawn courses. Attempted credits do not include courses that have been waived or where advanced standing has been granted.

Transfer students will be evaluated at the time of enrollment using the same SAP standards.

Students who change programs or seek to earn additional degrees are evaluated at the beginning of the semester of the new program or additional degree.

Cumulative GPA

For students in programs where a GPA is calculated, or those students who have chosen to receive letter grades, a student must maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA or better to satisfy SAP requirements.

For students enrolled in programs that offer Pass/Low Pass/Fail grading, students must pass at least 70% of the credits they have attempted to satisfy SAP requirements.

Cumulative Credits Earned

Students must pass (earn) at least 80%of the credits that have been attempted to satisfy SAP requirements.

Maximum Time Limit

HUC-JIR students will be eligible for financial aid for a maximum time limit of 150% of the published number of required credits. Thus, if a program is anticipated to require 100 credits for completion, a student becomes ineligible for financial aid as of the completion of the 150th credit. Eligibility for financial aid ends at this time regardless of whether that student has received financial aid or not during the period of study.

Good Standing

Good standing by semester will be evaluated by the registrar who will report to the Financial Aid Office every pay period student who is not in good standing as well as who is on academic probation and those who are no longer enrolled. Good standing is defined in the HUC-JIR academic catalog.

A student in good academic standing:

• is not on probation;
• is making acceptable progress toward their degree or certificate;
• has earned grades at the “Pass” or “B” level or higher; and
• has no more than grade of LP or C+ or lower in a semester.

If a student receives two or more grades of “LP” or “C” and/or fails one or more courses in a semester, the Program Director shall meet with the student to provide counseling and guidance. The Program Director may place the student on probation and may convene a Student Tenure Committee.

If they receive another “LP”, “C”, or “F” during a period of probation, they will be asked to appear before a Student Tenure Committee.

If the student fails two courses at any time within two consecutive semesters, they will meet with a Student Tenure Committee.

If a student fails three courses over two academic years, the student will be automatically suspended. They have the right to appeal to the Student Tenure Committee for reinstatement, citing any extenuating circumstances.

Failure to Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements

Students who fail to meet the satisfactory academic progress standards will be placed on Financial Aid Warning (FAW) for up to one payment period (semester). During the FAW, a student remains eligible to receive financial aid. Students who meet SAP requirements during the warning period's end will be returned to normal status and will continue to be eligible for financial aid awards and loans. Students who do not meet SAP requirements at the end of the payment period will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension (FAS).

Students returning to HUC-JIR while they are on FAS must meet the requirements of HUC-JIR’s SAP policy to regain financial aid eligibility.

Appeals

Students on FAS may make a written appeal to the Director of Financial Aid. Financial aid may be reinstated by the director upon demonstration of mitigating circumstances which must be documented to the satisfaction of the director along with a written letter of appeal from the student. Examples of mitigating circumstances and appropriate documentation include, but are not necessarily limited to:

• serious illness of student, documented by a signed statement from a physician that the illness interfered with the student’s ability to meet SAP requirements, along with a written letter of appeal from the student;
• serious illness of an immediate family member, documented by a signed statement from a physician along with a letter of appeal from the student;
• death of an immediate/close family member, documented by assigned statement from a clergy person, nearest relative or an unbiased, concerned adult, along with a written letter of appeal from the student; or
• disruptive internal family problems, documented by legal/court documentation from an attorney, statement from parents, clergy person or an unbiased concerned adult, along with a written letter of appeal from the student.

Students on FAS who have submitted an appeal and are approved will then be put on Financial Aid Probation (FAP) for one payment period. If SAP is restored at the end of the payment period, financial aid eligibility will continue. If students on FAP who do not successfully make SAP at the end of the pay period can submit an academic plan with their academic advisor with a period of when the student will successfully make SAP and an action plan to restore SAP. If a student has an active academic plan in place, they will be eligible for financial aid while following their academic plan.