FINANCIAL AID & STUDENT CAMPUS EMPLOYMENT

SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE POLICY

Federal regulations require that students receiving financial aid must be making satisfactory progress toward a degree and comply with all federal, state, and institutional policies and standards applying to financial aid programs. To insure that recipients of federal, state, and/or institutional funds make qualitative and quantitative academic progress, Tusculum College has set forth a Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy as outlined below. A review of SAP will be conducted each year when renewal eligibility is evaluated. Students are strongly encouraged to monitor their academic progress carefully and they should understand that drops, withdrawals, and grades of E (Excused) and I (Incomplete) can affect current and upcoming financial aid eligibility. Repeated courses may be included in federal aid calculations. Remedial, non-credit, and audited courses are not included in any aid calculations or SAP reviews. All periods of enrollment are reviewed regardless of whether or not federal and/or state aid was received or if the institution was attended.

TENNESSEE EDUCATION LOTTERY SCHOLARSHIP

Renewal Criteria for the HOPE Lottery Scholarship
In order to retain the lottery scholarship a recipient must have attained the minimum cumulative GPA shown below at the end of the semester during which the student has attempted the corresponding number of semester hours:

24 Attempted Semester Hours = 2.75 GPA 48, 72, 96, and 120 Attempted Semester Hours = 3.00 GPA

A recipient must be enrolled full-time in the fall and spring semesters and maintain satisfactory academic progress set forth by the institution. Appeals for retention of lottery scholarships will be governed by the same guidelines stated below. If you plan to drop below full time status, prior approval is required from the Office of Financial Aid and On-Campus Student Employment.

FEDERAL, STATE, AND INSTITUTIONAL AID

ACG and SMART grants- Pell Grant Recipients only
For the second academic year, students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 at the completion of the first academic year. For a student who transfers after completing his or her first academic year, the institution must calculate GPA using the grades from all coursework accepted from prior schools.

Full-time/Part-time Graduate Students
SAP requirements are met by a graduate student as long as he/she remains eligible to continue in the program according to the Registrar's Office of the Graduate and Professional Studies programs.

Full-time/Part-time Undergraduate Students

Quantitative Progress
Students must pass and/or successfully complete 67% of the credit hours attempted during an academic year, and

Qualitative Progress
Students are expected to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) as outlined in the chart below:

Credit Hours Attempted	GPA for Aid Probation/Suspension
0 - 28.99	1.50
29 - 60.99	1.70
61 - 91.99	1.90
92 +	2.00

NOTICE Transfer Students
Students who do not meet the above SAP Policy upon transferring to Tusculum College will be placed on probation for one academic year. After that they must meet these requirements. Transfer students will have all course work attempted considered in this total.

Maximum Timeframe for Degree Completion Requirements
Degree requirements must be completed within a maximum timeframe. Federal regulations require no federal and/or state aid to be released when a student has exceeded 150% of the published length of his/her program. This is generally determined by multiplying the credit hours required to complete the program by 150% (i.e. federal and/or state aid for an undergraduate program requiring 128 credit hours will cease after 192 credit hours have been attempted; this includes those hours attempted prior to Academic Fresh Start being granted). Students changing majors prior to the completion of the first baccalaureate or graduate degree must complete all course work within the maximum timeframe specified above. Students changing degree programs and second-degree students will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Some aid programs may have more stringent limitations.

Denial
Students not maintaining the minimum requirements will be denied all forms of federal and state assistance for future award years. Financial aid would be reinstated after successful completion of one semester without aid. You are responsible for notifying the Office of Financial Aid and you must make use of the Tusculum College Academic Resource Center.

Appeal
An appeal of a SAP denial must be submitted in writing to the SAP APPEALS COMMITTEE. The terms for re-establishing eligibility will be set forth in the committee's response. Submitting an appeal is not a guarantee that eligibility will be reinstated. A Probationary status may be afforded in certain circumstances. Your appeal must state the reason(s) for having unsatisfactory progress, as well as demonstrate a "plan of action" for continued progress toward a degree, and in some cases, supporting documentation may be required. It is the student's responsibility to submit all necessary documentation supporting the circumstances of the appeal. An appeal decision may impose limitations upon aid eligibility, duration of aid eligibility, and/or future minimum academic standards. Reasonable appeals may include, but are not limited to:

Serious Illness/Accident/Injury - acceptable supporting documentation should include a doctor's note on letterhead stationery, hospital bills and/or insurance statements, police accident reports, etc.
Death of Immediate Family Member - acceptable supporting documentation should include a copy of the death certificate or published obituary.
Serious Impediments to Study Habits - acceptable supporting documentation could include doctor's or counselor's notes on letterhead stationery, description of circumstances from student or faculty member, and/or statements from family members; the student should include a statement explaining how he/she has established a plan to address the concerns and/or improve study habits.