SAP Procedures

SAP Component Definitions

Program Grade Point Average (GPA) - A Cumulative Program GPA is calculated using only grades earned at the University for the student’s current program of study. The minimum GPA requirement for undergraduate students is 2.0. The minimum GPA requirement for graduate students is 3.0.

Course Completion Rate (Pace) - Students must earn a passing grade in two-thirds or no less than 66.66% of the course credit hours attempted toward completion of their program of study. The Course Completion Rate is calculated by dividing the cumulative number of credit hours successfully completed by the cumulative number of credit hours attempted. All courses count as attempted except for drops and withdrawals for Military Leave of Absence (“WL” grade). Only courses for which the student receives a passing grade count as completed.

Maximum Timeframe -The Maximum Timeframe to complete a program cannot exceed 150% of the published length of the student’s active program and is measured in credit hours. For example, if an undergraduate program consists of 120 credit hours, the student must successfully complete the program after attempting no more than 180 credit hours. See the table below.

Maximum Timeframe resets for SAP only if there has been a substantial change in program. Refer to the substantial change definition in the Readmission policy for more information. A SAP Appeal will need to be filed for all program extensions when it has been determined that a student cannot complete his or her program within the allowed attempted credit limits per their individual program requirements and will need more time to complete their degree program.

Treatment of Courses and Credits

Course Repetitions - Only the most recent grade for a repeated course is counted in the Program GPA. All attempted courses are counted toward the Course Completion Rate and the Maximum Timeframe for program completion.

Dropped Courses - Courses dropped before the end of the drop period are not included in SAP calculations. Courses from which the student withdraws due to an approved Military Leave of Absence or for which an “NG” (No Grade) is granted are treated as dropped courses and are also excluded from SAP calculations.

Applied/Migrated Credits Within the University - All credits earned at NCU that are accepted into the student’s current program of study are considered as both attempted and completed credits for calculation of the Course Completion Rate, are counted toward the Maximum Timeframe, and are included in Program GPA calculations.

If comparison of the original program and the program the student is entering results in determination of a substantial change by the Provost or designee, the student is considered to be starting a new program. In this case, SAP will restart. See the Readmission  policy for further information.

Transfer Credits From Another Institution - All accepted transfer credits from another institution transferred into the student’s current program of study are considered both attempted and completed credits for purposes of calculating the Course Completion Rate. Graduate transferred credits are not included in Maximum Timeframe or Program GPA calculations. Undergraduate transfer credits are included in Maximum Timeframe but not in Program GPA calculations.

Course Withdrawals - All courses from which a student withdraws after the end of the drop period receive a “W” on the student’s transcript. These courses are considered attempted credits for calculation of the Course Completion Rate and are counted toward the Maximum Timeframe. If a student completed a course and received a “WN” grade when it was still being issued, it counts as attempted but not completed the same as a “W.”

Changing Programs - Students are only permitted to make a substantial program or degree change once per degree level in their tenure with the University. If comparison of the original program and the program the student is entering results in determination of a substantial change by the Provost or designee, SAP will restart. The substantial change definition remains the same for both readmission and continuing students who wish to change programs. Refer to substantial change section in the Readmission  policy for more details.

SAP Evaluation Schedule

Undergraduate Programs – Students enrolled in undergraduate programs are evaluated for SAP after every12 credit hours attempted in their programs.

Graduate Programs – Students enrolled in graduate programs are evaluated for SAP after every 9 credit hours attempted in their programs.

SAP Evaluation Statuses

Good Standing – A student is in Good Standing if: 1) No grades have been posted yet, or 2) If SAP has not been evaluated yet, or 3) Student is meeting minimum SAP requirements at time of evaluation, or 4) Student regained Good Standing after being placed on an Academic/Financial Aid Warning or Academic Probation/Financial Aid Probationary period.

Academic/Financial Aid Warning – A student is in an Academic/Financial Aid Warning status when he/she is not maintaining Good Standing pursuant to the terms of this policy at the time of any SAP evaluation. Financial aid may be received while in this status. If SAP is regained by the next scheduled SAP evaluation period, he/she is returned to Good Standing status.

Academic Probation – A student is in an Academic Probation status when he/she did not regain Good Standing after being placed on an Academic/Financial Aid Warning. If the student wishes to maintain his/her financial aid, he/she will need to submit an Appeal. See below for directions on the Appeal process.  If SAP is met by the next scheduled evaluation period and the Academic Plan was successfully followed, the student will regain Good Standing status.

Financial Aid Probation – A student is in Financial Aid Probation status only if he/she was first placed on Academic Probation and then decided to Appeal to reinstate federal financial aid.  If SAP is met by the next scheduled evaluation period, the student will regain Good Standing status and will also remain eligible for federal financial aid.

Extended Probation – Special circumstances may permit a student to continue on Extended Probation and possibly receive federal financial aid for an additional evaluation period. A student is in Extended Probation status only if he/she was placed on Academic or Financial Aid Probation and fails to regain Good Standing status before the next evaluation point and has then decided to Appeal based on special circumstances.  If SAP is met by the next scheduled evaluation period, the student will regain Good Standing status and will also remain eligible for federal financial aid.

SAP Dismissal – This status indicates a student was in a probationary SAP period and did not regain good standing by the next SAP evaluation. Students may appeal the dismissal to be reinstated to the University. If ever it is determined that it is mathematically impossible for the student to regain Good Standing within the current program, the student may consider a different program. A student can only change programs one time throughout his/her tenure at the University.

*To protect the integrity of NCU, a student may also be Administratively Dismissed. Refer to the Code of Conduct   policy for further details.

** For students using educational benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA), upon reaching SAP Dismissal status, unsatisfactory progress will be reported to VA and educational benefits will be discontinued.  Benefits may be resumed if the student reenrolls in the same program.

SAP Right to Appeal

Occasionally, a student’s academic progress may be delayed by circumstances beyond his/her control. A student may appeal:

• For federal financial aid to continue after the student has been placed on Academic Probation, or
• For an extension when it has been determined that a student cannot complete his or her program within the allowed attempted credit  limits per their individual program requirements and will need more time to complete their degree program, or
• To get permission to make a substantial change of program if he/she has already made a substantial change once, or
• To be reinstated in the University and his/her program of study after being Academically Dismissed. All Academic Dismissal Appeals must be submitted within 10 calendar days of the dismissal notification.

Students must be able to regain good standing status by the next SAP evaluation point.  Appeals by students who cannot mathematically attain good standing by the next evaluation point will not be considered.

Students able to regain good standing status who wish to appeal for any of the above reasons should email their Academic and Finance Advisor or saphelp@ncu.edu to request a SAP appeal form. Completed SAP appeal forms, including supporting documentation, should be emailed to saphelp@ncu.edu for the SAP Appeal Committee to review.  The SAP Appeal Committee comprised of various University leaders who meet on a periodic basis to review student appeals.  Committee appeal decisions are made within 15 business days of receipt and are final.  Students may not submit a second appeal for the same situation without new information documenting any extenuating circumstances not previously disclosed.

For doctoral candidates, as a condition of approval, students must sign a learning contract. The learning contract will detail academic expectations that must be met during the extension period. Failure to meet learning contract specifications will result in dismissal from the University. A doctoral candidate with more than six months to the Maximum Timeframe may be asked to sign a learning contract. In this case, the student will complete a SAP appeal and the learning contract for review by the SAP committee. If the appeal is approved, the doctoral candidate will receive an additional year program extension beyond the Maximum Timeframe.

For consideration, students should provide the following:

• An explanation and/or document that he/she has suffered from extenuating circumstances such as death of a relative, injury, disability, illness or other special circumstances;
• Specific information in the Appeal regarding why he/she failed to meet SAP;
• And an explanation as to what has changed in the student’s situation that will allow him/her to achieve SAP by the next evaluation.

NOTE: Please refer to the Code of Conduct  , Academic Integrity  , and Attendance and Continuous Enrollment  policies information on dismissals due to violation of academic and university policy.