Satisfactory Academic Progress Help

Summer 2012 Appeals Deadline:
Friday, May 25

If you believe you will not have met the academic standards by the end of the Fall Term 2011, you are encouraged to submit a suspension appeal form as soon as possible if you’d like to attend Spring Term 2012. The last day to submit appeal forms to the Counseling and Advising Office (T-2500) is on Friday, May 25th, 2012 by 4:30 p.m.

Students on academic warning/probation who do not meet Satisfactory Academic Progress standards (cumulative 2.0 GPA and 67% completion rate) at the end of Fall Term 2011 will be placed on academic suspension. They will receive notification by email and mail during the week of May 21, 2012. There is a VERY short timeline to notify students after grades are posted. To ensure communication reaches students quickly, email and home addresses must be updated in E-Services.

Use these important services and resources:

• Counseling and Academic Advising
• Tutoring
• MCTC Library
• Disability Services
• Resource and Referral Services (referrals for housing, child care and other community services): Call 612-659-6700 for an appointment or visit T.2500

Satisfactory academic progress policy summary

Effective Beginning Fall 2011

See the full policy here.

As a student at Minneapolis Community and Technical College, it is important for you to know that you must meet new federally-required Satisfactory Academic Progress standards to take college classes and to remain eligible for financial aid.

IMPORTANT: Students bear primary responsibility for their own academic progress and for seeking assistance when experiencing academic difficulty.

By achieving the standards below, you will stay on a direct path to graduate from MCTC or transfer to complete a bachelor's degree:

Minimum standards

The standards below are cumulative (include all periods of enrollment). The standards are applied once you have registered for your first credit.

• Your Grade Point Average or GPA must be at least 2.00. The GPA calculation includes grades of A, B, C, D and F. The word "cumulative" refers to total credits for all periods of enrollment at the College. You can calculate your Grade Point Average on a GPA calculator, or determine how to raise your GPA, at http://www.back2college.com/gpa.htm.
• Your Completion Rate must be at least 67%. The Completion Rate calculation divides all earned credits (those with grades of A, B, C, D and P) by all registered credits. If you withdraw from a class, it will affect your Completion Rate. Talk to your advisor before withdrawing from a course.
• If you receive financial aid, you must also complete your degree/certificate within 150% of the published length of the program (called Maximum Timeframe). This means if you are pursuing a 60 credit 2-yr degree, you may receive financial aid for no more than 90 credits (60 x 150% = 90).

Warning

Academic progress is evaluated after each term. If you do not meet the minimum standards, you are placed on a "warning" status for one term only. During the warning term, you must raise your cumulative GPA and cumulative Completion Rate to meet or exceed the minimum standards. If you do not, you will be suspended. You will also be suspended from financial aid eligibility if you exceed the Maximum Time Frame. Refer to the full policy for more information about Warning and Suspension.

Suspension appeals

If you are suspended, you may appeal for reinstatement based on extenuating circumstances.

• The appeal process and the appeal timeline are extremely important.
• Follow instructions carefully if you choose to appeal. Review the criteria that will be considered for an appeal and provide the documentation needed.
• Complete the Satisfactory Academic Progress Suspension Appeal Form accurately and thoroughly and make sure to submit it before the deadline. If your appeal is incomplete, undocumented, or submitted late, your appeal will be denied.

If your appeal is approved, you will be placed on probation.

If you have new information or disagree with the outcome of your appeal, you may submit a second appeal. It is highly recommended that you meet with a counselor to discuss your academic suspension and assist in developing an academic plan. A second appeal will only be considered for a future term; not the Spring 2012 term.

Consider attending a Satisfactory Academic Progress/Max Time Frame Help Session. In this session, we will cover:

• Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and Max Time Frame (MTF) policy and standards
• The SAP/MTF appeal process

The following sessions will be offered this Spring 2012 semester:

Probation

All approved appeals and probationary terms require that you abide by an Academic Plan that will help you return to good standing. The Academic Plan includes term standards of 2.5 GPA and 100% percent of completion, which are higher than the institution's cumulative standards.

At the end of your probationary term, if you have met the cumulative standard you are removed from probation. If you have not met the cumulative standards, but you have met the conditions of your Academic Plan, you will remain on probation. If you have not met the cumulative standards and you also have not met the conditions of your Academic Plan, you will be re-suspended.

Reinstatement

If you are suspended from the College, the only way to reinstate your eligibility to register and receive financial aid is through an approved appeal. Your suspension status does not go away merely by being absent from the College for a period of time or by paying your tuition out of your own pocket.