Financial aid suspension. Don’t give up too fast.
Extensions can be applied for if there are extenuating circumstances
When a student counts on financial aid for school and living expenses, it can feel like the end of the world if this aid is stopped. Most of the time when financial aid is suspended, the suspension happens with little or no notice, often leaving the student with past due bills and a feeling of hopelessness.
Since, according to Vice President of administrative services, Beverly Brant, approximately 92 percent of UCC students receive financial aid assistance for tuition, the chances for problems with financial aid are real.
Students never plan on having their financial aid suspended but it does happen and it is important to know what to do if this unfortunate situation occurs. Students should always have a backup plan.
The first thing students need to know is how their aid can be suspended. This knowledge can help prevent the suspension.
The primary reason for financial aid suspension is failure to meet satisfactory academic progress (SAP). Each school, according to federal regulations must develop a Satisfactory Academic Progress policy to measure students’ quantitative and qualitative progress.
At UCC the financial aid office will consider a student to be making satisfactory academic progress if they meet three criteria. A grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or better must be kept on a term by term basis. Students must complete at least 67 percent of all attempted credits and must also complete their program of study before they have attempted more than 150 percent of the published number of required credits. This is called the maximum credit hour limit.
When a student fails to meet the SAP requirements regarding GPA or attempted/completed credits, that student will be placed on financial aid probation. Students on probation status will still receive financial aid for the following term. However, at the end of that term the financial aid office will review the student’s GPA and attempted/completed credits to determine whether that student will be placed on suspension or returned to good standing.
Some other conditions that may affect aid eligibility are repeating a class, pass/fail options, challenging classes, and learning skills courses.
If a student fails to meet the SAP requirements while in probationary status, that student will then be placed on financial aid suspension and will forfeit eligibility to receive funds.
This is the point in time where some students panic and give up. However, there are other options.
Students may petition the financial aid office for reinstatement. Petitions require a written explanation of why the student was unable to meet the requirements as well as documentation supporting that reason. Financial aid may be reinstated if the circumstances were extenuating and not likely to reoccur.
Usually if the reason SAP was not met was due to a medical or psychological problem, a death in the family or another unexpected family emergency, the petition will be accepted and aid will be reinstated.
Petitions are reviewed on a case by case basis by the financial aid director. If a petition is denied by the director, an appeal can be written to the Financial Aid Advisory Committee via the financial aid office.
If the reason for financial aid suspension is that the student exceeded the maximum credit hour limit, an extension may be requested if there are extenuating circumstances.
If the student’s appeal is denied and financial aid is unavailable, sometimes the student will be given the option to complete a specified amount of credits with satisfactory progress while paying for those credits with their own money or with the help of an outside resource. Once the student has completed those credits and can show proof to the financial aid office, funds can be reinstated.
A number of other resources are available for school funding. Each year thousands of scholarships are available. Scholarships are monetary gifts presented to students who meet conditions defined by the person or group giving the money. Students can apply for scholarships from the Umpqua Community College Foundation, the Oregon Student Assistance Commission (OSAC), and other organizations and privately funded sources.
The UCC Foundation provides hundreds of scholarships each year to assist students with educational costs. Through just one application, students can apply for nearly 150 separate funds. The 2011/12 application submission deadline for these scholarships is April 29, 2011. The office
Umpqua Training & Employment (UT&E) also has resources available to assist individuals with on-the-job training, as well as assistance with funding for trade schools and community colleges.
For more information on services available through Umpqua training and Employment call 541-672-7761
The Financial Aid Office is located in the Campus Center Building. Regular public service hours are Monday & Wednesday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Tuesday 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., throughout the academic year, except for official college holidays. Students may contact the office by phone at (541) 440-4602 or via e-mail to Laurie.Spangenberg@umpqua.edu.
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