Policies

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Federal regulations (CRF 668.16) require that a student maintains satisfactory academic progress in the course of study being pursued, according to the standards and practices of the institution in which he/she is enrolled, in order to receive aid under the Higher Education Act. These programs at OKWU include Federal Pell Grant, Federal Work-Study, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant, Oklahoma Tuition Equalization Grant, Oklahoma’s Promise, Federal Direct Loans (subsidized and unsubsidized), and the Federal Plus Loan Program.

OKWU has also adopted the following (Title IV) Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy to govern its institutional-based financial aid.

Satisfactory academic progress (SAP) will be measured at the end of each semester or term.  All students participating in the Title IV program will be evaluated to determine if SAP is being maintained. SAP will be measured on both a qualitative and quantitative standard.

Qualitative Standard

A 2.0 Term and Cumulative GPA is required of all undergraduate students.

Quantitative Standard

Students must maintain pace of progression and be on track according to the maximum timeframe at the end of each semester or term.

• Pace of Progression: Student must earn 67% of credits attempted cumulatively. To calculate, the credits earned will be divided by the credits attempted. For example: a student earns 5 credits out of the 7 credits attempted (5/7=71%). This student would be at an acceptable pace of progression.
• Maximum Time-Frame: Student must earn his/her degree in 150% of the published credit requirement. To calculate, the credits required for the degree will be multiplied by 150%. This is the maximum number of hours for which a student is eligible for aid. For example: a student’s degree requires 126 credit hours for graduation. That student must complete the degree within 189 credit hours (126 * 150% = 189).

Financial Aid Warning

A student who fails to meet the SAP standard(s) will be placed on “Financial Aid Warning” at the end of the semester or term. If the student meets both the quantitative and qualitative standards, satisfactory academic progress will be restored. However, if the student again fails to meet one or both of the standards, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension and will be ineligible for aid until SAP is restored or a SAP appeal is approved.

• A student may still receive federal financial aid during the Warning status.
• This status will only last one semester or term.
• There is no appeal necessary.
• Traditional students will be required to meet with the Director of Student Academic Services (SAS) to complete a probation contract.  This contract will include a minimum of 4 hours a week of monitored study in the SAS.

Financial Aid Probation

If a student has been on Financial Aid Warning and fails to meet SAP standard(s) that student will be ineligible for federal aid. Financial Aid Probation is for students who have failed to meet the standards after the warning period and been granted a successful appeal of their Financial Aid Suspension. In the Probation status, the appeal committee may create an academic plan which will define the required components of continued eligibility and will specify the length of the academic plan. If the student maintains the requirements of the plan or if SAP standards are met, the student will regain eligibility.  If a student fails to meet the requirements of the academic plan, the student will be ineligible for aid until SAP is restored.

Financial Aid Suspension

Suspended students are ineligible to receive financial aid from OKWU. Eligibility may be restored by attempting and earning credits to meet the minimum SAP standards or by having an appeal granted.

A student will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension for the following reasons:

• A student who earns a 0.0 GPA, excluding athletic courses.
• A student who fails to meet the requirements of his/her Probation status.
• A student who fails to meet SAP after their warning will be suspended.

Appeal Process

Students have the right to appeal their suspension of financial aid if they have mitigating circumstances that prevented them from making SAP.  The appeal must explain why he/she failed to make Satisfactory Academic Progress and what has changed that will allow him/her to make satisfactory progress at the next evaluation.
The appeal form may be obtained by emailing the Financial Aid office at financialaid@okwu.edu or by calling 918-335-6282.

A student who wishes to appeal must do so in writing with supportive documentation.  The written appeal must be completed using the SAP appeal form and must be completed at least 7 calendar days prior to starting class.  This appeal will go before an appeal committee which consists of a representative from the following:  a Graduate School representative, an Undergraduate School representative, the Director of Financial Aid, the Registrar, and a Student Academic Services representative.  The Appeal Committee’s decision is final.

If granted, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Probation and will be eligible for aid.  His/her academic progress will be evaluated at the end of the next term or semester.  In addition the appeal committee may create an academic plan which will define the required components of continued eligibility and will specify the length of the academic plan. If the student maintains the requirements of the plan or if SAP standards are met, the student will regain eligibility. If a student fails to meet the requirements of the academic plan, the student will be ineligible for aid until SAP is restored.

Changes in Program of Study

Changing majors often results previously attempted coursework no longer counting towards graduation requirements.  These credits will be included in Satisfactory Academic Progress calculations.  If these credits cause a student to exceed the 150% maximum timeframe standard, a SAP appeal can be made and will follow the above listed process.

Incompletes (I), Withdrawal Passing (WP), and Withdrawal Failing (WF)

These will be treated as attempted but not earned credits.

Life Learning and Credit by Exam

These credits are not considered toward the above required earned hours in a term.

Non-degree Coursework

If a course is not required for the student’s degree, these hours cannot be used to determine enrollment status.  Therefore, it is important to review your degree requirements with your advisor and notify financial aid if you are taking less than full-time required coursework.

Remedial work

These will be treated as attempted and earned credits but not total credits.

Repeated courses

Effective July 1, 2011, Federal Financial Aid regulations limit the number of times a student may repeat a course and receive federal financial aid for that course.  At Oklahoma Wesleyan a student may receive federal aid when repeating a course that was previously failed regardless of the number of times the course was attempted and failed.  Once the passing grade is received, the student may receive federal financial aid for only one repeat of that course.  However if a program within a school has a minimum passing grade policy, the program’s policy will be used to determine if a grade is considered failing for repeat coursework purposes.

Examples of repeated coursework that may be counted towards enrollment status:

• Student receives a failing grade. He/she may receive federal aid to repeat the course until a passing grade is earned.
• Student receives a ‘D’ grade in a course.  He/she may receive federal aid to repeat the course one time.

Example of repeated coursework that may not be counted towards enrollment status:

• Student receives a grade of ‘D’ then repeats the course and receives another grade of ‘D’. If the student decides to repeat the course a second time, the course would not count towards his/her enrollment status.

Withdrawals (W)

These will be treated as not attempted and not earned credits.
By accepting OWKU institutional money, a student agrees to remain in good standing with student life and abide by University policies.  If a student is dismissed for any reason, that student forfeits all OKWU money for that semester.  This means that the dismissed student will have all OKWU scholarship money removed from his/her account and will be responsible to paying that balance.  Depending on the amount of OKWU scholarship money, this may be a significant amount of money.
Students who withdraw from all classes prior to completing more than 60 percent of an enrollment term will have their eligibility for aid recalculated based on the percent of the term completed.  The Financial Aid Office encourages you to read the Return of Title IV Funds Policy carefully.

Transfer work

OKWU’s transfer credit policy states that only courses in which a “C-“or higher have been earned will be posted to the transcript.  Transfer credits will be treated as attempted and earned.  Transfer work is considered toward the above requirements.  Please see the full transfer credit policy in the Admissions section.

Withdrawal & Refund Policy

The Higher Education Amendments of 1998 changed the formula for calculating the amount of aid a student and school can retain when the student withdraws from all classes. The Office of Financial Services encourages you to contact your Advisor and the Financial Aid Office to discuss how this will affect you academically and financially.

Any student who received financial assistance and stops attending classes or withdraws from the university could be required to pay back aid to the federal government or OKWU.  To earn 100% of the aid you have received, you must attend classes beyond 60 percent point of the semester. Students who withdraw from all classes prior to completing more than 60 percent of an enrollment term will have their eligibility for aid recalculated based on the percent of the term completed

By accepting OWKU institutional money, a student agrees to remain in good standing with student life and abide by University policies.  If a student is dismissed for any reason, that student forfeits all OKWU money for that semester.  This means that the dismissed student will have all OKWU scholarship money removed from his/her account and will be responsible to paying that balance.  Depending on the amount of OKWU scholarship money, this may be a significant amount of money.

Students who withdraw from all classes prior to completing more than 60 percent of an enrollment term will have their eligibility for aid recalculated based on the percent of the term completed.  The Financial Aid Office encourages you to read the Return of Title IV Funds Policy carefully.

Student example

A student withdrawals from classes on October 15. To calculate the percentage of aid, the financial aid will count the number of days attended and divide it by the total days in the semester.  The student will be eligible for that percentage of federal and institutional aid (if dismissed, see OKWU institutional aid above).

Financial Aid Code of Conduct