Notice of Federal Student Financial Aid Penalties for Drug Law Violations:A federal or state drug conviction can disqualify a student for Federal Student Aid Funds. Convictions count only if the offense occurred during a period of enrollment for which the student was receiving Title IV (federal) student aid.
Below illustrates the period of ineligibility for FSA Funds depending on whether the conviction was for the sale or possession and whether the student has had previous offenses.
Possession of Illegal Drugs Sale of Illegal Drugs1st Offense 1 year from date of conviction 2 years from date of conviction
2nd Offense 2 years from date of conviction Indefinitely
3rd Offense Indefinitely
If the student is convicted of both possessing and selling illegal drugs, and the periods of ineligibility are different, the student is ineligible for the longer period.
Students who lose their eligibility due to a drug conviction will receive a written notice of their loss of eligibility and the methods whereby they can re-establish their eligibility.
A student can regain eligibility the day after the period of ineligibility ends or when the student successfully completes a qualified drug rehabilitation program. Further drug convictions will make the student ineligible again. A qualified drug rehabilitation program must include at least
two unannounced drug tests and
must satisfy at least one of the following requirements:
▪ be qualified to receive funds directly or indirectly from a federal, state, or local government program.
▪ be qualified payment directly or indirectly from a federally or state-licensed insurance company.
▪ be administered or recognized by a federal, state of local government agency or court.
▪ be administered or recognized by a federally or state-licensed hospital, health clinic, or medical doctor.
The financial aid office reserves the right to request court documents or documentation of drug rehabilitation program if determined as necessary to resolve conflicting information regarding eligibility.
Satisfactory Academic Progress for Title IV Federal Financial Aid - Undergraduate Students (Effective beginning 2011-12 Academic Year).
Doane College is required by federal regulations to define and monitor standards of satisfactory academic progress for students who are receiving or wish to receive Title IV Federal Financial Aid from one or more of the following programs:
1) Federal Pell Grant
2) Federal SEOG (Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant)
3) NOG (Nebraska Opportunity Grant)
4) FWS (Federal Work-Study)
5) Federal Perkins Loan
6) Federal Stafford Loan
7) Federal PLUS (Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students)
8) Federal TEACH Grant
Standards of Satisfactory Academic progress consist of two measurements:
1) Cumulative GPA (Qualitative) - ensures the student is able to meet the minimum academic grade point average (GPA) to complete a degree at Doane College
2) Pace (Quantitative) - measures the student's progress toward a degree by completing a certain percentage of attempted hours.
Each term the financial aid office reviews the academic records of all students to determine if a student is maintaining the required minimum grade point average to be eligible to receive Title IV Federal Financial Aid. Below is the minimum grade point average requirements based on the number of attempted credits:
Credits Attempted:
| Cumulative GPA:
|
12-35
| 1.70 |
| 36-59 | 1.85 |
| 60+ | 2.00 |
Note: Transfer credits are not factored into a student's cumulative GPA but are considered in the number of attempted credits. For example if Doane College accepted 60 transfer credit hours from another institution, the student would be required to maintain a cumulative GPA (CGPA) of 2.0 to ensure he/she is meeting graduation requirements.
In addition to the minimum CGPA standards, the financial aid office must also ensure the student is completing at least 75% of their attempted hours and is progressing through their program of study towards completion of a degree. Attempted credits are measured by the number of credits the student was enrolled in as of census day (last day for drop and add) each term. At the end of each term, the financial aid office will review all student records to determine if they have completed at least 75 percent of their total hours attempted. The measurement used is as follows:
Total Credit Hours Completed
Total Credit Hours Attempted
Only credit hours passed (grades A through D and P) are considered as credits earned. Transfer credits are considered in both the total credit hours completed and in the total credit hours attempted. Grades of I and /or IP are not counted as credits earned until they are replaced by a satisfactory letter grade. Grades of I, IP, W, and F are included as attempted credits in the calculation. A student should notify the financial aid office when I and IP's grades are replaced with a satisfactory letter grade.
Maximum Time Frame
Students can receive financial aid for up to 198 attempted credits or until a bachelor's degree is earned. If it is determined by the college the student is not able to complete his/her bachelor's degree without surpassing the 198, the student would be placed on Financial Aid Suspension and would not be able to receive federal financial aid.
Financial Aid Warning
Students that are not meeting either the Qualitative and/or the Quantitative measurements at the end of a term, are placed on Financial Aid Warning the ensuing term of enrollment. Students are allowed to receive financial aid during the Financial Aid Warning period. A student receives only one Financial Aid Warning term while at Doane College. The student will be notified in writing of their Financial Aid Warning Status.
Financial Aid Suspension
Financial Aid Suspension occurs following the term of Warning or any subsequent term after the Warning term if the student fails to achieve the minimum CGPA and/or the 75 percent completion rate. Students are not eligible to receive Title IV Federal financial aid if on suspension and are notified in writing of his/her Financial Aid Suspension status. Students may be able to continue taking coursework, however they are not able to receive Title IV federal aid funds and will need to pay at their own expense.
Financial Aid Suspension can also occur without a warning period if it is not mathematically possible for the student to make Satisfactory Academic Progress the following term.
Appeals:
If the student has experienced extenuating circumstances which have impeded his/her ability to make satisfactory academic progress, the student may appeal his/her suspension. The contents of the academic program are determined on a case by case basis dependent on the circumstances and whether or not it is a qualitative or quantitative issue which has caused the financial aid suspension. Examples of extenuating circumstances include; death of a relative, personal injury or illness of the student, family medical emergency, etc.
A student must submit their circumstances in writing by the date notated in their suspension letter. The appeal must include the following information:
1) Explanation of the circumstance that prevented him/her from making satisfactory progress
2) Explanation of what has changed or been resolved for him/her to make satisfactory progress in the ensuing term and going forward.
3) Supporting documentation of the extenuating circumstance.
The appeal is considered incomplete if any of the three requirements are missing and it will not be sent to the Financial Aid Appeal Committee for review. If the financial aid appeal committee agrees to let the student continue to receive financial aid for an additional term due to extenuating circumstances, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Probation.
Financial Aid Probation:
Students placed on Financial Aid Probation will be required to complete an academic plan and agree to the terms and the conditions of the plan in order to receive financial aid. The student's progress will be monitored to ensure he/she is meeting the conditions of the academic plan. If the student completes the terms and conditions of the academic plan, and does not return to satisfactory status after the ensuing term, the student will remain on Financial Aid Probation. The student can continue to receive financial aid as long as he/she is meeting the conditions of the academic plan.
If after the term of Financial Aid Probation the student has not complied with the terms of the academic plan and has not returned to satisfactory status, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension and is not eligible to receive Title IV federal financial aid.
Reinstatement:
Reinstatement of Title IV federal financial aid occurs at the end of any term in which the student reaches the 75% percent completion rate and has met the required minimum GPA requirement consistent with graduation requirements. At his/her own expense, a student may take courses to attempt to regain their Title IV federal financial aid eligibility. A student who has regained their eligibility may contact the financial aid office if they wish to begin receiving Title IV federal financial aid.
NOTE: Transfer students accepted into Doane College are usually considered making satisfactory academic progress when admitted to a degree program at Doane College. However, if a student was not making progress at his/her previous institution, the student may be placed on Financial Aid Warning by the Financial Aid Office. The student will notified in writing if placed on Financial Aid Warning upon being admitted to Doane College.
Repeat Coursework:
A student may receive financial aid for a course taken previously. The student may only receive financial aid twice for the repeated coursework.
The exception to this rule is when a student receives college credits for his/her participation in Intercollegiate Athletics and/or membership in one of the major vocal/instrumental music ensembles.
In addition to the Title IV federal aid rules, a student is subject to Doane College's institutional academic policies. A student not maintaining the minimum grade point average based on credits attempted (as referenced above) may be subject to Academic Probation and/or Academic Suspension at the end of any term if the student is not meeting the above referenced cumulative GPA requirements. The Vice President for Academic Affairs may place a student on Academic probation or Academic suspension if a student is not making satisfactory progress or is in danger of meeting all college graduation requirements. If a student is on Academic Suspension, he/she is not allowed to enroll in classes at Doane College. Specific conditions of Academic Probation and Academic Suspension are communicated in writing to the student by the Academic Affairs office.