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POLICY:

Financial Aid is awarded to students based on federal formulas for determining the need for taxpayer-funded student aid programs. Federal and state regulations require that students receiving financial aid are required to make reasonable academic progress in order to maintain eligibility for federal and state assistance. All colleges and universities are required to have a Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for maintaining aid eligibility and to follow a Return of Title IV Funds Policy when students leave the institution prior to the end of the enrollment period. Funds to be returned are calculated based on the date, as determined by the institution, that the student began the withdrawal process or the date, as determined by the institution, that the student otherwise provided official notification to the institution, in writing or orally, of his or her intent to withdraw. In the absence of an official withdrawal date, the midpoint of the term is used.

PROCEDURES:

A. SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS POLICY:

To comply with federal and state requirements, California State University Northridge has adopted an Annual Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy and a Mid-Year Academic Progress Policy to apply reasonable standards for measuring whether a student, who is otherwise eligible for financial aid, is maintaining satisfactory progress toward the completion of his/her degree objective.

1. Annual Academic Progress Policy

A review for eligibility is conducted every June to ensure that students are making satisfactory academic progress according to the components of progress required by regulation which include qualitative and quantitative measures of progress as well as timeframe for completion of degree. The annual review is accomplished by comparing the number of units a student has attempted, versus the number of units completed, determining if the student has been disqualified by the University, is ineligible to register and reviewing the unit limit totals (180 for undergrads and 75 for graduates) and time limits (cannot exceed 7.5 years to completion of degree). Failing to make satisfactory progress will make the student ineligible for financial aid of any kind. A letter of disqualification will be sent to all students who have reapplied for aid and who have been disqualified detailing the reason(s) for denial.

Reinstatement is possible if there are extenuating circumstances that should be considered as the basis for an appeal. Separate appeal procedures are in place which incorporate the involvement of the academic advisement community (or other knowledgeable staff person) that can support the appeal of disqualification. The Advisor will make an assessment of potential academic success and forward that decision to the Financial Aid Office. Graduate students may see an Academic Advisor, or may submit appeal documentation directly to the Financial Aid Office.

2. Mid-Year Academic Progress Policy

Students who complete a semester with zero units (any combination of U, W, F, or NC grades) will be disqualified from receiving aid the following semester. The student will be sent a letter of disqualification. (This does not apply to students that have officially withdrawn from the university or have received grades of incomplete "I".) Students that have special circumstances may warrant additional consideration for which an appeal of disqualification which may be in order if the student has been working with university personnel to deal with problems relating to academic progress difficulties. For this purpose, a Mid-Year Financial Aid Disqualification Appeal Form should be completed by the Academic Advisor and submitted to the Financial Aid Office.

B. POLICY ON ELIGIBILITY FOR TITLE IV FUNDS FOR STUDENT FINANCIAL AID FUNDS/RECEIPTS:

Eligibility for financial aid programs is predicated, in part, on enrollment criteria. Awards may be reduced if students fail to maintain the unit loads on which awards were based (full-time, ¾ time, ½ time, etc). Awards are not subject to revision based on enrollment changes after the 60% point in the term.

1. Official Withdrawals:

Students who completely withdraw from CSUN will be subject to a pro-rata calculation of "earned" Title IV eligibility based on the withdrawal date and the requisite return of Title IV funds to the appropriate funds. Students who leave the institution and provide official notification to the institution, establish a withdrawal date (see Admissions and Records) that is used by University Cash Services and the Financial Aid Office in calculating return of Title IV funds, refund amounts, and award revisions.

2. Unofficial Withdrawal Policy:

The California State University is budgeted on a Full-Time-Equivalency standard, rather than on an attendance-based budgeting model and is not required to take attendance. Students who cease attendance without providing an official notification of withdrawal (identified by their failure to complete any units) are considered to have withdrawn at the "midpoint" of the term and return of financial aid funds is based on that date. The responsibility for returning "unearned" Title IV funds is shared between the institution and the student based on the pro-rata calculation. (CFR 668.22(b),(c),(I)(2).

3. Return of Title IV Funds:

Return of Title IV aid will be calculated according to the pro-rata formula prescribed by Title IV regulations.

At CSUN, returns of Title IV fund are distributed in the following priority order:

a. Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan

b. Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan

c. Federal Perkins Loan

d. Federal PLUS Loan

e. Federal Pell Grant

f. Federal SEOG Program

g. Other Title IV Programs

4. Refund Policy:

The state fee refund policy (as outlined in the Schedule of Classes) is in effect through the fourteenth (14th) calendar day following the first day of each semester for all students who withdraw. After the 14th calendar day and extending through the 10th week of instruction, a Pro Rata Refund calculation is required for students who are first-term CSUN students. A determination of refund amounts and the amount aid eligibility are calculated based on the withdrawal date.

REFERENCES:

Student Aid Regulations in the General Provisions on standards of administrative capability (Sub Part B) and General Provisions of student eligibility (SubPart C, (34 CFR, Section 668.34 b) speak to institutional requirements on satisfactory progress to completion of degree. Section 668.22 [h] require that institutions maintain a fair and equitable refund policy for tuition, fees, room and board charges as part of the Standards for Participation in Title IV, Higher Education Act Programs. The student financial aid refund and repayment requirements apply to students who withdraw, drop out, take an unapproved leave of absence, fail to return from an approved leave of absence, are expelled, disenrolled, or who otherwise fail to complete the period of enrollment for which they were funded and charged.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. FINANCIAL AID OFFICE:

The Financial Aid Office is responsible for determining eligibility for student financial aid for the computation of financial aid award amounts. If changes in enrollment levels occur prior to the census date, the Financial Aid Office will revise student financial aid awards to reflect part-time status (as appropriate) and to cancel awards in the case of students who enrolled in classes, but never attended (those dropping all units prior to the beginning of the term). For students completely withdrawing from the institution, the Financial Aid Office will complete the federal form for "Treatment of Title IV Funds when a Student Withdraws from a Credit Hour Program" and provide University Cash Services with the computation of funds to be returned to Title IV for all financial aid student withdrawals. Funds to be returned will be attributed to both the student and the institution, as required. In the case of "Official Withdrawals," the Financial Aid Office will use the earliest established date that the student began the institution's withdrawal process or otherwise provided official notification of his or her intent to withdraw. In the case of "Unofficial Withdrawals", a determination of last known date of attendance will be made for all aid recipients earning U, F, W, RD, or NC grades for the term and the date will be set at the midpoint of the term.

2. ADMISSIONS & RECORDS:

The Office of A/R is responsible for the maintenance of institutional enrollment records including the withdrawal dates for students leaving the institution. Each semester, unit data is used to determine financial aid eligibility and to calculate fee charges and/or refund amounts. Students are permitted to drop courses during the first two weeks; add classes through the first three weeks; census date occurs following the last day to add courses and after faculty have read class rosters and students have reviewed "official" course loads during the third week. During each enrollment term, the Registrar will provide University Cash Services with periodic reports of all CSUN students whom completely and officially withdraw from the institution along with the date of official withdrawal (or the date the student first indicated an intent to withdraw) so that federal aid can be returned and fee refunds can be calculated and processed.

3. UNIVERSITY CASH SERVICES:

University Cash Services is responsible for applying all refunds (fees, housing, etc.) to the students account. These proceeds can be used to reduce the amount of institutional dollars that must be used to meet the institution's requirement to return funds to the federal programs, if the Financial Aid Office determines that federal funds must be returned. Federal accounts must be restored within the prescribed 30 day timeframe. If adjustments to Financial Aid award amounts are necessary due to calculations of refunds, Financial Aid will be notified so that necessary award adjustments can be made. University Cash Services will retain all withdrawal, refund, and return data per student financial audit requirements and maintain accounts receivable information.

4. ACADEMIC ADVISEMENT PERSONNEL:

Academic advisors who have been working with students on mitigating circumstances which have contributed to the inability of the student to make satisfactory academic progress forward an appeal form to the Financial Aid Office which contains a recommendation for reinstatement of discontinued financial aid.

FORMS:

Treatment of Title IV Funds When a Student Withdraws from a Credit Hour Program

Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal

Mid-Year Financial Aid Disqualification Appeal

FURTHER INFORMATION:

Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships 818-677-2085

University Cash Services 818-677-2318

Admissions and Records 818-677-3700, Menu Choice #7

Approved by the President