Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS

The satisfactory academic progress (SAP) policy applies to all students enrolled in the San Francisco Film School, which is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education and licensed by the California bureau for Private Postsecondary Education and has a Veterans Education approved program. All students, whether receiving Federal Title IV, HEA funds, partial funding assistance, or self-pay, are evaluated by SAP each semester.

Federal regulations require all schools participating in state and federal financial aid, Title IV, HEA programs to monitor Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). These standards are applicable to all students attending this institution.

Students enrolled in programs approved by COE must meet formal standards that measure their satisfactory academic progress toward graduation. The policy is provided to all students prior to the 1st class session. The policy is consistently applied to all applicable students. Evaluations are maintained in the student file. SAP applies to students that are enrolled either Full time, Part Time, or Half Time, in either the Certificate Program Associates Degree program.

New SAP definitions went into effect on July 1, 2011. The school developed policies to determine the academic standards that students are expected to meet and built a means and schedule of measuring the achievement of those Pace and Quantitative standards.

SAP standards are established by the Office of Academic Affairs. The relevant SAP policies are summarized below.

All students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress according to the following standards in order to continue enrollment. Satisfactory Academic Progress is measured at the end of each payment period, and will be checked prior to disbursement of aid.

Same As or Stricter Than:

The school’s SAP policy for Title IV, HEA students is the same as the school’s standards for students enrolled in the same educational programs who are not receiving Title IV, HEA funding.

The director in the financial aid office reviews the Title IV, HEA SAP policy to ensure it meets all federal requirements. The Director of Academic Affairs notifies the financial aid office if the school changes its academic policies.

Satisfactory Academic Progress: Criteria

In order to satisfy Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements, financial aid recipients must:

Earn a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.00 for all classes attempted. Grade symbols of A, B, C, or P earned during Fall, Spring and Summer semesters will be considered as acceptable for courses completed, and satisfactory academic progress consideration. If a student started at SFFS during a Mid semester, that will be included and considered in SAP as well.

Courses completed with an “F” will not be considered acceptable for Satisfactory Academic Progress. Courses completed with a MW (withdrawal for military service) are excluded from the determination.

There is a three step process for students that do not meet SAP requirements: warning, appeal, then either expulsion or probation.

Pace of Progression

Federal regulations require institutions to measure a student’s pace toward his/her educational objective to ensure completion within the maximum time length for his/her program. To progress at the required pace, the student must earn 70% of his/her attempted credits each semester.

For a student pursuing an Associate Degree or Certificate, the pace cannot be less than 70%.

70% of the cumulative units attempted for each pay period (Fall, Spring and Summer) must be completed with a passing grade. The total number of successfully completed units must be equal to or greater than the calculated total of attempted units multiplied by 0.70.

Generally, for students to meet graduation requirements within the stated time frame, the student should be registered for the following credits each semester:

Associates Degree:

Students that start SFFS in either the Fall, Spring or Summer semesters, students should take 12 credits each semester for Full Time Students.
Students that start SFFS in either the Mid-Fall, Mid-Spring, or Mid-Summer semesters, students should take 9 credits in the mid semester, then 12 credits in each full semester for Full Time Students.

Professional Certificate:

Students that start SFFS in either the Fall, Spring or Summer semesters, students should take 12 credits each semester for Full Time Students.

Students that start SFFS in either the Mid-Fall, Mid-Spring, or Mid-Summer semesters, students should take 9 credits in the mid semester, then 12 credits in each full semester for Full Time Students.

Maximum Time Length

Federal regulations require institutions to establish a maximum time period or unit total for a student to complete an educational objective (degree/certificate) if financial aid is received. Financial aid recipients will be considered to be making Satisfactory Academic Progress if they complete their educational objective in the time frame indicated below. The educational objective as indicated by the student’s choice of program of study will be used for this determination.

1. For an undergraduate program measured in credit hours, a period no longer than 150% of the published program length.

Associates Degree: maximum of 9 semesters for Full Time students
Professional Certificate: maximum of 6 semesters for Full Time students

2. For an undergraduate program measured in clock hours, a period no longer than 150% of the published program length, as measured by the cumulative number of clock hours the student is required to complete and expressed in calendar time.

San Francisco Film School does not currently offer any program that is over 2 years in length. The Associates Degree is 6 semesters. The Professional Certificate is for 4 semesters.

If a student is not progressing at the established PACE, a meeting will be set up to discuss what is prohibiting the student from completing their program. If the student can provide documentation that supports the need to take longer, then an Academic Plan will be created that the student must adhere to while enrolled at SFFS.

If the student cannot provide documentation as to why they need more time to finish or the student is not fulfilling SAP while at SFFS, the student may be subject to expulsion.

SAP Appeal Process: Academic

If, at the end of the second semester (Academic Warning semester), the student does not meet SAP requirements they will lose their Title IV, HEA financial aid eligibility and will be placed on Academic Development Status, with a loss of Title IV, HEA funding, with the right to appeal. If the appeal is granted, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Probation if the appeal is granted.

The student has five (5) days to institute an appeal. The appeal must be submitted to the Dean and Assistant Dean, who in turn will meet with the Registrar, the Financial Aid Director and the Accounts Director to make a decision on the appeal.

The student must describe any unusual circumstance(s) that the student believes deserve special consideration. The student must submit any supporting documentation needed for their appeal to be considered.

The basis on which a student may file an appeal:

Death of a relative,
Injury that prohibited the student from attending class,
Illness that prohibited the student from attending class.
Any other special circumstances that prohibited the student from attending class

The student must provide supporting documents and describe in writing any unusual circumstance(s) that the student believes deserve special consideration. The student must also submit information about what has changed and how they will now be able to achieve SAP going forward. The Dean will make the final decision as to whether an appeal is granted or not. If it is granted, the student will be placed on probation, please see Appeal Process: Financial Aid for specifics. If the appeal is denied, the student will be expelled from SFFS.

Once the Dean receives the appeal, they will evaluate the appeal and provide a decision within ten (10) business days. The Assistant Dean will notify the student in writing of the decision and that decision is final. The decision will come from DocuSign.

SAP Warning: Financial Aid

A student on Financial Aid Warning may continue to receive assistance under the Title IV, HEA programs for one payment period only. At the end of the payment period if the student has met the minimum grade and attendance requirement the student is considered to be meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress.

The school evaluates Satisfactory Academic Progress at the end of each payment period and checks for the following:

1. Grade point average (GPA) and the student must maintain a minimum of a 2.0 GPA.

2. Attendance

3. Clock hours, the student must meet half the weeks of instruction for that program’s payment period to be eligible for the next payment.

4. Weeks of Instruction, the student must meet half the weeks of instruction for that program’s payment period to be eligible for the next payment.

If a student falls below a 2.0 GPA, or if the student is not completing the required amount of clock hours to keep Pace with the requirements for graduation within the 150% time frame, will result in the student being placed on Financial Aid Warning for one payment period. A student who is put on a Financial Aid Warning can continue to receive Title IV, HEA funding for the next payment period after they receive the warning status.

If a student is making SAP at the end of the Financial Aid Warning, they shall be returned to normal SAP status with no loss of Title IV eligibility.

SAP Appeal Process: Financial Aid

If the student is not meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress at the end of the Financial Aid Warning Period, the student will be placed on Academic Development Status, with a loss of Title IV, HEA funding and will be required to meet specific criteria of an improvement plan to assist them in regaining SAP and Title IV, HEA eligibility. During this period the students will not be eligible to receive Title IV, HEA funds but he/she may continue on a cash pay basis with an approved payment plan. Arrangements for payment must be approved within 10 school days of notification of development status.

Financial Aid Probation

If Financial Aid Probation Status is granted, the student will regain Title IV, HEA eligibility for the next eligible payment period only. The student must be making SAP at the end of the payment period to regain Title IV, HEA funding for the next payment period.

When a student is placed on Financial Aid Probation status, he or she will be required to do the following:

1. Agree to a written academic plan that specifies how the student will regain SAP. The plan may include but is not limited to mandatory tutoring, scheduled advising sessions, extra course assignments, repeating a course for which the student received a failing grade, and/or repeating a course from which the student withdrew.

2. Sign the academic plan (a copy will be kept in the student’s file).

A student on Financial Aid Probation because of a successful appeal is eligible for Title IV, HEA funds for ONE payment period only.

Students who regain SAP at the end of the next payment period will have regained full eligibility for Title IV, HEA funding.

The student on financial aid warning, probation or Title IV, HEA funding suspension for a payment period may not receive Title IV, HEA funding for the subsequent period unless the student makes SAP

Reinstatement of Title IV, HEA Aid

Reinstatement of aid is limited to the period under evaluation. Students making SAP by the conclusion of the Warning or Probation period will be removed from the warning/probation status and will regain eligibility for Title IV, HEA funding.

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