Clarkson College Student Financial Services professionals (including anyone working in the offices of Financial Aid, Student Accounts or Fiscal Services) is expected to always maintain exemplary standards of professional conduct in all aspects of carrying out his or her responsibilities, specifically including all dealings with any entities involved in any manner in Student Financial Services, regardless of whether such entities are involved in government sponsored, subsidized or regulated activity. In doing so, Student Financial Services professionals shall:
 

• Refrain from taking any action for his or her personal benefit.
   
• Refrain from taking any action he or she believes is contrary to law, regulation, or the best interests of the students and parents he or she serves.
   
• Ensure that the information he or she provides is accurate, unbiased and does not reflect any preference arising from actual or potential personal gain.
   
• Be objective in making decisions and advising his or her institution regarding relationships with any entity involved in any aspect of student financial aid.
   
• Refrain from soliciting or accepting anything other than nominal value from any entity (other than an institution of higher education or governmental entity such as the U.S. Department of Education) involved in the making, holding, consolidating or processing of any student loans, including anything of value (including reimbursement of expenses) for serving on an advisory body or as part of a training activity of or sponsored by any such entity.
   
• Disclose to Clarkson College, in such manner as the College may prescribe, any involvement with or interest in any entity involved in any aspect of student financial aid.

When a student withdraws from all Clarkson College courses, the student may be required to return/repay a certain percentage of federal financial aid that has been or could have been disbursed. The amount of repayment required is based on formulas mandated by the U.S. Federal Government. Federal funds that may have to be returned, in order of their required return are Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan, Federal PLUS Loan, Federal Pell Grant and Federal SEOG Grant.

Federal regulations require that students attending an educational institution maintains satisfactory academic progress in the degree program he or she is pursuing in order to receive federal financial assistance. The purpose of these regulations is to ensure that limited federal financial assistance is disbursed only to those students sincere about pursuing and obtaining their educational objectives.

In order to comply with these federal regulations, Clarkson College has established certain standards of satisfactory academic progress. All continuing and former students who apply for financial aid must meet the academic standards listed below before federal assistance is certified and disbursed to the student.

The progress for each student will be verified with official Clarkson College enrollment records at the completion of each semester. To meet satisfactory academic progress, students must comply with the following three requirements, showing progression toward graduation:

Undergraduate Qualitative Standard

• An undergraduate student must maintain a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.

Undergraduate Pace Standards

• An undergraduate student must successfully complete at least 66 percent of total credit hours attempted. Grades of D, F, Incomplete (I), Withdrawal (W, WF, WP) and No Pass (NP) are not considered successful. A student's transfer hours will count toward the student's program as both hours attempted and hours successfully completed.
• A student pursuing an undergraduate degree at Clarkson College may not receive financial assistance when the student has attempted more than 150 percent of the required number of credit hours to complete the degree. The total number of credit hours includes courses taken at other institutions, which are applied to Clarkson College degree requirements. For example, if the undergraduate degree requires 130 credit hours for completion, the student may receive financial aid for up to 195 credit hours (150 percent of the credit hours required).

Graduate Qualitative Standard

• A graduate student must maintain a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

Graduate Pace Standards

• A graduate student must successfully complete at least 80 percent of the total semester hours attempted. Grades D, F, Incomplete (I), Withdraw (W, WF, WP) and No Pass (NP) are not considered successful. A student's transfer hours will count toward the student's program as both hours attempted and hours successfully completed.
• A student pursuing a graduate degree at Clarkson College may not receive financial assistance when the student has attempted more than 150 percent of the required number of credit hours to complete the degree. The total number of credit hours includes courses taken at other institutions, which are applied to Clarkson College degree requirements. For example, if the graduate degree requires 40 credit hours for completion, the student may receive financial aid for up to 60 credit hours (150 percent of the credit hours required).

Warning, Suspension, Appeal & Reinstatement of Financial Aid Eligibility

Satisfactory Academic Progress Warning: A student who fails to meet one or more of the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards will be placed on financial aid warning for one academic term (semester/quarter/term). This means that the student may receive financial assistance during the warning period. The student’s academic progress will be verified at the end of the warning period.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Suspension (Loss of Financial Aid Eligibility): If the student fails to meet the SAP standards at the end of the warning period, the student will be placed on financial aid suspension. This means the student is ineligible to receive funding from federal and non-federal financial aid programs at Clarkson College.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Suspension Appeal: A student whose financial aid eligibility has been suspended may submit a written appeal to his or her Financial Aid counselor. The appeal must be typed or written clearly, must provide a full explanation why SAP standards were not met and how the student will ensure the standards will be met in the future if his or her eligibility for financial assistance is reinstated. The appeal must explain any special or extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control that may have prevented all standards from being met. The student must sign and date the appeal. Supporting documentation from a physician, counselor, academic advisor or faculty member may be included with the written appeal but is not required.

The Financial Aid counselor will present the student’s appeal for reinstatement of financial assistance to the Financial Aid Committee for review. The student will be notified by mail whether or not the appeal has been approved.

An appeal denied by the Financial Aid Committee may, at the student’s request, be forwarded to the Director of Student Financial Services for further review. The Director’s decision will be final.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Probation: A student whose SAP appeal is approved will be placed on SAP probation for one semester. This means the student may receive financial assistance during the probationary period and may continue to receive financial assistance as long as SAP standards are maintained. A probationary status may require the student to enter into an academic plan that, when followed, will ensure the student will meet SAP standards by a specific time.

A student who fails to meet SAP standards by the end of the probationary period will no longer be eligible to receive funding from federal and non-federal financial aid programs at Clarkson College, and the student is no longer eligible to file an appeal.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Reinstatement: A student who has failed to maintain SAP standards may reinstate his or her financial aid eligibility by successfully completing sufficient semester hours and/or attaining the required cumulative grade point average. A student remains ineligible for financial assistance until the semester following his or her attainment of the SAP standards.

When a student has attempted 150 percent of the required number of credit hours to complete the degree, the student is ineligible for federal and non-federal financial aid from Clarkson College. There is no appeal or reinstatement process for this SAP requirement.

The primary goal of Student Financial Services professionals is to assist students in achieving their educational potential by providing appropriate financial resources. To this end, this Statement provides that Student Financial Services professionals shall:

• Be committed to removing financial barriers for those who wish to pursue postsecondary learning at Clarkson College.
• Make every effort to assist students with financial need.
• Be aware of the issues affecting students and advocate their interests at the institutional, state and federal levels.
• Support efforts to encourage students to aspire to and plan for education beyond high school.
• Educate students and families through quality consumer information and student financial literacy counseling.
• Ensure equity by applying all need analysis formulas consistently across the full population of student financial aid applicants at Clarkson College.
• Provide services that do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age or economic status.
• Recognize the need for professional development and continuing education opportunities.
• Promote the free expression of ideas and opinions and foster respect for diverse viewpoints within the profession.
• Commit to the highest level of ethical behavior and refrain from conflict of interest or the perception thereof.
• Maintain the highest level of professionalism, reflecting a commitment to the mission and values established by Clarkson College and the profession of student financial services.