Satisfactory Academy Progress | Cranbrook Academy of Art

Satisfactory Academy Progress for Title IV Financial Aid

To maintain eligibility for Title IV federal financial aid (specifically for Cranbrook Academy of Art: Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans; Federal Direct Graduate PLUS loans; Federal Work-study), students must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements. It is important to understand that students may be allowed to continue their academic studies but not be eligible to receive federal aid if they fail to maintain financial aid SAP.

Students may not receive federal financial aid for any coursework attempted at the Academy after completing the necessary coursework required for their degree. Financial aid is not available for students who choose to pursue a second degree within the same program from the Academy.

All students at Cranbrook Academy of Art are enrolled in 15 credits in their major each semester; enrollment below 15 credits is not allowed. Students are expected to achieve 15 credits per semester, and 60 credits are required for graduation.

SAP is assessed at the end of every semester. All three measures of SAP (Qualitative Standard; Maximum Timeframe for Completion; Quantitative Standard) are measured, and failure to meet any of the three measures results in loss of financial aid. SAP standards are the same for all students within both programs of study (M.Arch and MFA). All periods of enrollment are included in the measurement of SAP. SAP assessment does not depend on whether a student is receiving Federal aid; terms in which the student enrolls but is not receiving federal financial aid are included in the measurement.

The three measures of SAP are as follows:

Qualitative Standard: Students are expected to receive a grade of Pass in their major each semester to meet SAP. The Academy’s program awards 15 credits or no credits in the major each semester; therefore, a passing grade for the student’s major each semester is the academic standard consistent with the graduation requirement. A passing grade in the student’s major, with 15 credits earned in the semester, is required to meet the Qualitative Standard.

Maximum Timeframe for Completion (MCE): The Maximum Timeframe for Completion of the degree is six semesters (90 credits attempted). Changes in major do not extend the Maximum Timeframe.

Quantitative Standard: Students must meet the quantitative standard of Pace of Progression in order to meet SAP. Pace of Progression is defined as follows:

Cumulative Hours Completed
Cumulative Hours Attempted

Sixty credits are required for degree completion, and a maximum of 90 credits (or 150% of the program’s required length) is allowed. Students must complete at least 67% of hours attempted to maintain SAP.

Loss of Eligibility for Financial Aid

Policy

SAP is evaluated at the end of each semester. Students who fail to meet the above requirements of SAP are placed on a warning status. While on warning, students are eligible to receive financial aid for one semester.

Students will be canceled following one semester of warning if the student fails to meet the minimum SAP requirements. Or if the student has attempted the maximum credits of eligibility allowed for their program of study.

Failure to meet Qualitative Standard (GPA): Students are expected to receive a grade of Pass in each semester to meet SAP requirements. Students who receive a grade of No Credit for a semester will be placed on warning for one semester. If the student fails to earn credit after one warning semester, they will be ineligible to receive aid in a future semester.
Failure to meet Maximum Timeframe for Completion (MCE): Students must complete their degree requirements within six semesters. Students who have not completed their degree requirements after attempting 90 credits lose their eligibility for financial aid.
Failure to meet Quantitative Standard (CR): Students must complete at least 67% of the cumulative credits attempted to meet SAP requirements. Students who have not completed at least 67% of cumulative credits attempted will be placed on warning for one semester. If the student fails to recover their completion rate after one warning semester, they will be ineligible to receive aid in a future semester.

Procedures

The Financial Aid Administrator will contact students placed on SAP Warning after the evaluated payment period to discuss SAP deficiencies.

Regaining Eligibility for Financial Aid:

Policy

Financial aid eligibility will be regained as outlined below, understanding that all three SAP standards must be met to be eligible for financial aid.

Students who lose financial aid for failing to meet the Qualitative Standard will regain eligibility for financial aid after receiving a grade of Pass in a subsequent semester; eligibility may also be regained through a successful SAP appeal.
Students who lose eligibility for aid because they have exceeded the Maximum Timeframe for Completion of 90 credits attempted can only regain eligibility through a successful SAP appeal.
Students who lose eligibility for aid because they have exceeded the Maximum Timeframe for Completion of 90 credits attempted can only regain eligibility through a successful SAP appeal.
Students who lose eligibility for financial aid for failure to meet the Quantitative Standard will regain eligibility for financial aid when they complete at least 67% of cumulative credits attempted; eligibility may also be regained through a successful SAP appeal.

A student not making SAP may re-establish eligibility on their own, either because an appeal was denied or because they did not submit an appeal. The Financial Aid Administrator will monitor the progress of any student who did not make SAP until they regain their eligibility. At that time, the Financial Aid Administrator will inform the student that they are eligible and provide an award notification.

Other than when an appeal is granted, students can regain eligibility only by taking action that brings them into compliance with the qualitative and quantitative components of the SAP. Neither paying for one’s classes without financial aid nor sitting out a semester affects a student’s SAP standing, so neither is sufficient to re-establish eligibility.

Students will be eligible to receive aid in the semester they regain eligibility. They may not receive retroactive aid for completed semesters in which they were not deemed to be meeting SAP.

Procedures

The Financial Aid Administrator will monitor SAP each semester and identify anyone who establishes SAP independently.

To reinstate the student’s Title IV aid: The Financial Aid Administrator will package the student’s aid. The administrator will inform the student that they have regained eligibility and provide the award notification by email.

Appeals

Policies

Cranbrook Academy of Art has an appeal process for students who fail to meet SAP. Students are informed of the right to appeal and the appeal process in the letter telling them they did not meet SAP. Determinations regarding any appeals are made in consultation with the Director of the Academy and the student’s Artist in Residence; the Financial Aid Administrator is charged with making the final determination.

Students have the right to appeal a determination that they are no longer eligible to receive financial aid due to failure to meet SAP requirements. The appeal must be initiated within 14 days of the date the student is informed of their loss of financial aid eligibility by the Financial Aid Office. This appeal must contain a detailed explanation of why the student failed to make satisfactory progress and what has changed in their situation that will allow them to make satisfactory progress during the subsequent term of enrollment. In addition, the student may be required to follow an academic plan developed by their Artist-in-Residence, who shall have the final determination regarding whether the plan has been adequately followed.

Appeals are reviewed based on a documentable extenuating circumstance impacting academic performance. Extenuating circumstances are past events that are no longer barriers to academic progress. The appeal application should support how the student is now able to be academically successful. Examples of extenuating circumstances to be considered for appeal: Serious illness or injury to the student or immediate family member (parent, spouse, sibling, child) that required extended recovery time; death of an immediate family member; significant trauma in the student’s life that impaired the student’s emotional or physical health; withdrawal due to military service; change of major; other unexpected circumstances beyond the control of the student.

Any relevant documentation about the circumstances leading to the failure to meet the standards for SAP must be submitted as part of the appeal. All three criteria of SAP must be met. If a student lost eligibility for financial aid based on failure to meet more than one standard of SAP, any appeal must address all standards not met. Such an appeal will be deemed successful only if all standards addressed in the appeal are determined to be successfully appealed.

Appeals are to be directed in writing. Students are not eligible to receive financial aid while an appeal is pending. Requests may be dropped off in the Academy Offices Attn: Financial Aid Manager / CAA / 39221 Woodward Avenue / PO Box 801 / Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303-0801 / Fax: (248) 645-3591 (or scan the request and email the written, signed request to jdelagarza@cranbrook.edu). All satisfactory academic progress appeal decisions are final; no further appeal is available.

Procedures

Students are informed of the right to appeal and the appeal process in the letter informing them that they did not meet SAP; this letter is provided via email to the student by the Financial Aid Administrator.

Determinations regarding any appeals are made in consultation with the Director of the Academy and the student’s Artist in Residence; the Financial Aid Administrator is charged with making the final determination. The Financial Aid Administrator will prepare a response to the appeal in writing. The Financial Aid Administrator will make any adjustments to the student’s record and financial aid award.

Documentation

Policies

Any relevant documentation about the circumstances leading to the failure to meet the standards for SAP must be submitted as part of the appeal. Some examples of acceptable documentation might include but are not limited to newspaper obituaries, death certificates, physician’s written statements, written statements from clergy, or another third party who knows the student’s situation. A written statement from the student’s Artist in Residence is also acceptable.

Procedures

Appeals and relevant documentation are submitted to the Financial Aid Administrator and retained in the student’s financial aid file. If an appeal is received without proper documentation, the Financial Aid Administrator will work with the student to assist them in obtaining adequate documentation for their situation, if available. All appeal determinations will be documented in writing by the Financial Aid Administrator and retained in the student’s financial aid file.

Successful SAP Appeal

Students who successfully appeal the determination that they have lost eligibility for financial aid due to failure to meet SAP requirements will be placed on an Academic Plan and will be allowed to receive financial aid for the semester in which the appeal is approved.

Repeated Course Work

Effect of Repeated Courses on SAP: The Academy does not allow course repeats. Exception: 1-credit elective courses may be repeated if the student complies with all other SAP standards. Financial aid is not used to pay for elective courses. These are free of charge and available only to students enrolled in 15 credits in a major. Elective courses are capped at one elective per semester. They do not make the difference between a student being full-time or not and on a mathematical basis, have no measurable effect on the pace of completion.

Treatment of Withdrawals

Effect of Withdrawal from a semester on SAP: Withdrawing from coursework directly related to the student’s major results in withdrawal from the Academy; no credit is earned for the semester. Students who withdraw from the Academy on or after the first day of class will be graded as Withdrew (WD). There is no distinction between Withdrew/Passing and Withdrew/Failing; all students who withdraw are graded WD. The credits from which the student withdraws will be counted toward the Maximum Timeframe to Completion and the Quantitative Standard. Note: Withdrawal from a 1-credit elective course does not necessarily result in loss of financial aid eligibility if the student remains in compliance with all other requirements of SAP.

Treatment of Incomplete Grades

Policies

A grade of Incomplete is not a final grade; however, the student has failed to complete the course. SAP eligibility is evaluated at the end of every semester. A student may be placed on warning if they receive an incomplete grade. If the final grade is changed to No Credit, the student may lose financial aid eligibility for a future semester for failing to meet the Qualitative Standard of SAP; the student may also fail to meet either of the other two measures of SAP as a result.

Procedures

The Registrar will inform the Financial Aid Administrator of the grade change. SAP evaluation will be completed and reviewed so the student can be advised of the change before the end of the payment period.

Treatment of Transfer, Consortium, or Change of Major

Policies

Transfer credits: The Academy does not accept transfer credits.

Consortium credits: The Academy does not have consortium agreements.

Change of major: Students may, in rare circumstances, change their major, but neither federal nor institutional aid is provided for more than six semesters. If a change of major results in the student enrolling in more than four semesters to complete their degree, the student will not meet SAP in the fifth and sixth semesters and will be required to appeal the SAP determination to regain eligibility.

Completion of Degree Requirements

Policies

A student who has completed all required coursework for their degree cannot receive further financial aid, federal or institutional, for that program or any other major or degree program at Cranbrook Academy of Art.

Procedures

The Financial Aid Administrator will work with the Registrar. Once a student has met graduate requirements, the Register will notify the Financial Aid Administrator if a student wishes to enroll in additional classes beyond their degree requirements.

Notices

Policies

Cranbrook Academy of Art publishes its SAP policy on the school’s public website, intranet, and annual Student Handbook. The Financial Aid Administrator is responsible for making any necessary updates to the policy as they occur and for including the updates in the annual Student Handbook. The Financial Aid Administrator is responsible for monitoring for changes in federal regulations and adjusting the SAP policy in response to these changes, if necessary. If any changes in the academic program structure occur, the Financial Aid Administrator will work with the Director of the Academy to ensure that the SAP policy is updated as necessary.

Procedures

The Financial Aid Office ensures the SAP policy is readily available to currently enrolled students by providing each student with a Student Handbook, in person, on the first day of the academic year; a new Handbook is published and provided annually. The policy is also available on the intranet, a site to which all students have access. Prospective students are provided with information on the SAP policy through the publication of the policy on the school website. Need-based financial aid information on the website indicates that receiving financial aid is linked with the SAP policy. The policy can be viewed from a link within the need-based financial aid page on the Academy website.