Revision Responsibility: Registrar

Responsible Executive Office: Faculty Chair

Policy:

In accordance with Federal Guidelines 668.16 (e) and 668.34, satisfactory academic progress (SAP) is defined as progression through the academic program within a prescribed time frame while maintaining a sufficient grade point average to demonstrate growth in knowledge and skills.  Lack of satisfactory progress may jeopardize the student’s ability to complete their program of study.  Platt College expects students to progress through the program based on satisfactory academic progression standards.  The School of Nursing at Platt College individually determines the criteria requirement for SAP.  All students will be considered to be in a state of satisfactory progress at the time of initial enrollment.

Federal regulations require that a student receiving financial assistance from a state or federal aid program must make SAP as determined by the institution from which such aid is received.  Platt College’s standards for determining SAP are the same for all students enrolled in the same educational program, regardless of financial aid recipiency. Platt College students, regardless if they are receiving financial assistance, will have their satisfactory academic progress measured. Consistent application of standards exists to all students regardless of category (i.e., full time, part time, receiving financial aid, not receiving financial aid) and educational program. 

Step-by-Step Discipline (Warning/Probation/Temporary Suspension/Termination)

• Step One: The student is placed on academic warning the subsequent quarter after a student fails to meet satisfactory academic progress; time period is one quarter.
• Step Two: The student is placed on academic probation the subsequent quarter after a student fails to meet satisfactory academic progress and is already on academic warning for one quarter; time period is one quarter.  Financial aid is not available for students during academic probation, unless a financial aid appeal has been granted and the student is eligible to receive financial aid.  For more information regarding financial aid appeals, see Policy 03:23:00 Appeal for SAP for Loss of Financial Aid Eligibility. 
• Step Three: The student is placed on temporary suspension the subsequent quarter after a student fails to meet satisfactory academic progress and is already placed on academic warning for one quarter and academic probation for one quarter; time period is one quarter. After the student has been temporarily suspended for one quarter, he/she is eligible to return to Platt College. If a student continues to not meet satisfactory academic progress upon return, they will return to step two. Financial aid is not available for students during academic probation, unless a financial aid appeal has been granted and the student is eligible to receive financial aid.  For more information regarding financial aid appeals, see Policy 03:23:00 Appeal for SAP for Loss of Financial Aid Eligibility. 
• Step Four: Termination is issued when a student is placed on temporary suspension and fails to return to the College after the temporary suspension time period elapses. After a student is terminated from the College, the student must reapply for entry.

If a student takes a leave of absence (LOA) during steps one through four of the step-by-step discipline process, they will return in the same status upon return from the LOA.

Example of Step-By-Step Discipline

Academic Warning

A student failed to meet satisfactory academic progress during the Winter 201X quarter.  The student is therefore placed on academic warning for the Spring 201X quarter.

Academic Probation

While on academic warning during the Spring 201X quarter, the student fails to meet satisfactory academic progress again in his/her Spring 201X classes.  The student is therefore placed on academic probation for the Summer 201X quarter.

Temporary Suspension

While on academic probation during the Summer 201X quarter, the student fails to meet satisfactory academic progress again in his/her Summer 201X classes.  The student is therefore placed on temporary suspension for the Fall 201X quarter. 

Termination

The student failed to return from their temporary suspension.

Students’ academic progress, both the qualitative (grade-based) and quantitative (time-based and credit-based) SAP measures, are reviewed quarterly. Course repeats are included in a student's cumulative GPA, and count towards the pace of completion.

Notification: Student Progress and Progress Reports

Student progress is evaluated through daily assignments, hands-on assessments, quizzes, written examinations, and other methods as determined by the course faculty. Student progress is measured by the use of a 4.0 grade scale.

Students are entitled to a regular accounting of their academic status. Students may monitor their SAP on My Platt College. Students placed on academic warning, probation, or temporary suspension are informed in writing at the time the action is taken. Students are strongly encouraged to receive advising from the appropriate faculty member or administrator in an effort to improve their academic performance. Further, students are informed by the Financial Aid Office in writing how their financial assistance may be affected by not meeting satisfactory academic progress.

Maximum Time Frame

Students must complete their programs within a prescribed time frame. The maximum time frame is limited to 1.5 times the normal length of the program in duration or credit hours required to complete the program. Students who fail to complete their programs within the maximum time frame will be dismissed.  

The pace at which a student must progress through their education program to ensure they will complete the program within the maximum time frame is as follows:

Program

Months to Complete

Quarter Credit Hours to Complete

Maximum Time Frame Limit for Months to Complete

Maximum Time Frame Limit for Quarter Credit Hours to Complete

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

36

184.5

54

276.75

Temporary suspensions, breaks, and leaves of absence (LOAs) are not factored into maximum time frame calculations.

The Office of the Registrar at Platt College calculates the pace at which a student is progressing by dividing the total number of hours the student has successfully completed by the total number of hours he/she has attempted. The Office of the Registrar at Platt College calculates the pace by duration at which a student is progressing by counting the number of months less LOAs, less temporary suspension, less breaks. Financial aid is not available for eligible students on financial aid once maximum time frame has been exceeded, unless a financial aid appeal has been granted.  For more information regarding financial aid appeal, see Policy 03:23:00 Appeal for SAP for Loss of Financial Aid Eligibility. 

Platt College defines an academic year by 9 months.

Course incompletions, withdrawals, and repetition of courses can affect a student’s pace of completion.  Credit hours from another institution (transfer credits) that are accepted toward a student’s educational program count as both attempted and earned hours. 

Letter Grade

Rating Description

Quality Points Per Credit

Affect Term Earned Hours

Affect Cumulative Earned Hours

Affect Term GPA Hours

Affect Cumulative GPA Hours

Affect Term GPA

Affect Cumulative GPA

Affect Transcript Attempted Hours

Can Mark as Repeat

Act as Ungraded (No Quality Points)

*Letter grades of “D” or “F” in any nursing or cognate courses will constitute a course failure. **If a student is temporarily suspended from the program, regardless of the reason, s/he will receive a grade of  "W" in the courses s/he is currently enrolled regardless of week.

Leave of Absence (LOA)

A student may find it necessary to leave Platt College for a period of time and then return to normal studies at a later date. After consultation with the Associate Dean of Nursing and College Registrar, a student may be approved for inactive status, commonly known as a leave of absence (LOA). For more information regarding the College's Leave of Absence Policy, please visit Policy 03:16:00 Leave of Absence (LOA) Policy.

Termination before Completion

A student who wishes to withdraw from Platt College during their program should meet with the Registrar.  It is expected that students will complete a Request to Permanently Withdraw from Degree Program and a Student Exit Checklist. Students are also required to notify the Financial Aid Office when a change of status occurs (ex: change in name, address, phone number, attendance, tuition aid eligibility or any other item that may have an impact upon completion of the student’s education.)

Reestablishment of Eligibility Process

Nursing Students:

• A student must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75 (“C”).  Students’ academic progress will be reviewed quarterly. The student must achieve a cumulative 2.75 grade point average in order to attain Satisfactory Academic Progress and graduate with a Platt College degree.
• A student whose cumulative grade point average drops below 2.75 at the end of the quarter will be placed on academic warning, probation, or temporary suspension.  Students who are placed on academic warning, probation, or temporary suspension will be notified in writing by the Registrar.  After notification, the student must make an appointment with the Associate Dean, School of Nursing for advisement. 

Nursing Program Progression

The maximum number of enrollments in any one course in the program is two regardless of the reason for enrollment/re-enrollment (failure, withdraw, and LOA). 

If a student must take an LOA due to documented COVID-19, they will not have the LOA count towards the maximum number of enrollments in any one course. 

The maximum number of failures across the program curriculum is three regardless of the category of failure (Grade D in nursing or failure in any course). Failure of any four different courses at any point in the program will result in permanent termination from the College. 

This policy applies to foundational liberal arts, foundational sciences, and nursing curriculum courses. All students must pass courses according to their applicable grading scales within Policy 02:06:00 Uniform Grading.

Example:

• NSG 151-D
• COM 210- F
• NSG 385- D
• STAT 250- F (student now terminated)

*The courses listed in the table are examples, there may be other combinations that result in termination from the College in accordance with this policy.

If terminated as a result of this policy, a student may not apply for re-admission unless the individual meets terms as described in the Policy 02:23:00 Reinstatement After Withdrawal or Termination.

To initiate a review of any type of complaint regarding SAP, see Policy 02:16:00 Informal Complaint and Grievance Policy.

Financial aid appeals may be initiated using the Financial Aid Appeal Form and the steps listed in Policy 03:23:00 Appeal for SAP for Loss of Financial Aid Eligibility. 

Revised: January 4, 2011, December 1, 2012 to eliminate The School of Design, December 17, 2012 to include Military Leave of Absence, May 27, 2015 to include Nursing Program Progression (that was once located in the Pass to Progress Policy). Revision includes: A student may only enroll in any one course a maximum of two times instead of three, June 24, 2016 to reflect progress in ATI Standardized Assessments proficiency level 2 within nursing courses, to reflect WF and F to count the same, both as failures across the curriculum. Revised: May 18, 2018 to reflect updated step-by-step discipline to reflect changes to match federal policy, LOA policy revision to match federal guidelines, May 10, 2019 (for a September 16, 2019 implementation date) to reflect removal of "I", "WA", "WP", "WF", "EC", and "AU" and the addition of "W" only if the student withdrawals from the course on or before Sunday 11:59 MST during the 8th week of the quarter and a grade of "W" for temporary suspension regardless of week.