Spring 2011 issue of Horizons

Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4): Programs Offered “In Module” The rules also change the treatment of modular programs for all types of program formats. Essentially, the new rules state that “a program is ‘offered in module’ if a course or courses in the program do not span the entire length of the payment period or period of enrollment.” Under previous policies, students who complete a module within a term, but do not complete any other coursework, were not considered to have withdrawn. Under the revised rules, students enrolled in modular programs are deemed to be withdrawn as follows: • For a student enrolled in a compressed, credit hour program: The student does not complete all the days in the payment period or period of enrollment the student was scheduled to complete. • For a student enrolled in a clock-hour program: The student does not complete all of the clock hours and weeks of instructional time in the payment period or period of enrollment that the student was scheduled to complete. • For a student enrolled in a nonstandard term or non-term program: The student is not scheduled to begin another course within a payment period or period of enrollment for more than 45 calendar days after the end of the module the student ceased attending, unless the student is on an approved leave of absence. Institutions that utilize module-based programs are strongly encouraged to review the content in 34 CFR 668.22, which contains rules related to documentation requirements for withdrawn students and additional guidelines related to institutions participating in nonstandard, non-term programs.

A student’s pace through the program must be measured to determine whether it is mathematically possible for a student to graduate by the end of the program’s timeframe. • The institution should maintain specific appeal requirements in addition to specific appeal approval conditions consistent with code section 34 CFR 668.34. – In addition to these requirements, the department also specifies the circumstances Institutional policies related to maintaining a proper SAP policy should be formulated by the institution’s department charged with managing academic affairs in conjunction with input from the department charged with managing Student Financial Aid Programs. These policy revisions, along with the period of time until their effective date (July 1, 2011), would serve as an opportunity to revisit your institution’s systems to allow for automated reporting of critical SAP information between the registrar function and the office charged with managing student financial aid programs. warranting financial aid warnings versus financial aid probations, along with the provisions for assigning either status to applicable students.

Retaking Coursework The Department of Education added rules that allow for repeated courses to count toward a student’s enrollment status for a term-based program.

However, an institution may only pay a student one time for retaking coursework previously passed (usually in the instance of retaking coursework in an effort to meet minimum grade standards).

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