The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) requires institutions of higher education to establish and follow a Code of Conduct with respect to student loans that prohibits conflicts of interest for any financial aid professional [HEOA § 487(a)(25)]. In accordance with this requirement, the Office of Student Financial Services at Evangel University has issued the following conflict of interest policy and code of conduct.
Any Evangel University officer, employee, or agent who has responsibilities with respect to student educational loans is required to comply with this code of conduct as outlined below.
Financial aid professionals should not:
Financial aid professionals should:
Students must complete a minimum number of hours per term based on attempted semester hours.
Traditional undergraduate and professional studies students at Evangel must be enrolled in 6 credits per semester to be considered half-time. This includes the summer semester. Traditional undergraduate and professional studies students must be enrolled in 12 credits to be considered full-time.
Evangel graduate students must be enrolled in either 3 or 4 credits per semester to be considered half-time. See the chart below to see the half-time status for each particular graduate program.
Graduate Enrollment Status Chart |
|
| Psychology | |
| Full–time | 9+ |
| Half–time | 4 to 8 |
| Less P/T | 3 or less |
| School Counseling | |
| Full–time | 9+ |
| Half–time | 4 to 8 |
| Less P/T | 3 or less |
| Education | |
| Full–time | 8+ |
| Half–time | 4 to 7 |
| Less P/T | 3 or less |
| Education – Step Up Program | |
| Less P/T | 3 or less |
| Education – Seminar | |
| Less P/T | 3 or less |
| Organizational Leadership | |
| Full–time | 6+ |
| Half–time | 3 to 5 |
| Less P/T | 2 or less |
A dual-enrolled student seeking financial aid to cover costs at both schools must file a consortium agreement and be registered for all classes prior to the end of the 100% drop/add period at Evangel University. Students can only receive aid from the school where the degree will be received. Financial aid eligibility will take into account all hours in which a student enrolls at each institution that apply toward the student’s degree program.
According to University policy, students are required to complete a FAFSA each year in order to receive institutional aid.
Possible causes for financial aid termination:
Before aid eligibility can be re-established, students must meet the qualitative and quantitative requirements as set forth by the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy. This may require the student to attend another college or university to raise their GPA and meet the necessary hours for progression. Students who are not suspended by the University may continue without any financial assistance.
Appeal Procedure: If academic deficiencies were the result of unusual and extenuating circumstances, students may explain those circumstances to the Financial Aid Appeal Committee. Appeals must reach our office no later than two weeks prior to the beginning of an academic year. Appeals for prior semesters are not considered. Students will receive written notification of the committee’s decision. If the appeal is denied, students may request a personal hearing with the committee. The decision of the Financial Aid Appeal Committee is final.
In order to maintain aid eligibility, students must complete their degree objectives within the following credit hour maximum:
*Students become ineligible for federal aid when the Student Financial Services office determines that they cannot earn the Bachelor’s degree before reaching 186 hours or with full-time attendance within six years.
Students that are not degree seeking and are admitted as “Special Students” are not eligible for financial aid.
Undergraduate Students
Graduate and Adult Studies Students
Evangel University is required by law to establish satisfactory academic progress standards to gauge the progress of students receiving financial assistance through federal, state or institutional aid programs by applying both qualitative and quantitative measurements to academic work. [34 CFR 668.16(e)] These measurements shall be used to determine a student’s eligibility for all federal Title IV aid and for other need-based financial assistance, unless the terms of a particular grant or funding source states otherwise. Degree seeking students in all undergraduate and graduate programs are covered under this policy.
General Undergraduate Guidelines
The academic policy at Evangel University is designed to enable students to achieve graduation requirements. Graduation requirements include a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 at the time of program completion. Satisfactory academic progress (SAP) is, therefore, measured by qualitative and quantitative standards to promote this outcome. All students must meet the requirements of both quantitative and qualitative satisfactory academic progress listed below to receive federal aid.
Quantitative Satisfactory Academic Progress – Students must complete 67% of the number of credit hours for which they have enrolled to remain eligible for federal financial aid. To establish a quantitative measure, a time frame is set for students to finish a program of study.
Qualitative Satisfactory Academic Progress – Students who drop below the following minimum cumulative GPA will be placed on Financial Aid Warning. The student’s cumulative GPA includes credits for courses accepted by Evangel University from other institutions that count toward the student’s degree.
Maximum Time Frame – Regulations require the maximum time frame to not exceed 150% of the published length of the program, measured in the required academic credit hours. For example, the length of most undergraduate academic programs is 124 credit hours required for degree completion and may not exceed 186 attempted credit hours (150% of 124 credit hours = 186 maximum attempted hours).
| Number of Credits Attempted | Minimum Cumulative GPA |
| 1-29.5 | 1.50 |
| 30-44.5 | 1.70 |
| 45-59.5 | 1.90 |
| 60+ | 2.0 |
General Graduate Guidelines
Students whose cumulative GPA drops below 3.0 while they are in the graduate program, or who fail to meet standards established by their program in other facets of the curriculum, or who receive three C grades in their coursework, will be SAP. Additionally, the quantitative measure of SAP will be evaluated with the same standard as undergraduate students.
Definitions
Attempted Hours- Any course for which the student receives any of the following grades A-F (including plus/minus), P/F, I, W, WP, WF
Hours Not Counted as Attempted- Audited courses
Successfully Completed Hours- All course for which the student receives a passing grade: A-F (including plus/minus), P
Unsuccessfully Completed Hours- All courses for which the student receives any of the following grades: F, I, W, WP, WF
Evaluation Period –A student’s academic progress will be evaluated at the end of each payment period. Payment periods for traditional UG students are typically fall and spring terms. Summer is only included if the student is taking summer course. Graduate and Professional Studies students will have SAP evaluated 3 times per year (Fall, Spring, and Summer) because they 3 payment periods per year built into their programs.
Financial Aid Warning – A student who does not fulfill the conditions of satisfactory academic progress is automatically placed on financial aid warning status and notified through their student email by Student Financial Services of his/her status. The warning period is for the following payment period. Students may continue to enroll in classes and receive aid during the warning payment period. Failure to regain eligibility within the warning period will result in the student being placed on financial aid suspension.
Financial Aid Suspension – If a student has been on warning status for one payment period and has not regained satisfactory eligibility, they will be placed on suspension. Financial aid suspension will result in the loss of all federal and institutional aid.
Financial Aid Probation- A student that successfully appeals a financial aid suspension will be placed on financial aid probation and will have their aid eligibility reinstated for the following payment period. If a student cannot meet SAP standards during the probation period, the school and the student may establish an academic plan. The goal of the academic plan will require the student to be removed from probation after two payment periods.
Re-establishing Academic Progress – A student is removed from financial aid warning, suspension, or probation when the student makes up the appropriate grade point and/or credit deficiency during the payment period. This may require the student to attend another college or university to bring up the GPA and meet the necessary hours for progression. If a student who is on suspension successfully completes a term without receiving financial aid and meets the satisfactory academic progress requirements, the student will regain financial aid eligibility for the following term.
Repeated Classes – Classes in which the student received a grade of “F” may be repeated in order to earn a higher grade. For a class to count as a repeated course, the class must be taken both times at Evangel. In all cases, the grade earned the last time a student takes the course replaces the earlier grade. The record of the previous grade remains on the transcript, but it does not affect the grade point average.
Withdrawn Classes – Students may withdraw from a class and receive a W with no GPA penalty through the end of week 9 each semester. During weeks 10 through 14, withdrawal requires either WP (Withdraw Passing, no GPA penalty) or WF (Withdraw Failing, counted as an F for grade calculation). No withdrawals are accepted during the final examination week.
Incomplete Classes – An incomplete grade is a temporary grade, assigned at the end of a semester, to permit students additional time to complete work in the course when one or more required assignments are not completed because of illness, accident, death in family, or other satisfactory reason. Incomplete grades do not earn credit or influence the grade point in the semester in which the course is incomplete, however, the course grades are counted once concluded. Incompletes must be completed by the end of the following semester. A student on warning or suspension status may regain eligibility when a grade is posted for the incomplete grade.
Audited Classes – Audited classes receive no credit and do not influence grade point average. They are not counted in credits attempted and are not eligible for financial aid.
Remedial Classes – Remedial classes will be included in the total number of credits for the semester when determining financial aid eligibility.
Pass/Fail Classes – Pass/Fail classes are not calculated in the cumulative GPA but are included in credits attempted.
Transfer Students – Transfer students are accepted from regionally accredited colleges and universities on the basis of transcripts and satisfactory student records. Credits may be granted for most standard university courses with grades of C- or higher. Only transferred courses accepted by the courses’ grades (GPA) and completion (y/n) will be used in SAP calculations. Transfer students who are admitted and do not meet our quantitative and/or qualitative standard will be notified that they are on warning for their first semester.
Change of Major – Changing majors may or may not result in the student meeting qualitative or quantitative measures. Any change of major should be carefully considered and students are encouraged to consult their academic advisor when contemplating a change of major. If the major change is being considered to allow more financial aid funding, the student should check with Student Financial Services before making the change to ensure that the change will result in their regaining or retaining eligibility.
Appeals Procedures – Students who have been placed on suspension from financial aid due to their failure to comply with the academic progress policy have the right to appeal, if suspension is a result of unusual circumstances, such as illness, death in the family, accidents, or other satisfactory reasons. [34 CFR 668.16(e)(5)(6)] Appeals must be submitted as a signed letter to the Financial Aid Appeal Committee to explain and document the circumstances. The letter must contain information regarding why the student failed to make satisfactory academic progress, and what has changed in the student’s situation that will allow the student to demonstrate satisfactory academic progress at the next evaluation. Appeals must be received no later than two weeks prior to the beginning of the term in which aid is suspended. Students will receive written notification of the committee’s decision. If the appeal is denied, students may request a personal hearing with the committee. A successful appeal will result in the student being placed on financial aid probation. The student may appeal each suspension one time and the decision of the Financial Aid Appeal Committee is final. The appeal form and directions can be found on the Evangel website at http://wp.evangel.edu/financial/more-information/policies/.
Procedures Students that have successfully appealed their suspension, but will not be able to Student Financial Services will monitor the student’s progress as required by the academic plan. The monitoring will occur, at minimum, at the end of each term.
Amendments to the Policy – This policy will be amended whenever applicable federal or state laws or regulations change.
Students desiring to study abroad must first complete all necessary paperwork through the office of Records and Registration. Financial aid may be pursued once administrative approval is granted and all required documentation is provided to the Student Financial Services office.
A student who wishes to withdraw from the University must contact the office of the Vice President for Student Development to make written application for withdrawal. This is an official withdrawal. Failing to attend classes does not automatically withdraw a student from school. However, if the Student Financial Services office receives notice from another department on campus (such as instructors or a resident director) that a student has ceased attendance and/or has moved out of campus housing, the student’s financial record will be reviewed as an unofficial withdrawal. Evangel does not have a “leave of absence” policy.
Evangel takes on certain financial obligations based on student enrollment as determined at the beginning of each new school year. A student who wishes to withdraw may also assume certain financial obligations. All schools who disburse federal aid are required to implement the Return of Title IV Funds federal refund policy, which can result in significant cost to a withdrawing student. Therefore, withdrawal from school should be considered carefully. The Return of Title IV Funds calculation relates to students receiving federal financial aid. A copy of the Return of Title IV Funds worksheet is available in the Student Financial Services office.
A prorated schedule is used up through the 60% point in each payment period to determine the amount of Title IV funds the student has earned at the time of withdrawal. This is calculated by a percentage based on the number of days completed, divided by the number of days in the payment period. If there is a break during the payment period of five days or more (including week-ends), those days are deducted from the total number of days in the term (i.e. Thanksgiving and spring breaks).
For students receiving federal financial aid, but the student never begins attending classes, we are required by federal regulations to return the disbursed funds to the respective programs. If the student begins attending some but not all of his or her classes, we are required to recalculate the student’s Pell or Iraq Afghanistan Service Grant award based on the student’s actual enrollment status. [CFR 668.21 & 685.303]
After the 60% point in the payment period, a student has earned 100% of the Title IV funds he or she was scheduled to receive during the period and the school will not be required to return any federal funds received for that period. However, a school must still determine whether the student is eligible for a post-withdrawal disbursement. Therefore, if a student was eligible for federal funding, the calculation will still be completed regardless of the date of withdrawal to determine eligibility for post-withdrawal disbursement.
If the student is responsible for a portion of the Title IV funding that must return, the student will be notified of their responsibility by the Student Financial Services office. Regulations state that a student does not have to repay a grant overpayment of $50 or less for grant overpayments resulting from the student’s withdrawal.
The student’s withdrawal date is determined by one of the following criteria:
Official Withdrawal
Unofficial or Administrative Withdrawal
Withdrawal After Rescission of Official Notification
The date of the Institution’s Determination that the student has withdrawn is determined by the following criteria:
Official Withdrawal
Unofficial Withdrawal
Administrative Withdrawal
Withdrawal After Rescission of Official Notification
Students who withdraw from Evangel may receive a partial refund of tuition and room and board as follows:
Fall and Spring
Summer
Room and board is pro-rated according to the day the student leaves the residence hall.
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