In cooperation with the Deans of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies, the Dean of Academic Affairs coordinates the hiring of full-time and adjunct faculty in accordance with HR procedures, oversees faculty reappointment with promotion, and plans New Faculty Orientation. The Dean of Academic Affairs oversees the systematic application of the CCS assessment process, confirms compliance with applicable accreditation standards for all programs, and serves as ex officio on faculty-led committees. The Dean supervises the Director of Academic Research and the Director of Libraries.
Author: Nadine Ashton
Academic Deans
The Academic Deans, consisting of the Dean of Academic Affairs, Dean of Graduate Studies, and Dean of Undergraduate Studies, are responsible for the conduct, supervision, and development of all academic programs and initiatives, and for ensuring academic quality and compliance with accreditation guidelines and standards. The three Academic Deans work together to promote and encourage faculty professional development, interdisciplinary learning, integration of new technologies, and partnerships with varied outside organizations. The Deans enhance the College’s reputation by serving as representatives for the institution locally, nationally, and internationally and advocating for the value of art and design to society. The Dean of Graduate Studies serves as the College’s Chief Academic Officer (CAO). The CAO is the senior academic administrator at the institution and acts as the academic liaison between AICAD, MICU, NC-SARA, and CCS.
Vice President for Strategy and Communications
The Vice President of Strategy and Communications evaluates the College’s strategic positioning and advances initiatives and partnerships to ensure the College’s long-term adaptability and relevance in the face of changing social and economic conditions. In addition to supporting the development and implementation of CCS’s strategic plan, the Vice President supervises CCS’s external-facing offices, including Community Arts Partnership, Design Core Detroit, Marketing and Communications, and Office of Partnerships. Ultimately, the Vice President is responsible for stewarding and advancing CCS’s brand.
Independent Study
An Independent Study is available to students who are at junior or senior level standing with a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or above. The student may receive approval to work in an area or on a project that is not otherwise offered or addressed in the curriculum. Students may receive credit toward graduation for no more than 6 credit hours of independent study.
The student, working with the supervising faculty, must complete an Independent Study form for consideration by the Department Chair and Academic Affairs. The student may register for the course upon approval from all signatories.
The student must submit a minimum 150-word Independent Study Proposal, along with the Independent Study Approval Form, to the Chair of the department in which they wish to study stating the reason for the independent study and their plan for study, including topics to be covered and goals.
Once the Department Chair approves of the Independent Study, the instructor appointed to oversee the Independent Study must write an Independent Study syllabus with a detailed course description, learning outcomes, assignments, meeting dates (minimum of four), due dates, and grading criteria. The Independent Study Approval Form, with faculty and Chair signatures, must be submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs for final approval by the appropriate Dean.
The final approved form will be sent by Academic Affairs to the Academic Advising and Registration Office for registration of the Independent Study. Independent Study forms must be turned in no later than the final day to add a class of the semester in which the Independent Study is to be taken.
Digital Image Collections Using Luna Software
Growing inquiry concerning the development of additional CCS in-house digital image collections using Luna software has led the Library’s Visual Resources team to develop new policies in this regard. Starting in 2004, teaching and research has been our mission; however, we have recently added collections that are administrative and archival in nature with the Select Student Work Repository and Student Work Archive. Because the Visual Resources staff is small, the development of new stand-alone CCS focused collections must be a collaborative effort. This document provides an explanation for that process.
The Visual Resources policy of honoring student and faculty requests for the teaching and research collection, as well as the development of smaller topic-specific media groups as a subset, remains unchanged. In fact, it is our highest priority. As such, Visual Resources is unable to consider developing personal, as opposed to departmental, digital image collections. All collections must directly benefit the college. Slide and photo negatives are currently outside of our scope because of time and equipment constraints. The consideration of new digital image collections that are historical in nature will be referred to the Library Archivist or Library Director for review.
Visual Resources Commitment Statement
The CCS Library’s Visual Resources team recognizes the importance of managing digital material for the purpose of teaching, scholarship, review, and publication. There is a growing need to safeguard, organize, and enable easy, centralized access of digital material specific to a wide range of uses on campus, including academic and administrative departmental functions. For parties who approach Visual Resources for help establishing and building a collection, we commit to the following:
- Make the digital preservation process understandable: explain common terminology, identify standards and best practices, help create specification guidelines for collection building, and list resources that will further inform on the benefits of the digitization process
- Assist in identifying scope, purpose, function, and patron base for the digital collection discussed
- Recommend appropriate strategies that result in the best long-term solutions pertaining to the specific character of the digital collection under consideration including: recommending the most logical storage and retrieval system, choosing the right metadata scheme, etc.
- Depending on the amount of work hours required to manage the proposed digital collection, offer the use of the Luna software system and server, as well as function as Digital Asset Managers as described under “Roles and Responsibilities”
Roles and Responsibilities in Digital Collection Building
This section describes key stakeholders and their respective roles in the digital preservation and collection-building process in general terms. It is acknowledged that the stakeholders’ roles and responsibilities can overlap, depending on the project’s size and scope. However, if the digital collection development process is to go forward in partnership with Visual Resources, the following stakeholders listed below must be clearly identified and in agreement with said role. For image collections external to the library, the Visual Resources team will fulfill the role of Digital Asset Managers, with the partnering department(s) filling the roles of Content Specialist, Project Coordinator, and Metadata and Imaging Work Group; the role of Information Technology Administrator is already discharged by the Information Technology Department. Visual Resources shall provide initial guidance for external collections in the form of identifying appropriate strategies and supplying documentation for the technical specifications to guide the Content Specialist, Project Coordinator, and the Metadata and Imaging Work Group. Visual Resources must be informed of the identified partners:
Content Specialist(s) – determines the nature and extent of the collection, selects material for inclusion, defines purpose, function, scope and goals of proposed collection
Project Coordinator – meets with all parties involved to ensure that standards and best practices are followed, maintains a production schedule, coordinates communication, understands rights-based constraints and intellectual property rights pertaining to specific digital material being processed, collaborates with Digital Asset Manager(s) to design appropriate template and specifications for Work Group to follow
Metadata and Imaging Work Group – individuals responsible for creating metadata and making sure digital images meet specified standards for upload into the system
Digital Asset Manager(s) (established: Visual Resources) – creates template and header in Luna for collection, administrates settings and access levels for end users, uploads metadata and digital material, aids in the definition of standards for best practices, helps Project Coordinator educate and train all involved in metadata creation and image format requirements in order to meet designated collection outcomes, advises according to best practices on issues pertaining to intellectual property rights as they relate to the field of digitization at large
Information Technology Administrator (established: IT) – maintains server, monitors server space, offers technical advice as needed, ensures that campus network incorporates Luna software functions to its fullest capacity, initiates software upgrade process as revisions become available
Library Director (established) — monitors potential challenges in the partnership process, including the increasing volume of digital material to be maintained, Visual Resources staff limitations, the need to update Visual Resources staff expertise as technologies evolve, administrative complexities in ensuring cost-effective and timely action
College for Creative Studies Administration – commits to supporting an environment in which digital preservation is regarded as a critically necessary endeavor. This support includes providing adequate managerial and financial commitment to develop a digital preservation program
Introduction
After understanding the Visual Resources Policy for the Formation of New Digital Image Collections, interested CCS departments may proceed through the following steps. Please note that Visual Resources is unable to consider developing personal digital image collections that fall outside of the college’s overriding mission. The consideration of new digital image collections that are historical in nature will be referred to the Library Archivist or Library Director for review.
Process
- Meet with the Library Director and Visual Resources team in order to determine scope, purpose, function, and patron base of proposed image collection, recognizing that Luna software may not be the best option for storage, organization, and retrieval, at the time. Permission limitations and access levels will be discussed. See also the “Visual Resources Commitment Statement” in the Policy for the Formation of New Digital Image Collections.
- If the use of Luna software and an arrangement with Visual Resources is agreed upon, determine a desirable metadata scheme allowing for cataloging in Excel or Open Office, image specifications and formatting, naming conventions, and a clearly written guide that spells out expectations for your Metadata and Imaging Work Group. The Visual Resources team will steer you through the process and provide examples used by other digital collections.
- Identify the project participants: Content Specialist, Project Coordinator, and Metadata and Imaging Work Group members. Provide their names, and contact information, to the Visual Resources team. If the collection is small, it is acceptable for individuals to function in more than one role.
- Determine a timeline, deadlines, and meeting dates with the Visual Resources team. Material will not be uploaded into Luna unless agreed upon specifications are met.
References
University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries. Digital Preservation Policy,
https://www.library.umass.edu/dmsdocument/144-digital-preservation-policy
Dartmouth College Library, Digital Preservation Policy
https://www.dartmouth.edu/~library/digital/about/policies/preservation.html
Institute of Museum and Library Services, Nisco, A Framework of Guidance for Building Good Digital Collections, https://www.niso.org/publications/framework-guidance-building-good-digital-collections
Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress – Graduate Students
Graduate Students
The standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) measure a student’s academic progress using both qualitative and quantitative measurements. These measurements include a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) requirement, a Pace/Course Completion Rate requirement, and a Maximum Timeframe requirement.
Students who receive financial aid must demonstrate SAP as determined by the College for Creative Studies (CCS) in accordance with federal regulations. Financial aid recipients are required to be in good academic standing and to maintain satisfactory academic progress toward their degree requirements for each semester in which they are enrolled.
SAP is evaluated at the end of each term in which a student is enrolled (Fall, Winter, and Summer). Federal regulations require the College to evaluate students who receive federal financial aid using standards that are at least as strict as standards that apply to students who do not receive federal financial aid; CCS evaluates all students using the same standards. SAP is evaluated based on the student’s cumulative academic record.
REQUIREMENTS FOR MAINTAINING SAP
GRADE POINT AVERAGE
At the end of each semester, a student’s cumulative grade point average is calculated. He or she must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 to achieve SAP.
REQUIRED PACE/COURSE COMPLETION RATE
Required course completion rate also determines SAP. Students must complete their academic program within 150% of the published length of the program. To meet this requirement, students must successfully complete, with a grade of C or better, at least two-thirds (67%) of attempted cumulative credit hours. Examples are as follows:
| Credits Attempted | Must Complete |
|---|---|
| 6 | 4 |
| 15 | 10 |
| 30 | 20 |
MAXIMUM TIMEFRAME (MTF)
Federal regulations require that a student must complete his or her educational program within a MTF no longer than 150% of the published length of the educational program measured in credit hours attempted.
Example: Graduate Student
If a graduate student is enrolled in an academic program that requires 60 credit hours for graduation, he or she would be allowed a maximum of 90 (60 x 150%) attempted credits in order to obtain his/her degree.
TRANSFER CREDITS
Courses that are transferred from another institution and accepted toward an academic degree program at the College (at the time of SAP Review) count as attempted and completed hours for Pace/Course Completion Rate (CCR) and MTF. The GPA is determined only with courses taken in residence at the College.
GRADE CHANGES
Students who have a grade change or incomplete grade changed after SAP has already been process for any semester must notify Academic Advising and Registration of the change. At that time SAP will be recalculated to determine if the SAP status needs to be modified and the Office of Academic Advising and Registration will notify the Office of Financial Aid.
CHANGE OF MAJOR/DEGREE
If a student decides to change majors, all classes already taken will count in the maximum timeframe SAP evaluation. It is possible a change of major could impact your SAP standing.
GRADES
Successful completion of attempted courses is required for SAP. Therefore, grades of A through C are acceptable unless otherwise specified. Courses for which these grades are received will be used to establish your cumulative GPA and CCR.
Grades of D, F (failing), I (incomplete), W or WN (withdraw), WF (withdraw-unofficial) are not acceptable. Courses for which these grades are received will not be counted as successfully completed courses and will be valued at 0.00 grade points, thus also lowering your CCR and cumulative GPA.
NOTE: Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, students have the option to request that their grade(s) be changed to P/NC (Pass/No Credit) for the Winter 2020, Fall 2020, and Winter 2021 semesters. Please see the Pass/No Credit – Winter 2020 and Pass/No Credit – 2020 – 2021 Academic Year policies for more details.
DROPPING CLASSES (after the Add/Drop period)
Courses for which a student is enrolled at the conclusion of the Add/Drop period will be used to determine attempted courses for the CCR. Therefore, if it is necessary to adjust one’s class schedule, it is best to do so during the Add/Drop period of the semester. Courses that are dropped after conclusion of the Add/Drop period will show a recorded grade of W or WN. This will be counted as an unsuccessfully completed course valued at 0.00 grade points, thus lowering your completion rate and cumulative GPA.
COMPLETE WITHDRAWALS (OFFICIAL OR UNOFFICIAL)
Students who officially withdraw from the College or stop participating in their courses (unofficial withdrawal) after the Add/Drop period are considered to have no successfully completed courses for the semester. This will lower your CCR and cumulative GPA and can result in being placed on Academic Probation or being suspended from the College resulting in the loss of financial aid eligibility if you already had a low pace/course completion rate or GPA or there are consecutive withdrawals over a number of semesters. Unofficial withdrawals will be reviewed at mid-term and end of the semester. If a student has been determined to be unofficially withdrawn, the Office of Financial Aid (OFA) will reach out to all enrolled course professors to determine last date of attendance (LDA). If the OFA does not receive a response, mid-term date will be used to determine the withdrawal date.
REPEATED COURSES
When a successfully completed course is repeated, the previous enrollment is not counted as a successfully completed course; therefore, this will lower your CCR. Only the last grade received is counted in the cumulative GPA.
Per the Federal Student Aid Handbook, students may repeat a course as many times as necessary to receive a passing grade and receive federal funding for that course. The federal definition of a passing grade is anything above an F.
Once the student has taken the course and received a grade above failing (anything above an F), the student may repeat the course only one additional time to try to earn a higher grade and receive federal financial aid funds. Any subsequent repeats of that course cannot be covered by federal financial aid funds. CCS does have some required courses that require at least a C grade per College policy. The College policy does not affect federal eligibility, so the student may still only retake this course one after receiving a grade above an F and receive federal funding.
FAILURE TO MEET SAP
SAP is monitored at the end of each semester and if a student fails to meet the 3.0 cumulative GPA requirement or does not complete two-thirds (67%) of the cumulative credit hours attempted to date, he or she will be placed on SAP financial aid warning for a period of one semester. During the SAP financial aid warning semester, a student can receive financial aid. If the student fails to raise the GPA to 3.0 or the completion rate to two-thirds (67%) at the end of the financial aid warning semester, they will lose eligibility for financial aid.
NOTIFICATION OF UNSATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS
Students who do not meet SAP standards will be notified, by the Director of Financial Aid, in writing via email, which will be sent to their College for Creative Studies email.
SAP APPEAL PROCESS
Students may appeal their loss of financial aid eligibility by submitting an appeal letter to the Director of Financial Aid. Appeals should be based on circumstances beyond the student’s control such as, injury or illness, death of a relative, or other special circumstances. The appeal must explain the failure to make satisfactory progress and what has changed that will allow satisfactory progress in the future.
If the appeal is approved, the student will be placed on SAP financial aid probation and will be required to follow an Academic Success Plan. This status is limited to one semester (or time as specified by the Academic Success Plan), during which the student may receive financial aid. At the end of that semester, a student on SAP financial aid probation will have his/her academic progress reviewed and must be meeting the SAP standards. If a student fails to meet these standards, the student loses financial aid eligibility.
REESTABLISH FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY WITHOUT AN APPEAL
Students who become ineligible for assistance can reestablish their eligibility by attending CCS at their own expense until they achieve the minimum SAP standards.
Note: Neither paying for classes nor sitting out periods of enrollment in and of themselves improves a student’s SAP standing; therefore, neither action is sufficient to regain financial aid eligibility.
Students with Disabilities
The transition to college can be very confusing and it helps to take advantage of all the resources available to you. If you have a disability, it may be in your best interest to communicate this.
All students are encouraged to disclose disabilities that they feel may affect their academic success. We want you to succeed, and our ability to offer you the best education is made possible if you are receiving the appropriate assistance.
The Americans with Disabilities Act in conjunction with section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act are Federal laws that protect people with disabilities, both life-long as well as short-term disabilities.
Students identified as having any type of disability are entitled and encouraged to request accommodations.
Requesting Accommodations
As the student you will need to:
Contact the Dean of Students, Dan Long at 313.664.7675 or Email to discuss.
Students requesting accommodations must provide documentation substantiating their disability. This documentation may be either through the Disability Verification Form or by providing a letter from a treating doctor or mental health profession that includes the information outlined by the Disability Verification Form . It is important that whichever form of documentation you provide to the College include recommended accommodations that are related to the symptoms of your disability.
CCS will then:
- Review your request for accommodations with you
Take appropriate measures to provide approved accommodations - Information disclosed to CCS regarding disabilities will not be shared with anyone except CCS staff who will assist in meeting your accommodation needs. You will be notified prior to the sharing of any information regarding your disability.
- You are encouraged to self-disclose your disability if you feel it will affect your academic performance. This should be done before the start of each term. You may choose to disclose at anytime during the semester but remember – retroactive accommodations cannot be made after an assignment is due or an exam has been taken. Disabilities accommodations are not meant to guarantee academic success at the College but are meant to provide equal access to educational opportunities to all individuals regardless of disabilities.
Transcripts and Enrollment Verification
Requests for copies of academic transcripts must be submitted in writing (with the student’s signature) to the Academic Advising and Registration Office or electronically. A $10 charge is assessed for each transcript.
Enrollment verifications are also available from the Academic Advising and Registration Office. There is no charge for the completion of enrollment verifications needed for insurance, loans, etc. A minimum of 3 working days is required for the processing of transcripts and enrollment verifications. Students requesting “on-the-spot” transcripts will be charged $15 for each copy.
“On-the-spot” transcript requests will be accepted only if time permits, subject to the approval of the registrar. Students may also view their transcripts through the WebAdvisor system. Once a student accesses the Registration and WebAdvisor tab, a transcript option is available under academic profile.
Smoking
State and local laws prohibit smoking in all parts of College buildings. City ordinance prohibits smoking within 15 feet of any building entrance.
In the interest of providing a safe and healthy environment for all staff, faculty, students and visitors, and in accordance with the Michigan Clean Indoor Act and the City of Detroit Smoking Pollution Control Ordinance, smoking is prohibited in all CCS buildings and within 15 feet of all building entrances and air intakes.
Enforcement of Policy
The success of this policy depends upon the thoughtfulness, consideration and cooperation of smokers and non-smokers. Students are encouraged to ask offending smokers to stop smoking. Any student smoking in a non-smoking area must immediately stop upon being requested to do so. Failure to do so will result in formal disciplinary action as outlined below.
Complaints
Complaints regarding the smoking of faculty and staff should be made to the Department Chair, the employee’s immediate supervisor or the Director of Human Resources. Complaints regarding students smoking should be made to the Director of Student Life.
Disciplinary Action
All student complaints should be made in writing to the Dean of Students. The Dean of Students will notify the student in writing that a complaint has been issued. A second offense will result in a $50 fine. A third offense will result in a $100 fine. Further violations will be subject to CCS disciplinary policies, up to and including expulsion.
Students wishing to contest the above may do so in writing to the Office of Student Affairs. Evidence of non-violation should be attached.
Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress – Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate Students
The standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) measure a student’s academic progress using both qualitative and quantitative measurements. These measurements include a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) requirement, a Pace/Course Completion Rate requirement, and a Maximum Timeframe requirement.
Students who receive financial aid must demonstrate SAP as determined by the College for Creative Studies (CCS) in accordance with federal regulations. Financial aid recipients are required to be in good academic standing and to maintain satisfactory academic progress toward their degree requirements for each semester in which they are enrolled.
SAP is evaluated at the end of each term in which a student is enrolled (Fall, Winter, and Summer). Federal regulations require the College to evaluate students who receive federal financial aid using standards that are at least as strict as standards that apply to students who do not receive federal financial aid; CCS evaluates all students using the same standards. SAP is evaluated based on the student’s cumulative academic record.
REQUIREMENTS FOR MAINTAINING SAP
GRADE POINT AVERAGE
At the end of each semester, a student’s cumulative grade point average is calculated. He or she must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 to achieve SAP.
GRADE POINT AVERAGE REQUIREMENT FOR ART EDUCATION MAJORS
In the Art Education program it is the student’s responsibility to maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.50 at the end of each term. Additionally, teacher candidates must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.70 in Art Education courses. Only grades of “C” or better will be accepted in required art education courses. If a student receives a grade of “C-” or below they must retake the course to obtain a grade of “C” or better. The higher grade is always recorded for purposes of calculating cumulative GPA; each attempt is counted as “credits attempted” but only the attempt associated with the higher grade is counted as a successfully completed course for purposes of the Pace/Course Completion Rate. The Center for Tutoring and Writing is available for all students seeking assistance with any course content.
REQUIRED PACE/COURSE COMPLETION RATE
Required course completion rate also determines SAP. Students must complete their academic program within 150% of the published length of the program. To meet this requirement, students must successfully complete, with a grade of D- or better, at least two-thirds (67%) of attempted cumulative credit hours. Examples are as follows:
| Credits Attempted | Must Complete |
|---|---|
| 6 | 4 |
| 12 | 8 |
| 15 | 10 |
| 18 | 12 |
| 66 | 44 |
| 100 | 67 |
| 126 | 84 |
MAXIMUM TIMEFRAME (MTF)
Federal regulations require that a student must complete his or her educational program within a MTF no longer than 150% of the published length of the educational program measured in credit hours attempted.
Example: Undergraduate Student
If an undergraduate student is enrolled in an academic program that requires 127 credit hours for graduation, he or she would be allowed a maximum of 191 (127 x 150%) attempted credits in order to obtain his/her degree.
Example: Undergraduate Art Education Student
If an undergraduate Art Education student is enrolled in an academic program that requires 148 credit hours for graduation, he or she would be allowed a maximum of 222 (148 x 150%) attempted credits in order to obtain his/her degree.
TRANSFER CREDITS
Courses that are transferred from another institution and accepted toward an academic degree program at the College (at the time of SAP Review) count as attempted and completed hours for Pace/Course Completion Rate (CCR) and MTF. The GPA is determined only with courses taken in residence at the College.
GRADE CHANGES
Students who have a grade change or incomplete grade changed after SAP has already been process for any semester must notify Academic Advising and Registration of the change. At that time SAP will be recalculated to determine if the SAP status needs to be modified and the Office of Academic Advising and Registration will notify the Office of Financial Aid.
CHANGE OF MAJOR/DEGREE
If a student decides to change majors, all classes already taken will count in the maximum timeframe SAP evaluation. It is possible a change of major could impact your SAP standing.
SECOND DEGREE
If you are obtaining a second degree, you will need to have a degree audit performed to determine your new SAP standing. This will allow Financial Aid to create a new Maximum Timeframe.
GRADES
Successful completion of attempted courses is required for SAP. Therefore, grades of A through D- are acceptable unless otherwise specified. Courses for which these grades are received will be used to establish your cumulative GPA and CCR.
Grades of F (failing), I (incomplete), W or WN (withdraw), WF (withdraw-unofficial) are not acceptable. Courses for which these grades are received will not be counted as successfully completed courses and will be valued at 0.00 grade points, thus also lowering your CCR and cumulative GPA.
NOTE: Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, students have the option to request that their grade(s) be changed to P/NC (Pass/No Credit) for the Winter 2020, Fall 2020, and Winter 2021 semesters. Please see the Pass/No Credit – Winter 2020 and Pass/No Credit – 2020 – 2021 Academic Year policies for more details.
DROPPING CLASSES (after the Add/Drop period)
Courses for which a student is enrolled at the conclusion of the Add/Drop period will be used to determine attempted courses for the CCR. Therefore, if it is necessary to adjust one’s class schedule, it is best to do so during the Add/Drop period of the semester. Courses that are dropped after conclusion of the Add/Drop period will show a recorded grade of W or WN. This will be counted as an unsuccessfully completed course valued at 0.00 grade points, thus lowering your completion rate and cumulative GPA.
COMPLETE WITHDRAWALS (OFFICIAL OR UNOFFICIAL)
Students who officially withdraw from the College or stop participating in their courses (unofficial withdrawal) after the Add/Drop period are considered to have no successfully completed courses for the semester. This will lower your CCR and cumulative GPA and can result in being placed on Academic Warning or being suspended from the College resulting in the loss of financial aid eligibility if you already had a low pace/course completion rate or GPA or there are consecutive withdrawals over a number of semesters. Unofficial withdrawals will be reviewed at mid-term and end of the semester. If a student has been determined to be unofficially withdrawn, the Office of Financial Aid (OFA) will reach out to all enrolled course professors to determine last date of attendance (LDA). If the OFA does not receive a response, mid-term date will be used to determine the withdrawal date.
REPEATED COURSES
When a successfully completed course is repeated, the previous enrollment is not counted as a successfully completed course; therefore, this will lower your CCR. Only the last grade received is counted in the cumulative GPA.
Per the Federal Student Aid Handbook, students may repeat a course as many times as necessary to receive a passing grade and receive federal funding for that course. The federal definition of a passing grade is anything above an F.
Once the student has taken the course and received a grade above failing (anything above an F), the student may repeat the course only one additional time to try to earn a higher grade and receive federal financial aid funds. Any subsequent repeats of that course cannot be covered by federal financial aid funds. CCS does have some required courses that require at least a C grade per College policy. The College policy does not affect federal eligibility, so the student may still only retake this course one after receiving a grade above an F and receive federal funding.
EXAMPLE: A student has taken a course requiring a C grade and received above an F but less than a C. The student takes the course a second time but again earns less than a C. The student must continue to retake the course to pass it per CCS policy but is no longer eligible for federal financial aid for that course. If the student subsequently enrolls for 12 credits, including the course they are having to repeat, only 9 of those credits are eligible for federal financial aid. Institutional aid is not affected and can still be processed at the full-time amount. Students who are enrolled for 15 credits are not affected since they will still have 12 eligible credits and would still be considered full-time.
FAILURE TO MEET SAP
SAP is monitored at the end of each semester and if a student fails to meet the 2.0 cumulative GPA requirement or does not complete two-thirds (67%) of the cumulative credit hours attempted to date, he or she will be placed on SAP financial aid warning for a period of one semester. During the SAP financial aid warning semester, a student can receive financial aid. If the student fails to raise the GPA to 2.0 or the completion rate to two-thirds (67%) at the end of the financial aid warning semester, they will lose eligibility for financial aid.
NOTIFICATION OF UNSATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS
Students who do not meet SAP standards will be notified, by the Director of Financial Aid, in writing via email, which will be sent to their College for Creative Studies email.
SAP APPEAL PROCESS
Students may appeal their loss of financial aid eligibility by submitting an appeal letter to the Director of Financial Aid. Appeals should be based on circumstances beyond the student’s control such as, injury or illness, death of a relative, or other special circumstances. The appeal must explain the failure to make satisfactory progress and what has changed that will allow satisfactory progress in the future.
If the appeal is approved, the student will be placed on SAP financial aid probation and will be required to follow an Academic Success Plan. This status is limited to one semester (or time as specified by the Academic Success Plan), during which the student may receive financial aid. At the end of that semester, a student on SAP financial aid probation will have his/her academic progress reviewed and must be meeting the SAP standards. If a student fails to meet these standards, the student loses financial aid eligibility.
REESTABLISH FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY WITHOUT AN APPEAL
Students who become ineligible for assistance can reestablish their eligibility by attending CCS at their own expense until they achieve the minimum SAP standards.
Note: Neither paying for classes nor sitting out periods of enrollment in and of themselves improves a student’s SAP standing; therefore, neither action is sufficient to regain financial aid eligibility.