Penn State University’s standard SAP policy can be found at http://senate.psu.edu/policies-and-rules-for-undergraduate-students/appendix-e-financial-aid-satisfactory-academic-progress-standard-policy/.
WorkLink has a SAP policy specifically for students in the program, available here:
WorkLink students must meet the qualitative and quantitative standards for financial aid SAP as outlined in the sections below. Student SAP policy applies to students receiving federal financial student aid funds and students who do not received federal student aid funds.
Qualitative Measures:
Students performance on program requirements and student PCP planning goals and objectives are evaluated by faculty, program staff, allies, job coaches, and employers and shared with students at least once per semester via a student performance summary (See Handbook for an example). Students are expected to have regular attendance in all aspects of the program. Consistent with other Penn State students, WorkLink students have access to Canvas (Penn State Learning Management System) to manage their semester courses (both credit and audit), view assignments, and track their progress.
Expectations for student progress in the WorkLink Seminar are as follows:
Semester One
WorkLink Students will:
- Participate in initial orientation and planning events. Students participate in orientation, course registration, and activation of their Penn State Identification Card.
- Meet peer allies and staff and begin to establish relationships and expectations.
- Participate in initial individual person-centered planning using Penn State’s Lion Tracks planning tool, this includes goal setting and vocational and career exploration.
- Enroll in, and audit, up to two academic courses that match the student’s individual personal and vocational interests. Each student selects his or her own courses based on interest and availability.
- Participate in the WorkLink Seminar curriculum (RHS 093)
- Define and discuss the principles of self-determination in relation to themselves.
- Participate in at least one official freshman seminar activity and one other campus enrichment event.
- Meet with their adviser to review Basic Program Requirements.
- Participate in mid-semester planning meeting to assess progress.
Semester Two
WorkLink Students will:
- Continue to work on goal setting.
- Identify behaviors required to attain goals.
- Audit up to two academic courses that match the student’s individual personal and vocational interests. Each student selects his or her own courses based on course availability.
- Participate in the WorkLink Seminar curriculum (RHS 093)
- List personal attributes and vocational interests.
- Identify work environments compatible with personal attributes and vocational interests.
- Continue individualized career exploration by participating in job shadowing experiences on or off campus.
- Continue to focus on self-determination and personal decision-making.
- Participate in at least one official freshman seminar activity and one other campus enrichment event.
- Prepare a presentation on his or her career interests. Participate in an end of the semester activity during finals week to make the presentation.
Semester Three
WorkLink Students will:
- Continue to work on goal setting.
- Identify behaviors required to attain goals.
- Audit up to two academic courses that match the student’s individual personal and vocational interests. Each student selects his or her own courses based on course availability.
- Participate in the WorkLink Seminar curriculum (RHS 193)
- Continue to identify personal attributes and refine vocational interests.
- Continue to identify work environments compatible with personal attributes and vocational interests.
- Continue to focus on self-determination and personal decision-making.
- Practice job skills in individualized career exploration, including practicum experiences on or off campus.
- Participate in at least one Penn State seminar activity and one other campus enrichment event.
Semester Four
WorkLink Students will:
- Assess progress toward goals.
- Audit up to two academic courses that match the student’s individual personal and vocational interests. Each student selects his or her own courses based on course availability.
- Participate in the WorkLink Seminar curriculum (RHS 193)
- Practice job skills in an internship experience that matches the student’s vocational interests.
- Prepare a capstone project related to the student’s career goals.
- Students who complete the WorkLink Program will receive a Penn State WorkLink Strategies and Employability Certificate.
- Participate in an end of the semester activity during finals week and prepare and make a presentation on a topic related to career or personal interests.
Quantitative Measures:
WorkLink students meet with the program coordinator and their academic advisor at least once per semester to review their progress using the Program Curriculum Structure and Advising Checklist (See Handbook for an example). SAP requires a minimum Pace of Completion to ensure that WorkLink students complete the program within the maximum timeframe (definition below). Students who do not meet the Pace of Completion standard (i.e., do not complete at least 67% of the overall semester requirements) are notified of unsatisfactory academic progress. At that time, the student will receive guidance as to what needs to be completed to resume SAP (see Reinstatement of Eligibility definition). WorkLink students who enroll in their academic classes as audit credits work with the program coordinator, peer allies, and instructor to determine a rubric that is used to identify the students goals and monitor progress for each course. This rubric includes: attendance, participation, and completion of assignments. Students are expected to maintain regular attendance in all program activities. Attendance is recorded in each seminar, and by academic instructors in keeping with Penn State policies.
Maximum Timeframe. Federal regulations relating to federal student aid require that students complete their program within a maximum timeframe of 150% of the published length of a program. The maximum timeframe may be calculated by credit hours or clock hours. Using a clock hour measurement, the WorkLink Program is a four semester/two-year program. WorkLink students have a maximum timeframe of six semesters (three years) to meet the program requirements and receive the Penn State Certificate in WorkLink and Employability credential. Using a credit hour measurement, WorkLink students who reach 100.5 credit hours (includes attempted and earned credit for all terms – see below) without fulfilling the program requirements have exceeded the maximum timeframes. Students are notified when they are within one semester or 15 credit hours of reaching the maximum timeframe of the program. Students’ Maximum Timeframe is monitored each semester and shared and discussed with students. Once it is determined that it is mathematically impossible for a student to complete within the maximum timeframe, students are notified that they are ineligible to receive financial aid, and they are assigned a status of financial aid suspension.
Pace of Completion Standard. A completion pace of at least 67% ensures that students in the WorkLink program complete the program within the maximum timeframe. Pace of completion is determined by dividing the cumulative credit hour of successful completion by the cumulative hours attempted, expressed as a percentage. Percentages are not rounded.
Credit Hours Earned.
Credit hours earned include:
- All the courses, activities, and experiences in which students enroll and successfully complete.
- Credits for a course a student successfully audited (i.e. Course Audit/AU Credits).
- Credits for a repeat course count as earned only if they have one of the attributes listed in this section.
- Grade of D or better
- Satisfactory/Pass grades
- Credits earned through examination (e.g. AP, CLEP) and credit by portfolio assessment.
- Credits earned for remedial courses.
- Credits for ESL/EAP courses.
- Previous coursework of students granted academic amnesty (academic renewal).
Credit hours earned do not include:
- Credits for an audit or credit course from which a student withdrew (WD) or did not otherwise successfully complete.
- Credits for a course in which a student was enrolled but received a Deferred Grade (DF) or No Grade (NG).
- Credits for a course in which a student earned a grade of F (0).
Credit Hours Attempted.
Credit hours attempted include:
- All the courses, activities, and experiences in which students enroll.
- Credits for a course a student audited (i.e. Course Audit/AU Credits).
- Credits for a repeated course.
- Every credit counted as earned (as defined above).
- Credits for a course in which a student was enrolled, but did not pass/earn the credit.
- Credits for a course in which a student was enrolled, but withdrew from, or late dropped, before the end of the class.
- Credits for a course in which a student was enrolled but received a Deferred Grade (DF) or No Grade (NG).
Credit hours attempted do not include:
- Credits for a course in which a student withdrew due to military service obligations.
- Credits for a course in which a student was enrolled, but dropped on or before the Regular Drop Date, or had administratively cancelled.
Incomplete Grades. Credits for a course in which a student was enrolled but received a Deferred Grade (DF) or No Grade (NG) count as attempted, but do not count as earned. The student’s grade-point average (as applicable) for that semester will be calculated without the deferred-grade and no-grade credits.
When a valid incomplete grade is finalized, it is factored into the student’s SAP status at the next evaluation. However, if the DF or NG grade was invalid (i.e. assigned in error as documented in writing by the instructor), the student’s SAP status will be immediately reevaluated.
Withdrawals. Credits for courses taken during a semester from which a student has withdrawn count as attempted, but do not count as earned. The student’s GPA (as applicable) is not affected by credits from which a student has withdrawn.
Repetitions (Course Repeats). Classes may not be repeated with the exception of certain courses (e.g., variable-credit and special-topics courses) that are designated as repeatable; they may be taken more than once for audit or credit. These courses may be repeated indefinitely. The credits of a repeated course count as credits attempted. Credits for a repeat course count as earned only if they have one of the attributes listed in the “Credits Hours Earned” section above. For information on how repeat courses impact grade-point average, see University Faculty Senate Policies 47-80 and 51-00.
A student will only receive financial aid for the first two attempts of a course.
Transfer Credits. The WorkLink Program does not accept transfer credits as part of the credit hour requirements.
Grade Changes. When a grade is changed, a student’s SAP status will be immediately reevaluated (except for changes in valid incomplete grades as noted above).
Monitoring Financial Aid SAP
Students meet with the program and coordinator typically twice per semester, but at least once per semester to review program and financial aid SAP. Formal SAP evaluations occur at the end of each semester in consultation with the Penn State Office of Student Aid. Students receive a mid-semester progress report from the program and coordinator if the student appears in danger of not meeting financial aid SAP standards. At that time, the student will receive specific guidance as to what needs to occur in order to make satisfactory academic progress. Students who meet all SAP standards are eligible to receive financial aid. Students who do not meet financial aid SAP, or those for whom it is not possible to meet the maximum timeframe requirements, are ineligible for financial aid, and their status will be immediately reported to the Office of Student Aid.
Financial Aid Suspension. Financial aid suspension is the status assigned to students who fail to meet one or more of standards of the SAP. A student assigned the status of financial aid suspension is not eligible to receive financial aid subject to this policy. Students’ Financial aid suspension status is immediately reported to the Office of Student Aid.
Reinstatement of Eligibility
Restoring aid without an appeal. Students may restore financial aid eligibility by enrolling for one or more semesters at their own expense until they re-establish financial aid eligibility by meeting the SAP standards outlined above.
Appeals. Students may appeal the assigned status of financial aid suspension. The student will need to work with the program coordinator and academic advisor on their appeal and submit documentation (Financial Aid SAP Appeal Form) to the Office of Student Aid.
Financial Aid Probation. Financial aid probation is the status assigned to a student who fails to meet one or more standards of the SAP policy, successfully appeals, and has his or her eligibility for financial aid reinstated.
Students on financial aid probation must meet the minimum SAP standards at the conclusion of the probationary payment period to remain eligible for financial aid, or meet the conditions of the academic plan developed by the institution and the student to remain eligible for further financial aid. When assigned the status of financial aid probation, a student is responsible for understanding the conditions set forth in the appeal process.