Student Information/Policies
Policies for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Federal regulations require the University of Louisiana at Monroe to establish a satisfactory
academic progress (SAP) policy to ensure that students receiving financial aid are
making reasonable progress towards completing their degree. Students who fail to make
progress toward the completion of their education will be suspended from receiving
financial aid.
Repeated Coursework Policy
The Department of Education has recently published new regulations which impact students
who repeat courses. These repeat courses may impact your financial aid eligibility
and awards for Federal Title IV financial aid.
Return of Title IV Funds Policy
The University of Louisiana Monroe’s Return of Title IV Funds Policy outlines the
Federal Rules that must be followed in regards to the Federal Student Aid a student
has earned and the amount of Federal Student Aid that must be returned when a student
withdrawals from or fails to complete classes.
Federal regulations require Title IV aid, to be awarded under the assumption that
a student will attend the University for the entire period in which federal financial
assistance is awarded. However, in the event a student withdraws or stops attending
class, the University is required to determine if the student has fully earned the
awarded Title IV aid. As required by federal regulations, the University uses a pro-rated
schedule to determine the amount of federal financial aid that the student "earned"
and return the “unearned” disbursed funds to the appropriate federal program. Once
60.005% or more of the semester or summer term is completed, the student is considered
to have earned all the federal financial aid and will not be required to return any
funds.
This policy is applicable to all ULM students who receive Title IV aid and who resign
(either "officially" through the Registrar's Office - OR - "unofficially" by no longer
attending classes) from ULM before completing 60.005% of the semester.
Title IV Aid - All Federal aid including Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loans, Subsidized
Federal Direct Loans, Federal Direct Plus Loans, Federal Pell Grants, Iraq and Afghanistan
Service Grant, Federal SEOG, any other Title IV Assistance.
R2T4 – Return of Title IV
Semester – The payment period for which the student is enrolled. This includes but
is not limited to full term semesters, parts of terms, and modules. Students may
be enrolled in one or a combination of these periods.
Unofficial Withdrawal – This occurs when a student stops attending classes but does
not officially drop all of his or her classes.
Official Withdrawal – The student officially drops all his or her classes and stops
attending the University for that semester.
Federal Student Aid – All Title IV Aid provided by the Federal Government.
Before Return of Title IV can be calculated it must first be determined if the student
is considered to have withdrawn. If a student has completed at least one class in
a standard-term program, they are not a withdrawal. A student will qualify for the
exemption if they meet one of the following upon withdrawal: earns at least enough
hours to be considered half time in a module (6 UG, 5 GR, 3 GA,6 PR), has completed
all classes required for graduation, or has successfully completed a module containing
49% or more of the days in the payment period.
Upon determination that a student has withdrawn, whether officially or unofficially,
the Financial Aid Office will process the R2T4 calculation. The following steps are
used to calculate the amount of aid a student has earned and how much must be returned
(if any) to the federal programs:
- Determination of the withdrawal date: For official withdrawals, this is the date the course withdrawal form or resignation
is received by the Office of the Registrar. For unofficial withdrawals this is the
last documented date of attendance in an academically-related activity (e.g., documented
attendance in a class or lab) or submission of an assignment in an on-line course,
whichever is later.
For unofficial withdrawals where there is not a clear last documented date of attendance,
the midpoint of the calculation term will be used students as the unofficial withdrawal
date.
- Determination of the amount of aid the student earned: The percentage of aid the student has earned is equal to the percentage of the semester,
summer term, or accelerated part of term (payment period) the student has completed.
- The percentage of the payment period completed is calculated by dividing the total
number of calendar days completed by the total number of calendar days in the term.
Scheduled breaks of five or more days are excluded.
- The amount of aid the student has earned is calculated by multiplying this percentage
by the total amount of Title IV aid disbursed (and that which could have been disbursed)
to the student.
- For example, if a student completes 35 days of a 118-day term, the percentage completed
is 29.7% (35 completed days / 118 total days). If $2000 has been disbursed, the student
is entitled to only $594, or 29.7% of that aid.
- A student who did not receive all of the funds earned may be due a post-withdrawal
disbursement.
- Once 60.005% of the payment period is completed, the student is considered to have
earned all federal aid and the return of federal funds is not necessary.
- Determination of the amount of aid the student did not earn: The amount of Title IV aid which must be returned is based on the percentage of
unearned aid. That percentage is computed by subtracting the earned aid percentage
from 100%. For example, if the earned aid percentage is 29.7%, the unearned aid percentage
is 70.3% (100% - 29.7% earned = 70.3% unearned).
- Determination of the amount of aid the University must return: The University will remit the percentage of the unearned Title IV funds that were
disbursed or that could have been disbursed to the federal programs. The funds will
be returned no more than 45 days from the date the school determines the official
withdrawal or the last date of attendance. The University will return the lesser of
the total of unearned aid or an amount equal to institutional charges multiplied by
the percentage of unearned aid. Unearned aid will be returned to the federal programs
in the following order:
- 1st - Unsubsidized Federal/Direct Loans
- 2nd - Subsidized Federal/Direct Loans
- 3rd - Federal PLUS Loans
- 4th - Federal Pell Grant
- 5th- Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant
- 6th - Federal SEOG Grant
- 7th - Other Title IV Programs
For Pell Grants the institutional required return and the institutional optional return
is considered unearned along with any other applicable unearned aid and will be returned
on the student’s behalf by the institution.
The student is responsible for any account balance created when Title IV aid is returned.
If you have questions about your Title IV program funds, you can contact the Financial
Aid Office at
finaid@ulm.edu or (318)342-5320. You may also call the Federal Student Aid
Information Center at (800)4-FEDAID [(800)433-3243]. TTY users may call (800)730-8913.
Information is also available on Student Aid on the Web at www.studentaid.ed.gov.
XII. Revision History
______________________________________________________________________
The Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA) requires a school that has an intercollegiate
athletic program to make prospective students aware of its commitment to
providing equitable athletic opportunities for its male and female students.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement/ Disclaimer Information
The University of Louisiana at Monroe adheres to the principal of equal educational
and employment opportunity without regard to race, sex, color, creed, national origin,
or handicap. This policy extends to all programs and activities supported by The
University.
The University of Louisiana at Monroe, an institution of higher learning, maintains
compliance with the requirements and regulations set forth by the Federal Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act, as amended June 17, 1976. The Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act Compliance Guidelines are available to parents and students in the Office
of Student Affairs, Dean of Students, Division of Information Services, Registrar
and Student Government Association.
The Financial Aid Office reserves the right on behalf of ULM to review and cancel
an award at any time because of changes in the student's financial or academic status,
changes of curriculum, or the student's involvement in student unrest as defined by
Public Laws 91-204, 91-557, 90-575, Sections 407, 411, 504(a).
For More Information see the Office of Human Resources.
Books and Supplies Disbursement Policy & Procedure for Pell Eligible Students
In order to academically succeed in a program, a student must be able to purchase
books and supplies at the
beginning of the academic period. Therefore, ULM provides a way via Warhawk
Express,
for a student who is eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, and has a credit on
their account, to obtain or purchase the books and supplies required for the
payment period.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Debt Management Policy
In an effort to educate borrowers in making informed financial decisions while in
school and to help students realize their educational goals with the minimum necessary
amount of educational debt, the ULM Financial Aid Office has adopted a Student Loan Debt Management Policy.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
The Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (DFSCA) of 1989 - also known as the Drug-Free
Schools and Campuses Act - requires institutions of higher education to establish
policies that address unlawful possession, use, or distribution of alcohol and illicit
drug. The DFSCA also requires the establishment of a drug and alcohol prevention
program.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Through programs of education, information, and active police and security presence
the ULM police department endeavors to ensure that students, faculty, and staff are
free from safely distractions so that they may learn, teach, and conduct research.
Warhawk Alert is an emergency notification system that provides instant notification
capabilities during a crisis on campus.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Gainful Employment Disclosures
Accounting
Accounting Technology
Computed Tomography
Computer Information Systems
Elementary Education
Secondary Education
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Office of Financial Aid