Students’ Rights and Responsibilities

Attendance

Instructors may enter a Last Date of Attendance (LDA) (partial attendance or no show) if you are not attending courses:

• Students with a LDA are locked out of their D2L account.
• Students marked with a LDA are unable to drop/withdraw online from their eServices account.
• Students may lose or have to pay back a portion of their financial aid for any LDA courses.

View Policy 3HTC.13 Last Date of Attendance at Policies and Procedures.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

In order to be in Good Standing students must maintain:

• Overall grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0. This means at least a C average.
• Overall completion rate of at least 66.67%. This means that all the credits attempted must be completed with 66.67%. W, F, NC, and I grades will negatively affect completion rate.

Students who fail to meet the satisfactory academic requirements after one term will be placed on Academic Warning. Failure to meet the requirements while on Academic Warning will result in the student being placed on Academic Suspension. Policy 2.9 Academic Standing and Financial Aid Academic Progress is below and also available at Policies and Procedures.

Academic Standing and Financial Aid Academic Progress Policy

Hennepin Technical College (HTC) requires that all students make satisfactory progress toward a degree, diploma, or certificate to remain in good academic standing. Additionally, federal and state laws require that a recipient of financial aid make satisfactory academic progress toward a degree, diploma, or certificate to remain eligible for financial aid. In compliance with federal and state laws and to implement college policy, HTC has established procedures defining the standards of academic progress for all students.

Students bear the primary responsibility for their own academic progress and for seeking assistance when experiencing academic difficulty. Students are encouraged to keep a file of their grades and transcripts. Admission and faculty advisors are available to review students’ academic progress.

Implementation Procedures

Purpose This policy and procedure sets forth the process to be used at HTC concerning satisfactory academic standing. Students bear primary responsibility for their own academic standing and for seeking assistance when experiencing academic difficulty. Students are encouraged to keep a file of their grades, transcripts, and course syllabi.

Requirements The requirements for satisfactory academic standing are based on students meeting both a qualitative and a quantitative measure. Satisfactory progress will be measured after a student has attempted their first course.

Qualitative Measure All students are required to maintain a minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA (Note: A 2.0 GPA is required to graduate.)

Quantitative Measure All students are required to complete a minimum of 66.67% cumulative attempted credits.

Part 1. Implementation The academic standing of all students will be evaluated at the end of each term as follows:

Subpart A. Academic Warning

Students who fail to meet the minimum cumulative academic standing requirements that term will receive a warning letter from the Registrar and will be placed on academic warning for one term, commencing immediately. This allows students making substantial improvement to continue with the educational objectives.

Students experiencing academic difficulties are encouraged to use the resources available in the Tutoring Centers. Academic assistance includes support in reading, communications, study skills, limited English proficiency, math, tutoring, and special accommodations.

Subpart B. Suspension

Students on warning who fail to meet the minimum cumulative academic standing requirements for a second consecutive term will receive a suspension letter from the Registrar and will be subject to suspension commencing immediately. Suspended students who wish to remain enrolled at the college must successfully appeal the suspension in order to be reinstated. If the appeal is denied or not completed the student’s registration will be cancelled. If students continue under an approved appeal, they will be placed on warning until the cumulative GPA reaches a 2.0 and the cumulative completion rate reaches 66.67%. If reinstated students fail to meet the standards for satisfactory academic progress within a term, they will be suspended.

Subpart C. Academic Plan

Students who are reinstated following an academic suspension shall be required to have an academic plan approved by an HTC counselor. Such plans shall specify the required term completion rate, grade point average and registration requirements for the student. Completion of student success education coursework may also be added to the academic plan and shall become a requirement for returning to good standing. If students fail to meet the term standards, they will be suspended.

Subpart D. Appeals

Students who fail to meet academic standing requirements and are suspended from enrollment have the right to appeal based on unusual or extenuating circumstances. Appeals which are denied may be submitted to the satisfactory academic progress appeals review committee for further review.

Subpart E. Reinstatement

Students who have been suspended from enrollment may continue at the college after an appeal has been approved. If at any point it is determined that students will not be able to finish the required courses to graduate from their program within the 150% time frame, financial aid eligibility will be terminated immediately. Note: It is possible to be reinstated to good academic standing without being reinstated to financial aid Satisfactory Progress eligibility

Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Procedure

Part 1. Purpose

This procedure sets forth the process to be used at HTC concerning financial aid satisfactory academic progress. Students are required to maintain satisfactory academic progress toward the completion of a degree, diploma, or certificate in order to receive financial aid. Federal and state work-study, loans, grants, and some scholarships are covered under this procedure. Students bear primary responsibility for their own academic progress and for seeking assistance when experiencing academic difficulty. Students are encouraged to keep a file of their grades, transcripts, and course syllabi.

NOTE: It is possible for a student to be in financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress suspension status but not be in an academic standing suspension status at HTC.

HTC reserves the right to withhold financial aid at any time from any students who are not performing satisfactorily at minimal standards due to an attendance pattern, and thus abuses the receipt of financial assistance. For example, financial aid could be withheld from students who withdraw from all classes for two consecutive terms, or students who have previously attended two or more institutions and who have not progressed satisfactorily, or students who do not appear to be pursuing degree/diploma/certificate completion, etc.

Part 2. Qualitative Measure of Progress

HTC financial aid recipients are required to maintain a cumulative 2.0 or greater Grade Point Average (GPA). Federal Title IV financial aid programs and programs authorized under Minnesota Statutes 136A require HTC to develop satisfactory academic progress procedures that shall apply to all students receiving financial aid under these programs. Monitoring of the quantitative standard is cumulative and will commence with the first credit attempted. All periods of enrollment will be included, regardless of whether a student received financial aid for that period. A cumulative 2.0 GPA is required to graduate.

Part 3. Quantitative Measure of Progress

Subpart A. Required Completion Percentage

Financial aid recipients are required to maintain a cumulative credit completion rate of 66.67% or greater of all credits attempted at HTC. Federal Title IV financial aid programs and programs authorized under Minnesota Statutes 136A require HTC to develop satisfactory academic progress procedures that shall apply to all students receiving financial aid under these programs. Monitoring of the quantitative standard is cumulative and will commence with the first credit attempted. All periods of enrollment will be included, regardless of whether a student received financial aid for the period.

HTC uses cumulative credits completed, divided by credits attempted to measure completion percentage. To remain eligible for financial aid, students are required to progress toward the completion of an academic program by successfully completing 66.67% of all credits attempted at HTC. Courses for which students receive a letter grade of A, B, C, D, and P are included in the calculation of cumulative credit completion percentages as courses successfully completed.

Courses for which students receive a letter grade of I, NC, W, F, FN and FW will be treated as credits attempted but not successfully completed. Audited courses (AU) are not included in the calculation.

Subpart B. Maximum time Frame

The maximum allowable time frame for students to complete an academic program is 150% of the published credit length of the program of study. For example, if the program of study is 60 credits in length, students would be eligible to receive financial aid for up to 90 attempted credits (60 x 1.5 = 90). All cumulative credits attempted are counted, including accepted transfer credits, and consortium credits, regardless of whether financial aid was received for the credits, or the course work was successfully completed. All credits attempted at HTC will be counted, even though a period of time may have elapsed between enrollments and regardless of whether students received financial aid for the terms and credits measured.

Part 4. Evaluation Period

Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress will be evaluated three times each year after Fall and Spring Semester, and Summer Term grades are recorded and prior to the 10th day of the subsequent term.

Part 5. Financial Aid Suspension and Warning

1. Maximum Time Frame

   Students who have reached or exceeded the maximum number of credits permitted to complete their program of record will be suspended from financial aid eligibility. Changing majors, withdrawing from courses, and/or repeating courses can contribute to suspension of financial aid based on the standards for maximum time frame. Credits earned in the college’s English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program do not count toward the determination of maximum timeframe. All local attempted credits and transfer credits into Hennepin Technical College count towards the maximum timeframe. Completing a major or changing a major will change timeframe calculation and allow the new count of credits to the new major less any transfer of credit. If courses in the previous major are required in the new major, they will not be counted twice in the new maximum timeframe calculation.

2. Qualitative Standard (GPA) or Quantitative Standard (Completion Percentage) Failure

   Students who fail to meet the qualitative or quantitative measure at the time of evaluation will be placed on academic warning. Students will be eligible for financial aid during this period. Students who fail to meet the qualitative or quantitative measures at the end of the warning period will have financial aid eligibility suspended immediately.

3. Reinstatement of Students on Warning Status

   At the end of the warning period, students who have met the cumulative qualitative and quantitative standards of the college will have their eligibility for financial aid reinstated by the college.

4. Suspension of Students on Warning Status

   At the end of the warning period, students who have not met the cumulative qualitative and quantitative standards of the college will be suspended immediately by the college upon completion of the evaluation.

5. Continuation of Students Who Successfully Appeal a Suspension

   Students who fail to make satisfactory academic progress and are suspended from financial aid eligibility have the right to appeal based on extenuating circumstances. Students who are reinstated following an academic suspension shall be required to have an academic plan approved by an HTC counselor. Such plans shall specify the required term completion rate, grade point average and registration requirements for the student. Completion of student success education coursework may also be added to the academic plan and shall become a requirement for returning to good standing. If students fail to meet the standards documented in the academic plan, they will be suspended.

Part 6. Appeals

Any student who has been suspended from financial aid has the right to appeal their status based on extenuating circumstances.

All appeals must be submitted in writing with supporting documentation attached. Results of an appeal will be sent to the student in writing.

Part 7. Additional Elements

Subpart A. Treatment of Grades

Courses for which students receive a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or P are included in the calculation of cumulative credit completion percentage as courses successfully completed. Courses for which students receive a letter grade of I, NC, W, F, FN or FW will be treated as credits attempted but not successfully completed. All credits and grades in the major are included in the maximum timeframe calculation.

Subpart B. Audited Courses

Audited courses will not be funded by financial aid and are not included in any financial aid satisfactory academic progress measurements.

Subpart C. Consortium Credits

Credits for which financial aid is received under a consortium agreement will be included in cumulative GPA, completion percentage, and maximum timeframe calculations.

Subpart D. Developmental Credits

Developmental credits are included in the cumulative GPA and completion percentage measurement of financial aid satisfactory academic progress. Up to 30 developmental credits are excluded from the maximum timeframe calculation.

Subpart E. Repeated Credits

Students are allowed to repeat a course as often as allowed by the academic policies of the college. For a course that is repeated, the original grade will remain on the transcript but will not be used in the GPA calculation. The grade earned for the most recent attempt will be used in the cumulative GPA calculation. The original course credits remain in the number of attempted credits, but are removed from the credits earned calculation. A student may not receive financial aid for more than one repetition of a previously passed course.

Subpart F. Transfer Credits

Transfer credits accepted by HTC and applied toward students’ degree, diploma, or certificate requirements to graduate will apply toward the maximum time frame calculation and percent of completion calculation. If at the point of admission transfer students’ prior academic record does not meet the college’s minimum cumulative qualitative or quantitative satisfactory academic progress standards, HTC may immediately place the student on financial warning or suspend financial aid eligibility, subject to the conditions under which the student is admitted to the institution.

Subpart G. Withdrawals

Credits for which a grade of “W” is received are considered attempted credits but not successfully completed credits. A grade of “W” does not impact GPA, but does negatively impact the cumulative completion percentage and counts toward the maximum time frame.

Student Code of Conduct

Hennepin Technical College recognizes that all students have responsibilities as citizens and as members of the college community. Student responsibilities include regular attendance, punctuality, positive relationships with other students and staff, appropriate behavior and attitude, and acceptable progress, all of which are necessary to assure success in the college. Policy 3.6 Student Code of Conduct is available at Policies and Procedures.

Student Educational Records

The activities of Hennepin Technical College are administered in accordance with a variety of federal and state laws, including The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, Minnesota State Board policies, and assorted rules and regulations, as well as staff and student rights and responsibilities, as they relate to student educational records. For more information concerning applicable College and system policy, go to: HTC Policies and Procedures or Minnesota State Board Policies.

The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects a student’s right to privacy concerning their educational records. There are some types of information such as grades, financial aid, class schedules, or conduct records that family members might like to receive, but FERPA guidelines prohibit HTC from disclosing information without written consent from a student. This means, that even if a family member or another third party is paying the bills, they cannot access a student’s educational or financial records without the student’s consent. FERPA affords student certain rights with respect to their education records. They are:

1. The right to Inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the College receives a request for access. Students should submit to the Office of the Registrar or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The College official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the College official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Students may ask the College to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the College official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the College decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the College will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the College in an administration, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including health or medical staff) and also clerical staff who transmit the education record; a person or company with whom the College has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person who is employed by Hennepin Technical College Security Department acting in a health or safety emergency; or a student serving on an official committee, such as disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination in Employment and Education.

Student Education Records College Policy. Federal law and state statue allow current and former students access to their education records. While the primary record is located in the Office of the Registrar, other records may be located in Admissions, Financial Aid, Business Office, Student Life and Career Development, Student Affairs and academic departments. For more information, refer to policy 3HTC1, Student Data Privacy at: hennepintech.edu/policy

Hennepin Technical College has designated the following items as Directory Information. As such, this information may be released to the public without the consent of the student: name, dates of enrollment and/or registration, major field of study, degree, diploma, certificates earned, and special student recognition/achievements. Directory information does not include identifying data which references religion, race, color, social position or nationality. Students may request directory information be kept private by contacting the Office of Registrar.

Student Review and Consultation

Students have the right to appropriate levels of participation in college decision making. Each campus’ Student Senate appoints students to college committees and meets regularly with college leadership. For details view Minnesota State Policy 2.3 and Procedure 2.3.1 Student Involvement in Decision Making at Minnesota State Board Policies.