Financial Aid Policies and Procedures

Minimum Academic Year Definition

Academic programs offered at Sierra College are calculated in units and measured by semesters. Sierra College establishes two 16-week semesters (fall and spring), one 8-week summer session per academic year. This meets the federal minimum academic year definition (30 weeks of instruction minimum).

For financial aid purposes, this definition is important because it affects how payment periods are calculated. Sierra College makes financial aid payments based on the college’s semester. A student’s financial aid is calculated by semester, rather than by weeks or classes attended.

To be considered full-time for financial aid for fall, spring and summer, students must be taking 12 or more units.

Programs Offered

Sierra College offers an Associate in Arts degree (AA) and an Associate in Science degree (AS), both of which meet the minimum academic year definition. In addition, Sierra College offers certificate programs which also meet the minimum academic year definition. For the most 2 updated list of certificate programs approved for aid at Sierra College, refer to the Sierra College participation agreement with the US Department of Education http://www.ed.gov/.

Cost of attendance (COA) refers to the average amount a full-time student can expect to spend while enrolled at Sierra College over a nine-month period. The cost will differ depending on a student’s housing status and residency: living independently off or on campus, living at home, being a California resident, or being a legal resident of another state.

Included in COA

The cost of attendance covers:

• Tuition and Fees
• Books and Supplies
• Room and Board
• Personal Expenses
• Transportation

Determination of Cost of Attendance

When available, Sierra College’s Financial Aid Office reviews the California Student Aid Commission’s most current Student Expenses and Resources Survey (SEARS). It is a wide survey of students’ budgets and expenses from UCs, CSUs, community colleges, independent, and private career institutions. If the survey is not from the current year, it is adjusted for inflation.

Each year California legislators establish the per-unit tuition at California’s community colleges. The average amount of units enrolled at Sierra College or full-time enrollment units are used along with information about health and transportation fees. This sets the amount for tuition and fees while information from the SEARS is used to establish costs of books and supplies and personal expenses. Finally, Sierra College’s student budget information about room and board and transportation is used because of the close geographic proximity and shared residential areas. In this way, the Financial Aid Office establishes a reasonable cost of attendance.

The cost of attendance is subject to change depending on legislative activity. It sets the maximum amount of financial aid a student can receive for the year. It represents a modest budget by which a student can live adequately while attending Sierra College.

Funds Subject to ATB

Any student who has not graduated from high school or received a GED and would like to receive federal financial aid (Pell, FSEOG, Federal Work-Study, Federal Direct student and Parent Plus loans) must demonstrate an ability to benefit from college enrollment. Sierra College’s Assessment Center will guide students through the process which they must complete before the student can be approved for federal financial aid. By using the Assessment Center’s web page, you can be sure to stay current on ATB testing dates and book your appointment online.

When a student applies for financial aid, the funds usually come from more than one source (federal, state, private, etc). This combination of financial resources is referred to as packaging. State programs are always subject to an approved State budget.

Available Financial Aid Sources

Every institution has the option of which kind of financial aid programs to offer to its students. Sierra College participates in the following financial aid programs:

• Federal Pell Grant
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
• Federal Work Study
• William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program
• Board of Governor’s Fee Waiver Program (BOGW)
• Cal Grant B and C
• Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) grants
• Scholarships
• Alternative Loans

Definition of Financial Need

Student financial aid is packaged (given financial aid from several of the programs for which a student is eligible) based on the student’s financial need. Financial need is determined by a student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC) as compared to Sierra College’s Cost of Attendance (COA).

To meet with federal regulations, Sierra College defines the neediest students as those whose EFC = $0.

Resources Included in Award Packaging

Financial aid packages are awarded as follows:

1. The BOGW is awarded to those students who qualify for the program. Sierra College awards the amount listed in Sierra College’s Cost of Attendance for every eligible student even if the student is taking units which differ from the average enrollment information used to calculate the Cost of Attendance.
2. The Pell Grant is awarded to students who meet the federal criteria. The amounts of the award vary as determined by the federal government.
3. The FSEOG is first awarded to Pell Grant eligible students with EFC = $0 to help ensure that the neediest students receive these limited financial aid funds on a first-come, first served basis.
4. Federal work-study is awarded at the rate of or maximum of $2160 per semester ($4320 per academic year).

These are the only programs that Sierra College includes as part of a student’s financial aid package.

Resources Not Included in Award Packaging

Sierra College’s financial aid packaging does not include loans (student, parent, or alternative). Information about our loan program is provided on the web and further in this publication.

Because Sierra College is a 2-year school, students are limited to federal sophomore amounts. For loan amount purposes, Sierra College considers units completed at Sierra College, unless transferable units from other institutions are reviewed and posted by Admissions and Records.

Sierra College does not include Federal Work Study (FWS) in the initial financial aid package. Eligible students are awarded FWS funds on a first-come, first-served basis. Sierra College receives a limited amount of FWS funds to award to eligible students.

Sierra College does not include CalWORKS employment in the initial financial aid package. Eligible students are awarded CalWORKS funds through the CalWORKS office, and then the information is communicated to the Financial Aid Office.

Verification Process

Each year the US Department of Education designates financial aid recipients whose documentation must be verified. Sierra College verifies every file identified by the federal government as part of its own verification process. Financial aid recipients’ files are verified all year using a verification worksheet designed by The Department of Education.

Verification Documentation

A dependent student is required to provide copies of the parents’ signed Federal tax return as well as the student’s signed Federal tax return. An independent student is required to provide the student’s signed Federal tax return and that of the student’s spouse, if the student is married. If prepared by a tax preparer the student and/or parents must sign the tax document.

Sierra College, when possible, will attempt to gather income information from the parents of dependent students who reside out-of-the-country.

Secondary Verification

Sierra College uses a secondary verification process specific to the campus. For example, the College verifies all students who answer yes to “Are you a ward of the court?” If a student is independent only because they answered yes to this question, then the College will require documentation to support this.

Eligibility Changes Resulting from Verification

If the verification process results in a change of a student’s financial aid eligibility, Sierra College repackages the student for financial aid based on their new eligibility status and notifies the student with an updated award letter via mySierra.

Corrections are made in the Financial Aid System and are sent to the Central Processing System (CPS) through EDConnect. Students are notified that corrections have been processed through receipt of an acknowledgment form from CPS.

Citizenship Documentation

Sierra College uses any acceptable documentation in the Federal Student Aid Handbook for US citizens or permanent residents.

Conflicting Data

If in the process of reviewing a student’s financial aid file, Sierra College’s Financial Aid Office notices conflicting data, by law, the conflict must be resolved before awarding can take place.

Resolving Conflicting Data

The process of resolving the conflicting data is for the Financial Aid Office to:

1. Send notification to students via mySierra
2. Have a phone conversation with the student.
3. Request agency certification

Timelines

Sierra College will not award a student financial aid (to include the Board of Governors Fee Waiver) until the student replies and the conflicting data is resolved. Additionally, if conflicting data turns up even after the first disbursement to a student, the conflicting data must be resolved before additional disbursements can be made.

Resolving Student Aid Reports (SAR) Comments

The same process used for resolving the federal SAR comments is used to resolve the college selected comments. Students are contacted through mySierra and asked to provide documentation or submit forms to the Financial Aid Office. This process can happen any time during the year when a SAR comment is generated that needs to be resolved.

Monitoring Mid-Year Transfers

When awarding a student within the academic year, sometimes the Financial Aid Office determines that the student was not enrolled at Sierra College during the previous semester, (i.e. awarding for spring and the student was not enrolled in fall). In this case, Sierra College checks the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) to calculate what the student was paid in federal aid also known as Title IV aid from any school they attended in the previous semester, (Pell Grants, FSEOG, and loans), and determines if any of the student’s scheduled awards need to be changed. These adjustments are made manually to keep the student’s awards within the federal limits. On occasion, NSLDS will not be current and we rely on the student and other schools to assist with this process.

Financial Aid Deadlines and Priority Dates

Sierra College publishes deadlines and priority dates for various programs in the Financial Aid Handbook, on the Web, and other public postings.

Late Documents

Sierra College does not accept documents that have passed a hard deadline. If there are extenuating circumstances, the student should talk to a Financial Aid Technician or Specialist, and a decision will be made on a case-by-case basis by the Financial Aid Program Manager.

Rights

Students at Sierra College applying for, and receiving financial aid, have a right to the following:

1. Information on all financial assistance available, which includes all federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs.
2. Disclosure of application deadlines for each financial aid program, and for any supporting documentation.
3. Specific information regarding fees, tuition, and the refund policy for those who drop out of school (withdraw).
4. An explanation of how students are selected for receipt of financial aid, and how financial need is determined. This process includes a consideration of costs of tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, transportation, personal and miscellaneous expenses, etc., plus the student’s income and assets, parental contribution, other financial aid (such as scholarships) and so on.
5. Knowledge of what resources are considered in the calculation of student need.
6. Knowledge of how a financial aid package is determined.
7. An explanation of various programs awarded in the student’s financial aid package. If a student feels unfairly treated, a reconsideration of the award may be requested.
8. If a return of Federal funds (Title IV funds) needs to be calculated, the student has the right to know the portion of financial aid the student received that must be repaid.
9. If a return of Federal funds (Title IV funds) needs to be calculated for a loan, the student has the right to know what the interest rate is, the total amount to be repaid if any, when repayment begins, and the conditions of deferment and cancellation.
10. Knowledge of how Sierra College determines whether students are making “satisfactory academic progress” and the consequences of not meeting this requirement.
11. A student has the right to challenge or appeal a financial aid award or any other decision of the Financial Aid Office pertaining to the student, which does not fall under the jurisdiction of federal or state regulations. The right includes answers to questions, explanations of policies and decisions, and requests for reconsideration.

Responsibilities

Students at Sierra College applying for and receiving financial aid are responsible for the following:

1. Reviewing and considering all information about Sierra College’s academic programs before enrolling.
2. Completing all the application forms ACCURATELY AND COMPLETELY and submitting them to the right place on time. If this is not done, financial aid could be delayed. Since errors cause misunderstanding and misrepresentation of information provided, errors must be corrected before any financial aid can be received. Intentional misreporting of information on application forms for federal financial aid is a violation of the law and is considered a criminal offense subject to penalties under the U.S. Criminal Code, and subjects the student’s application to denial. Additionally, regulations require that all cases of suspected fraud emanating from misrepresentation, be reported to the Office of the Inspector General.
3. Promptly returning all additional documentation, verification, corrections and/or new information requested by either the Financial Aid Office or the agency or agencies to which an application was submitted.
4. Reading and understanding all forms that the student is asked to sign.
5. Notifying the agency holding the student’s federal loan (The U.S. Department of Education, etc) of any changes in the student’s name, address or school enrollment status.
6. Performing the work that is agreed upon in accepting a college work-study award.
7. Knowing and complying with the deadlines for application or reapplication for aid.
8. Knowing and complying with the Sierra College Federal Aid Refund Policy.
9. Repaying financial aid funds if it is determined that the student was ineligible to receive the funds.

The Board of Governors Fee Waiver Program is available to any California resident who meets the financial eligibility requirements or qualifies through another program. California state law pertaining to the BOG fee waiver allows community colleges discretion in certain areas. These are Sierra College’s practices with regards to the BOGW policies outlined in the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office Board of Governors Fee Waiver Program.

1. Sierra College’s Financial Aid Office considers the summer session a “trailer” for the academic year. If a student applies for a BOGW for the summer session of 2012, the student is applying for financial aid for the 2011-2012 academic year, not the 2012-2013 academic year.
2. If a student wants to qualify for the BOG fee waiver under Method A, the student must submit the BOGW application with the appropriate supporting documentation. Sierra College does not provide any other supplemental form
3. If Sierra College Admissions enrolls a student without a social security number, the student may receive a BOGW fee waiver as long as they are a California resident and otherwise qualify for the program.
4. A student who fails to register with selective service in accordance with the law (50 USC App 451 et seq.) may still receive a BOGW fee waiver at Sierra College as long as they otherwise qualify for the program.
5. If a student signs the BOG fee waiver application and reports a registered domestic partnership, Sierra College does not require additional documentation to verify the student’s status.
6. If a student is independent under the BOG fee waiver application criteria, Sierra College accepts the information on the signed application without requiring any additional documentation. An exception to this would be if the student also submitted a FAFSA and conflicting income or dependency status is discovered.
7. In order to qualify under Method A for the BOG fee waiver, Sierra College accepts the following documentation:
   1. TANF cash assistance – the student must provide a current or previous month’s copy of their benefits and a letter from the county confirming that the student received assistance during the time of application.
   2. SSI/SSP – the student must provide a current or previous month printout clearly stating their monthly benefits.
   3. General Assistance – the student must provide a current or previous month’s printout from the county confirming that the student will receive assistance during the period of time for which the student is requesting financial aid. Evidence of the student receiving food stamps or Medi-Cal is not enough.
8. If a student requests an adjustment be made to the student’s/family’s income for Method B of the BOG fee waiver, then the student must submit a FAFSA and request special condition consideration. Professional judgment is not used by Sierra College for the BOG fee waiver application alone. Any consideration will be in the context of a broader determination of a student's eligibility for all types of financial assistance as provided for in Section 4.4.2 of the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office Board of Governors Fee Waiver Program.
9. If a student does not qualify for Method A or B and wishes to qualify under Method C, then a valid FAFSA must be processed. If the FAFSA has been selected for verification, then the BOG C will be awarded. If after verification is completed, it is discovered that the student is not eligible, then the BOG C will be removed and the student will be responsible for all fees.
10. Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations requires documentation of those who are eligible for the BOG fee waiver program under Method B. Sierra College requires all eligible students to self-certify their information and does not collect any additional documents unless conflicting information presents itself upon receipt of a FAFSA.
11. The BOG fee waiver is considered an award in the package of financial aid to cover the enrollment fees as assessed per the California Code of Education. The amount listed by Sierra College is currently $526.00 per semester for eligible students. However this could change if the fees are increased by legislative action. 
    For students who qualify under Method A or B, the health fee is covered by the BOG fee waiver. For Method A, B & C, 50% of the parking fee is also covered.
12. Students must provide documentation demonstrating eligibility for the Dependents of Law Enforcement or Fire Suppression Personnel Fee Waiver. Sierra College requires a letter from the appropriate public agency indicating that the student is the surviving spouse, registered domestic partner or the child, natural or adopted, of a deceased person who met all of the requirements of Education Code Section 68120 (5.6.1).
    
    The letter must be on agency letterhead and indicate for the deceased person, that:
    1. He or she was a resident of California;
    2. He or she was employed by a public agency;
    3. His or her principal duties consisted of active law enforcement service or active fire suppression and prevention;
    4. He or she was killed in the performance of active law enforcement or active fire suppression and prevention duties.
13. Sierra College establishes all students’ eligibility for the BOG fee waiver program the day the student’s application is complete unless conflicting or incomplete information is provided. The last day to establish eligibility for the BOG fee waiver for the fall, spring, and summer semesters is the last day of the summer semester.
14. Sierra College will reimburse students for fees if the student establishes BOG fee waiver eligibility after having paid the fees. Students have until the last day of the summer semester to request reimbursement for fall, spring and summer fees.

If Sierra College determines that a student is eligible for the BOGW fee waiver program at the time of application, and we later discover that they are ineligible, we will pursue the repayment of fees.

Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress

Federal regulations require that all financial aid recipients make satisfactory academic progress and remain in good academic standing. At Sierra College, academic progress is reviewed at the end of each semester. In addition, students who do not complete any units in the semester will be terminated from financial aid as soon as grades or withdrawals are available.

Determining Enrollment Status:

Prior to each financial aid disbursement, the Financial Aid Office will verify the number of units a student is enrolled in. For Fall 2011, you must be in all units by September 6, 2011. For Spring 2012, you must be in all units by February 6, 2012. For purposes of the federal satisfactory academic progress, units attempted mean the number of units the student is enrolled in at the time of disbursement for the semester.

In determining whether or not a student is making satisfactory academic progress, the student’s enrollment status is defined as the number of units the student was enrolled in at the time of the final disbursement for the semester.

To be considered fulltime in fall, spring and summer, a student must be enrolled in 12 or more units.

If the student is enrolled in 9 to 11.5 units for the semester, the student is considered to be 3/4 time.

If the student is enrolled in 6 to 8.5 units for the semester, the student is considered to be ½ time.

If the student is enrolled in .5 to 5.5 units for the semester, the student is considered to be less than half-time. The cost of attendance will be adjusted and the student is responsible to complete all units in which he’s enrolled.

Completed units means that credit was received for the enrolled units. Classes in which a student receives a grade of “F”, “I”, “NP”,”IP”, “MW”, or “W” will not be counted as completed classes for satisfactory academic progress, but will be counted as units attempted.

To be considered making satisfactory progress toward the educational goal, students must complete the minimum number of units required for their enrollment status (75% of all enrolled courses) with a 2.0 GPA or higher at the conclusion of each semester, as indicated below.

In all enrollment categories, the student is expected to maintain a 2.0 (C average) cumulative grade point average (GPA).

Units earned from credit by examination are not counted for financial aid purposes.

In the determination of enrollment status, it is permissible for a student to count units being taken concurrently at another college. A consortium agreement must be made between the two schools with one school designated as the primary school (from which the student receives financial aid) and the other school as the secondary school. Sierra College would enter into such an agreement if the other school is the primary school. On rare occasions, Sierra College will participate in a consortium agreement only as the primary school.

Because units taken at a proprietary school generally will not transfer, Sierra College will not enter into a consortium agreement with proprietary schools.

Maximum Time Length and 90 Unit Limitations:

Federal regulations allow students to receive aid for 150% of the published length of an undergraduate program. Sierra College publishes in its catalog that students can earn an AA Degree by completing 60 credits. Students at Sierra College, therefore, may receive aid for a maximum of 90 credit hours (60 credit hours X 150%=90 credit hours). Once a student has attempted 90 credit hours at Sierra College (including accepted transfer credits), she/he is no longer eligible to receive financial aid.

A student may receive financial aid until a total of 90 units have been attempted, regardless of how much aid has been received. Up to 30 units of remedial coursework and all ESL coursework will be deducted. A student who has been terminated from financial aid due to attempting over 90-units may appeal to the Financial Aid Advisory Committee, provided the student is eligible to enroll at Sierra College.

Once a student receives a 90 Unit approved Appeal, they may not change their degree program and continue to receive financial aid. The Financial Aid Office will always use the major declared by the student in Banner.

A student is allowed to transfer approximately 70 units to the four-year colleges and universities. It is the student’s responsibility to monitor the number of units they take so that they do not make themselves ineligible for transfer to their preferred college or university.

Repeated Course Work:

Effective July 1, 2011, per federal regulations, repeated coursework that falls under the following conditions cannot be included in a student's enrollment status for Title IV Federal Aid eligibility, including the Federal Pell Grant and Federal Stafford Loans:

• Repeating a previously passed course more than once. A course is considered passed if the student receives a grade of D or better.
• Repeating a previously passed course due to failing other coursework.

Details:

• Repeated enrollment that is not aid eligible will be excluded from the student's enrollment status for the term.
• Federal Title IV aid will be recalculated based on the student's adjusted enrollment status.
• This recalculation will be applied regardless of whether a student received aid for previous course enrollments.
• Some courses are repeatable per university policy and are not restricted by these regulations. Students will be notified if they are receiving Title IV aid and enrolled in non-repeatable coursework for a term.
• Waitlisted courses do not count toward official enrollment status for financial aid purposes.

Examples:

Example 1: A student is repeating a previously passed three credit hour course for the second time. The student is enrolled in a total of twelve credit hours for the term. Per federal regulations, the repeated course must be excluded from the student's Title IV enrollment status. Only nine of the student's twelve hours can be used to calculate his Title IV aid eligibility. The student's Federal Pell Grant will be reduced to reflect three quarter time instead of full-time enrollment.

Example 2: A student enrolls in four classes in the fall semester and passes only three of them; the institution requires the student to retake the failed class and also the other three classes because of failing the one class. When the student repeats all four classes in the spring semester, the failed class would be included in the student's enrollment status, but the three classes passed would not be. This less-than-half-time enrollment status would cause the Federal Pell Grant to be recalculated and any Federal Stafford Loans to be cancelled for the term.

Remedial (including ESL) Course Work:

Sierra College remedial and ESL courses are considered the same as credit courses for tuition, for full-time academic standing and for SAP. Credits for remedial and ESL course work are included in the calculation of the 75% completion requirement.

Financial aid may be paid for a maximum of 30 remedial units/credits.

Transfer Units

It is the student’s responsibility to request transcripts from previously attended institutions if the student chooses to apply any of those units toward the current educational objective. Upon the student’s request, transcripts from colleges accredited by one of the regional accrediting associations will be evaluated for use toward the student’s current educational objective. All units applicable toward the current education objective will be counted when calculating the maximum time frame for financial aid. By federal regulation, all units attempted, although earned before the student was receiving financial aid, will be considered toward the maximum time frame.

Definitions:

Good: A student is considered in good standing if they complete at least 75% of all units enrolled and earned a 2.0 GPA for the semester.

Warning: A student will be put into warning status if they fall below the 75% completion rate for the semester, but complete at least .5 units. A student will be removed from warning at the end of the next semester if they complete at least 75% of their units with a 2.0 GPA.

Termination: A student is terminated if they complete zero units or if they were on warning from a previous semester and then completed less than 75% of the courses for which aid was provided or their cumulative GPA was less than 2.0.

Probation: A student is placed on probation if they receive an approved Reinstatement Petition. A student may continue on probation if their CUM GPA is below a 2.0 but their term GPA is above a 2.0. This is considered making progress term-by-term. A student may be removed from probation if they complete at least 75% of their units and achieve a CUM GPA of 2.0. Reinstatement: A student may reinstate himself by completing a semester of at least 6 units on his own with at least a 2.0 term GPA. Students must notify the office once their grades are posted.

75% Completion rate: Students must pass at least 75% of their course work each semester.

NOTE: Students who are dismissed from the College are not able to receive financial aid. Refer to the Probation, Dismissal & Readmission section of your catalog.

NOTE: Pell Grants have a lifetime maximum of 18 semesters at full-time attendance. Anything less than full-time and your Pell Grant will be prorated.

Financial Aid Termination:

Students who have exceeded their maximum time frame (90 attempted units), have not completed the required number of units, or have a cumulative grade point average less than 2.0, will be terminated from financial aid. Students who have been terminated because of insufficient units completed or a grade point average deficiency will not receive further financial aid until they have either completed a semester of at least 6 units on their own with at least a 2.0 term GPA, or filed and received an approved Reinstatement Petition.

Appeal Procedures

Any student who has been terminated from financial aid may submit a written appeal to the Financial Aid Advisory Committee (FAAC). Each appeal will be reviewed and approved or denied based on the student’s individual circumstances and his or her proposed course of action. The decision can take as long as 6 weeks before a student would receive notification. If the written appeal is denied, the student may appeal that decision in writing to the Financial Aid Advisory Committee. This decision of the Financial Aid Advisory Committee is final.

A student who has reached the maximum time frame of 90 units attempted may submit a written appeal to the Financial Aid Advisory Committee. If approved for additional financial aid, the student will be given a specific length of time to complete his or her goal. If the student is dissatisfied with the decision of the Committee, he or she may make a written appeal to the Financial Aid Advisory Committee.

NOTE:

The Financial Aid Office will always monitor the declared major within the student system (Banner). If you ask that an SEP be done that is different than your declared Major, you will be asked to update that major using MySierra. You will not receive an SEP for a major that has not been officially declared. Your request for reinstatement or appeals will be denied.

Students who are on a 90 Unit Appeal may not change their major. Once a student has reached his goal using the SEP provided for his declared major, the student will not be eligible for future financial aid.

Students may only receive two approved Reinstatement Petitions while at Sierra College.

Students who are accepted into and attending the Nursing Program will not need to submit a 90 unit appeal. It will be granted automatically until the student either graduates from the Nursing Program or is no longer accepted in the program.

Fraud

A student who attempts to obtain financial aid by fraud will be referred to the Dean of Students for disciplinary action and suspended from financial aid for unsatisfactory conduct. The College will report such instances to local law enforcement agencies, to the California Student Aid Commission and/or to the Federal Government, Office of Inspector General. Restitution of any financial aid received in such a manner will be required.

Federal regulations for financial aid require that students who withdraw from all their classes before the 60% point of the semester must return part of their financial aid funds to the U.S. Department of Education because the money is unearned if a student is not enrolled in classes.

Withdrawing from classes can happen in two ways. Sierra College students can withdraw on their own, and instructors also have the choice of dropping a student who does not attend class. (Some instructors choose not to drop students even if they do not attend class.)

The Admissions Office publishes the withdrawal date for each semester as part of the school calendar. The Financial Aid Office will determine the amount of federal financial aid (Pell Grant, FSEOG, Federal Student Loans, and Parent Plus Loans) that a student earned as of the withdrawal date using federally approved methods to perform the calculations. The order in which Title IV program funds will be returned will follow the federal regulations as outlined in the Federal Student Aid Handbook.

Students will be notified by mail if they are required to repay any portion of the financial aid they received. Students are given 45 days to repay the amount to Sierra College. After 45 days, the student will owe either Sierra College for the institutional portion or the U.S. Department of Education directly.

Students who owe money to the U.S. Department of Education are ineligible to receive federal financial aid from any college or institution until they clear that debt.

Students will become eligible for federal financial aid only after they have repaid the full amount or made arrangements directly with the U.S. Department of Education. Sierra College does not make repayment agreements directly with students other than allowing students 45 days to repay the full amount owed.

Students who owe a repayment to the College will be allowed to pay the college directly. Any outstanding debt will block a student’s ability to enroll in courses.

If a student receives an “F” in a course, the instructor will annotate the last date of attendance on the grade sheet and/or indicate that the “F” was an earned grade. If it is discovered that the “F” was due to withdrawal, then Sierra College will calculate the return of aid as necessary.

Sierra College makes several financial aid resources available to its students including state, federal, and local funds. Some funds are need-based, meaning the funds go to the most financially needy students who qualify first. There are also non-need-based funds which are available to any students who qualify for the programs regardless of their income or that of their parents. Please refer to the Financial Aid Office’s webpage for detailed information.

Need-based programs include Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), subsidized student loans, work-study, Board of Governor’s Fee Waiver Program (BOGW), Cal Grant, and some scholarships.

Non-need-based programs include unsubsidized student loans, parent loans, alternative loans, and some scholarships.

Students who would like to be considered for financial aid must apply using either the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the BOGW. Both forms can be found on the Financial Aid Office’s website or by following the hyperlink above. Some financial aid resources require a student to submit additional application materials; scholarships, for example, might have a completely separate form to submit to the funding agency. The Financial Aid Office is not responsible for the application process of outside resources like non-Sierra College scholarships, although all students are encouraged to apply for scholarships that might contribute to their financial resources while attending college.

All financial aid is disbursed to students through the Bursar’s Office. Financial aid funds will first reduce any debts students owe Sierra College. Any remaining balance will go directly to the students by the disbursement method selected by the student (Sallie Mae Debit Card, direct deposit, or paper check). Debit Cards and checks will be mailed to the mailing address on file with Admission and Records.

The first disbursement of financial aid (grants, federal student loans, and scholarships) to eligible students will be the week following the add/drop period. For Fall and Spring, this will be the end of the third week of the semester. For students who apply or complete their files after the third week, financial aid is usually ordered once a week. Orders are done early Monday morning and direct deposit is usually completed by Friday evening of that week. New debit cards and paper checks will take much longer since they must be mailed to the students by Sallie Mae Business Solutions.

Pell Grants must be paid at the level of units you are enrolled in at the end of the add/drop period for the semester. Check the academic calendar for the exact date for Fall and Spring. If you add a class after the add/drop deadline, you cannot be paid Pell for the additional units.

Federal Direct Student Loans are issued in two disbursements. If your loan covers Fall and Spring, your second disbursement will be available the third week of the Spring Semester as long as you are eligible and are enrolled in 6 or more units. If your loan covers only one semester, your second disbursement will be available after the withdraw deadline has passed as long as you are still enrolled in 6 or more units. Check the academic calendar for the withdraw deadline.

If you are a first-time, first-year borrower, Federal regulations require that you wait until 30 days after the semester has begun to receive your first disbursement. For information about the second disbursement, read the previous paragraph.

Scholarships are issued in two disbursements – half for Fall and half for Spring.

For alternative loans: The loan is disbursed one disbursement per semester.

As a service to students and in order to comply with federal regulations, several campus offices coordinate and track consumer information.

Alcohol and Drug Abuse Resources

Sierra College’s Health Services Clinic provides alcohol and drug abuse resources. This includes educational programming, peer health education programs, resources and counseling, as well as referrals to community service agency counseling and rehabilitation programs. You may receive additional information at their website.

Student Right to Know Act

Admissions and Records coordinates disseminating the information for the Student Right to Know Act based on data obtained from Institutional Research. In accordance with the Student Right to Know Act, Sierra College includes information regarding completion, graduation, and applicable transfer out rates. This information is maintained at the Chancellor’s California Community Data Mart. 
http://www.cccco.edu/ ...

Campus Security Report

Campus Security prepares the annual security report and posts the results on their website. In addition to the annual report, you will find

Whistleblower Protection and Anti-Retaliation Law – nothing in the law shall be construed to permit an institution to take retaliatory action against anyone with respect to the implementation of any provision of the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act.

Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act

The Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act is prepared by the Athletics Department. The college is required to provide disclosure of athletic program participation rates and financial support data as part of the Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA). This information is available to the student online by accessing a Department of Education website at http://ope.ed.gov/athletics/.

FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 ensure students certain rights with respect to their educational records. They are:

• The right to inspect and review the student’s educational records within 15 days of the day the college receives a request for access.
• The right to request the amendment of the student’s educational records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading.
• The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s educational records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
• The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Sierra College to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

Each time staff gives information about a student to anyone, staff must:

• Have a record of the request for access and each disclosure of student information.
• Make sure the record identifies the parties who requested the information and their basis for such request.
• Make sure the record disclosures must remain in the file for as long as the educational records are maintained.

Each educational institution decides which loan programs it will make available to its students. Sierra College offers a variety of loans to students who qualify. However, Sierra College will not process any request for loans without the student first completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). We wish to make sure that students first qualify for grants before loans are processed.

Private loans are not guaranteed by the federal government. Private loans may cost more than federal loans. Private or supplemental student loans may only be processed once a FAFSA is completed and the loan amount cannot exceed the cost of education at Sierra College.

Sierra College is a low-cost community college that grants certificates, two-year associate degrees, and prepares students for transfer to four-year universities for bachelor’s degrees. Students who default on their student loans affect Sierra College’s ability to participate in the financial aid programs once the institution’s default rate reaches certain levels. Sierra College will suspend processing loans if a student’s debt reaches $22,000 until they complete a new Student Education Plan and the EdWise test. Students should not use all their loan eligibility at a two-year school. It’s important to have some eligibility left for use at a 4-year college so academic goals can be reached.

Sierra College participates in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Stafford Loan Program (Direct Loans) which is one of the Federal Title IV Programs.

It is the philosophy of the Financial Aid Program at Sierra College that loans should be taken out as the last alternative for financing a student's education. It is also recognized that in many cases, a student loan may be the only viable alternative for meeting educational expenses.

Direct Loan Packaging Policy

A statement will be included on the Financial Aid Award Notification through mySierra indicating that the student may be eligible for student loans and those wanting more information are instructed to contact the Financial Aid Office.

First-year students who have unmet need after all other financial aid has been awarded, may borrow a subsidized Direct Loan up to the amount of their unmet need or $3,500, whichever is less. Second-year students may borrow a subsidized Direct Loan up to the amount of their unmet need, or $4,500, whichever is less. Sierra College identifies a first-year student as one who has completed less than twenty-four units toward his or her current educational program and a second-year student as one who has completed 24 or more units toward the current educational program.

NOTE: Sierra College does not adjust loan amounts for students who advance to the 2nd-year level during the academic year.

Also, loan amounts must be prorated for students with only one semester remaining to complete the requirements of the educational program. Prorating also applies to a student who has a one semester extension of financial aid eligibility approved. This means that if you have loan eligibility for the academic year of $4,000.00, we will only process half of this amount for the one semester loan.

Students who do not have sufficient “unmet need” to borrow the annual maximum from the subsidized Direct Loan may replace the expected family contribution with an unsubsidized Direct Loan. Students who have no “unmet need” may borrow up to the annual loan limits from the unsubsidized Direct Loan. Such students will be sent an email through their mySierra student account, explaining that they have no calculated need and informing them of the availability of the unsubsidized Direct Loan. Dependent students may apply for up to $2,000 in additional unsubsidized loans. Independent students may apply for up to $6,000 in additional unsubsidized loans.

Application Procedure and Disbursements

Students who have not previously borrowed a Direct Loan from Sierra College must complete the Direct Loan Entrance Counseling session online. Each online session will cover those topics specified by federal regulation including borrower rights and responsibilities, repayment options, and consolidation issues. Students may access the Direct Loan Entrance Counseling session from the Financial Aid home page.
Proceed to the Direct Loan site; complete the counseling session and quiz. Students must have a completed a FAFSA before a Direct Loan Application will be accepted.

NOTE: As part of our default management, students who are placed on Financial Aid probation after being Reinstated to financial aid, or those who have a cumulative GPA of less than 2.0 will need to retake the Direct Loan Entrance Counseling session each semester they remain on probation.

Also, students who are Reinstated to financial aid for the second time will not be allowed to receive loans. They will be approved for grants only.

Students receiving Direct Loans for both Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 will receive one-half of the loan proceeds in the Fall semester and the other half during the Spring semester. The second disbursement will occur only after the fall grades have been reviewed. Direct loans for first-time borrowers (defined as anyone who has not previously had an educational loan while attending Sierra College) will be disbursed at least thirty days after the semester begins. All Direct Loan proceeds will be disbursed using the Sallie Mae options described previously.

The aggregate loan limits for undergraduate dependent students are $31,000 (no more than $23,000 of which can be subsidized) and the aggregate loan limits for undergraduate independent students are $57,000 (no more than $23,000 of which can be subsidized).

Sierra College defines the loan period based on the semester a student requests the loan. The loan period can either be an academic year (fall and spring semesters) or a single semester (fall, spring or summer). If a student receives loans from another school within the same loan period, then we must consider all loans received and certify only the remaining loan eligibility.

Every student loan borrower is required to complete an exit interview at the conclusion of their academic stay with Sierra College. Students will be required to complete the exit counseling online.

Sierra College is required to document students online entrance interviews and exit interviews to demonstrate that Sierra College has complied with the U.S. Department of Education’s requirements.

Financial Eligibility

In cases of extenuating circumstances affecting a student’s financial eligibility, the student or the student’s parent can request special consideration by submitting the Special Conditions Appeal form. The forms can be obtained from the Financial Aid Office or by downloading it from the financial aid website.

A student or a student’s parent should consider requesting review of the student’s eligibility if either experience:

1. Loss of employment
2. Lost of income due to retirement
3. Loss of income due to divorce or legal separation
4. Loss of income due to death of a spouse or parent
5. Loss of untaxed income or benefits
6. One-time income (winnings from gambling will not be considered)
7. Loss or hardship due to disability or natural disaster.
8. Discharge from active military duty

The documentation required in each case is listed on the Special Conditions Appeal form.

Dependency Override

A dependent student can request to be considered independent by submitting a Dependency Override Request form. The form is available from the Financial Aid Office or by downloading it from the financial aid website. The required documentation is listed on the Dependency Override Request form.

Issues of professional judgment are reviewed by the Financial Aid Manager for final determination.

Cal Grants are awarded by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC). There are three different Cal Grants.

Cal Grant A is awarded to students who will be attending one of the 4-year colleges or universities in California based on financial need and GPA. If a student is selected for a possible Cal Grant A while attending Sierra College, that award will be held on reserve until the student transfers to a 4-year college or university.

The Cal Grant B Program is intended to help students from low-income families. At Sierra College, Cal Grant B awards are a maximum of $1,551 per academic year for students enrolled in 12 or more units. The award is less for students enrolled in 6 to 11.5 units.

The Cal Grant C Program is for students in vocational/technical programs only and may not be used to pursue a four-year degree. The Cal Grant C is a maximum of $576 per academic year at a community college for students enrolled in 12 or more units. The award is less for students enrolled in 6 to 11.5 units.

Each category of Cal Grants may be renewed but each has a different renewable policy:

• Cal Grant C is for a maximum of 2 years
• Cal Grant B is determined by CSAC based on where the student is in their college career at the time of the Cal Grant award.
  • Can be awarded for 1 to 4 years.
  • The number of years depends on how many units a student takes per semester.
  • Example: A student taking 6 units for fall and spring will extend the years of eligibility because they end up using only 50% of their eligibility per year if they are half-time.

Cal Grants are automatically renewed until eligibility is exhausted or the student is no longer eligible based on the results of a current Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

To apply for a Cal Grant, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and turn in any additional documentation needed to complete the file. In addition, students must have their GPAs sent to the California Student Aid Commission:

• Sierra College will automatically send GPA’s to CSAC for the March 2nd deadline for students who have completed at least 24 “degree credit” units at Sierra by the end of the Fall semester. Before the September 2nd community college deadline, Sierra College will automatically send GPA’s to CSAC for students who have completed at least 24 “degree credit” units at Sierra by the end of Summer Session. 
  
  
• Students who have completed at least 12 total units at Sierra through fall before the March 2nd deadline and through summer before the Sept 2nd deadline but who have attended other colleges must take the GPA Verification form (available in the Financial Aid Office) to Admissions and Records. Be sure to plan ahead. Transcripts must be on file and it takes time to calculate the GPA and certify the form.
  
  
• Students who have not yet completed 24 units of “degree credit” coursework, must have the GPA Verification form filled out by their high school. In this case, also, the student is advised to plan ahead.
  
  
• For complete instructions on submitting your GPA or appropriate test scores, contact the Financial Aid office.

Both the FAFSA and the GPA Verification form must be mailed by March 2nd to meet the Cal Grant deadline. If you miss that deadline, there is still another chance (although much less of one) to qualify for a Cal Grant provided that both forms are submitted by September 2nd, the Community College deadline.