Oct 13, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Financial Information


Veterans Benfits and Transition Act of 2018

Muskingum University permits any student veteran who receives the GI Bill Chapter 31 or Chapter 33 to attend or participate in courses of education during the period beginning on the date of which the individual provides to the educational institutional a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance under Chapter 31 or 33 and ending on the earlier of the following dates:

  • The date on which payment from the VA is made to the institution
  • 90 days after the date the institution certified tuition and fees following the receipt of the COE

Muskingum University ensures no penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that a covered individual borrow additional funds, on any covered individual because of the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the financial institution due to the delayed disbursement of funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs under Chapter 31 or 33.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Satisfactory Academic Progress toward a degree is monitored per term. Review of progress takes place at the end of each term. For traditional undergraduate students this includes the fall and spring terms (and summer, if attended). For Muskingum Adult Program and graduate students, the review takes place following summer, fall and spring terms.  

SAP Requirements 

To be eligible for financial aid at Muskingum University, students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), based on federal, state, and institutional requirements. There are three parts to SAP: 

1. Meeting a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA)- (Qualitative) 

2. Earning a minimum number of credits per semester (pace of progression)- (Quantitative)  

3. Completing the degree within a maximum time frame -(Quantitative) 

The qualitative component of the SAP policy is the same as the institution’s academic standards policy and applies to all students. The SAP policy is stricter than the institution’s academic standards policy, as it also includes quantitative components (pace of progression and maximum time frame). 

SAP requirements are applicable to federal financial assistance (including Federal Pell Grant, Federal Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant, Federal TEACH Grant, Federal Work-Study, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal Direct Loans and Federal Direct PLUS Loans) and Muskingum University aid. Programs run by state or private agencies are governed by the specific policies of those agencies. 

All financial aid offers are made contingent on students making SAP. If the University makes an award and subsequently discovers that academic progress was not made, the award will be withdrawn.  

Decisions regarding SAP are made by the Financial Aid Committee on Academic Progress. This 

committee consists of representatives from the Student Financial Services Office and the Provost Office.  

Qualitative Component 

Undergraduate students must have achieved the stipulated minimum grade-point average in accordance with the categories of credit hours attempted: 

 

Credit Hours Attempted                                Required Cumulative GPA 

1-27                                                                                                      1.2 

28-59                                                                                                    1.5 

60-91                                                                                                    1.8 

92+                                                                                                        2.0 

 

Muskingum uses an escalating GPA qualitative assessment rather than a fixed 2.0 cumulative GPA requirement for students who have junior class standing (60-91 credit hours earned). This allows students in their junior year, whose GPAs (Grade Point Average) (Grade Point Average) are between 1.8 and 1.999, the opportunity to improve their GPA while taking courses in their preferred field of study. Because of this, a student of junior standing may be meeting the quantitative and qualitative component of SAP but may not be meeting the University’s 2.0 GPA requirement for graduation.  

A degree audit is performed by the Registrar’s Office for all undergraduate students of junior class standing whose cumulative GPA is at least 1.80 but below 2.0.  The degree audit explains the remaining courses that are required for completion of the degree based on the student’s major, and indicates the necessary overall GPA required in these remaining courses to achieve both the overall graduation and major GPA requirements.  

Quantitative Component (Pace of Progression and Maximum Time Frame) 

A student’s pace of progression (or class completion rate) is evaluated at the end of every term to ensure that the student completes a program of study within a maximum time frame. Students must successfully complete 67% of all coursework attempted at Muskingum to meet the quantitative SAP requirement. Muskingum University considers four years of full-time study as the standard time frame to complete a baccalaureate degree program, and thus limits financial aid eligibility to six years of full-time study, which is 150% of the program length. A student who successfully completes at least 67% of their attempted coursework each semester will complete their degree requirements within the 150% time frame. Appropriate considerations are made for students whose standard program length is greater than four years, and for students who enroll part-time. 

The following are considered when evaluating quantitative requirements: 

  • Undergraduate students in programs requiring 124 credit hours for graduation are eligible for financial aid during the first 186 attempted hours as an undergraduate (150% time frame). All attempted hours are counted, whether financial aid was received, or the coursework was successfully completed.  
  • An attempted course is one for which the student is registered at the end of the add/drop period.  
  • Withdrawals, incompletes, and failures are considered attempted but not earned hours. Courses where credits are not calculated as attempted hours toward a degree are exempt from the SAP calculation. Audited courses are not considered attempted or earned.  
  • Repeated coursework will count toward the maximum time frame. Students may repeat a previously passed course one time and still be eligible for financial aid. Students may repeat a course they withdrew from or failed and still receive financial aid provided SAP requirements are still being met. Repeated courses are included in the calculation of both attempted and earned hours.  
  • Passing credits received for pass/fail courses are considered attempted and earned credits; failing grades in pass/fail courses are considered attempted but not earned.  
  • Transfer credits, including those received prior to entering Muskingum University and those earned after entry, such as in off-campus study, do not count in the calculation of the GPA, but are included in the calculation of both attempted and earned credit hours. Transfer hours are not counted in the calculation of maximum time frame. 
  • A change of major does not typically affect the calculation of SAP and maximum time frame. In an appeal situation a change of major(s) may be considered as a special circumstance in the calculation of maximum time frame. 
Incomplete Grades 

If a student is not meeting SAP requirements because of an incomplete grade, the student’s financial aid will be suspended (provided the student was warned in a prior semester) until the grade is changed. Student progress on incomplete grades is monitored throughout the semester. Students whose incomplete grades change are reviewed for SAP at that time. 

Repeated Courses 

Undergraduate students may repeat a previously passed course once if the original grade is a C- or lower. Both grades of a repeated course will remain on the student’s transcript but only the most recent grade is used in computing the GPA. 

Muskingum University does not offer noncredit remedial courses. 

Course Withdrawals 

Undergraduate students may withdrawal from full semester courses through the 50th day of the semester, and from partial semester offerings until the course is three-fourths completed. Withdrawals are not permitted after the specified time. Withdrawals are considered attempted but not earned hours. 

SAP Requirements for Undergraduate Students Pursuing a Second Degree 

To obtain a second bachelor’s degree in a major different from that of the first degree conferred, a student must develop a plan of study comprised of at least 30 semester hours of courses that do not duplicate those constituting the majors of the first degree. The student must successfully complete at least 30 semester hours in residence at Muskingum beyond the first degree, including a capstone experience and half of the hours for the major. 

Satisfactory Academic Progress review will only cover coursework completed towards the additional degree. A minimum grade point average of 2.00 or above must be earned for all coursework presented in the new program. 

To meet the quantitative Satisfactory Academic Progress requirement, students must successfully complete 67% of all coursework, and financial aid is limited to 150% of the time required to complete the degree program. 

Graduate Students 

Qualitative Requirements 

All graduate students at Muskingum University must have at least a 3.0 GPA to remain in good academic standing and to graduate. Higher grade or GPA standards mandated by individual graduate programs or by licensure requirements, however, take precedence over university minimum standards. The GPA requirement for SAP is 3.0. Students below a 3.0 GPA after their first year of full-time enrollment will need to meet with their academic advisor to ensure they can achieve a 3.0 required for graduation. 

Graduate students who enroll in a second-degree program or enroll in additional licensure/endorsement programs will be reviewed for SAP in each program. Credits and the GPA earned in completed or inactive programs are not counted towards SAP when reviewing progress in the current program. 

Quantitative Requirements             

A student’s pace of progression is evaluated at the end of every term. Graduate students must successfully complete 67% of all coursework attempted each semester at Muskingum. Degree, licensure, and endorsement programs must be completed within a maximum time frame, 150% of the average credits to complete the program.  

Students may repeat graduate courses with permission of their academic advisor. While the transcript will record both grades, only the second grade will be included in the calculation of the grade point average unless the second grade is I, WIP (Work in Progress) or W. Students may not register for any one course more than two times. 

SAP Statuses (Undergraduate and Graduate) 

Warning Period 

Academic progress is reviewed at the end of each academic semester. If it is determined during the review that the student is not meeting SAP, they will be placed in financial aid warning status. Students in financial aid warning will be eligible to receive financial aid during the warning period. Students will receive notification of their warning status via their Muskingum e-mail account. Students in warning status who do not meet SAP requirements after their next enrollment period will be placed on SAP suspension and will not be eligible for federal, state, and institutional aid. 

Financial Aid Suspension 

Students in suspension status will be mailed a letter to the home address on file with the University, explaining the reason(s) they are not meeting SAP. Future enrollment will be at the student’s own expense until both qualitative and/or quantitative academic progress guidelines are met unless the student submits an acceptable appeal.  

Financial Aid Probation 

Students who have submitted an acceptable appeal will be placed on financial aid probation. Students are eligible for financial aid during the probationary period. More information regarding financial aid probation is provided below.  

Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Information 

Students on Financial Aid Suspension may appeal their status to be considered for Financial Aid Probation. To appeal, students must complete the following: 

Appeal Letter and Academic Plan 

A form is provided to students to assist them with completing the process. Students are required to meet with their academic adviser. On the form students must indicate why they failed to make SAP and what has changed that will allow them to make SAP at the next evaluation. Students must be able to document mitigating circumstances that occurred during the semester in question that could not have been anticipated prior to that period, and that adversely affected their ability to successfully complete their required coursework. Events such as the death or hospitalization of a family member, extended illness suffered by the student, or other unforeseeable events that may have caused significant hardship for the student, may be considered as examples of mitigating circumstances.  

Students submit the form to the Student Financial Services Office. It may be mailed to Muskingum University, Student Financial Services, 260 Stadium Drive, New Concord, OH 43762-1837. The appeal may also be e-mailed to finaid@muskingum.edu. 

After Submitting Your Appeal and Academic Plan  

Appeals will be reviewed by the Financial Aid Committee on Academic Progress. Many extenuating factors are reviewed during an appeal review. The factors listed below will be considered, as well as other information that the student provides: 

  • Whether the student can meet the SAP requirements after successful completion of the next semester of enrollment. 
  • Whether the student is successfully following their academic plan (if required) and is making progress under that plan 
  • Validity of the reasons for failing to meet the SAP standards 
  • Resolution of the problems leading up to failure to meet the standards 
  • Prior academic history 
  • Meetings with the student’s academic advisor and usage of the Student Success Center 
  • Number of previous suspensions and reinstatements. 
  • Student’s demonstrated motivation to succeed 
  • Quality of appeal and supporting documentation 

Students will be notified through their Muskingum e-mail of the results of the appeal. Students with questions about their appeal may contact Student Financial Services at 70-826-8139. 

Students whose appeals have been approved by the Committee will be placed on Financial Aid Probation status. A student may continue to receive financial assistance during the probationary period. At the end of the probationary period the student will either be removed from probation because the student is meeting SAP standards, remain on probation because the student is meeting the requirements of their academic plan (although still not meeting SAP requirements), or the student will be placed on suspension because standards are not met. Students placed in a subsequent suspension status have the option to appeal; however, the Committee may not accept appeals with similar circumstances as appeals submitted during prior terms. Students whose appeals are not approved will be placed in suspension status. 

Students who are in suspension status may use one or more of the following payment options while attempting to regain SAP: 

  1. Student’s own resources 
  1. Muskingum University Payment Plan 
  1. Private Loan (with approved credit) 

Reinstatement of financial aid eligibility will occur immediately upon the student’s attainment of both the quantitative and/or qualitative benchmarks of SAP. Coursework taken at a school other than Muskingum may count toward meeting the quantitative requirement, but not the qualitative requirement. 

Academic Plan Status 

A student on an approved academic plan will have his/her status reviewed after each academic term to ensure they are successfully following the plan. Students who are meeting their academic plan will still be eligible for financial aid. If the student does not meet the plan requirements (and is not meeting SAP) at any time, financial aid eligibility will be revoked for the subsequent term and placed in suspension status. The student can appeal the suspension status. Students following an academic plan can exceed the maximum time frame requirements. 

SAP statuses are maintained in Colleague on the FASI screen. Record of appeals is also maintained in Colleague. 

Withdrawals/Return to Title IV Policy

Muskingum University Refund Policy (Including Return to Title IV funds)   

Undergraduate 

Students withdrawing/LOA prior to the beginning of an academic term, or during the add/drop period of that term, receive 100% refund of tuition, fee, and room charges (less deposit), and pro-rated board charges based on meals eaten. An early withdrawal fee of $100.00 will be assessed.  

Students departing the University after the term begins, for whatever reason, are recognized as having withdrawn on the date on which the withdrawal process is initiated with the institution. This date will be used for the Federal Return to Title IV calculation. Students who withdraw or take a leave of absence from Muskingum University for any reason after the start of an academic term, or who are dismissed in mid-semester, are entitled to a refund of charges according to the following policy.   

Financial aid awards to students who withdraw or take a leave of absence after the beginning of a term are recalculated on a basis consistent with written University and federal/state policies governing student financial aid in a withdrawal situation. If any portion of a student’s charges is to be refunded due to withdrawal, an adjustment must be made to the student’s financial aid, since the family contribution must be applied first toward applicable charges. In cases where financial aid awards must be adjusted, the proper amount of student aid is returned to the appropriate fund. The federal recalculation is based on a percent of earned aid for students who withdraw or take a leave of absence prior to completing 60% of a semester. The percentage of earned aid is equal to the number of days completed up to the withdrawal date divided by total days in the semester (scheduled breaks of 5 days or more are excluded from the calculation). The federal aid to be returned (unearned aid) is equal to [100% - percent earned] times the total amount of federal aid disbursed toward institutional charges. 

If the Federal Return to Title IV calculation indicates a refund is due to the student, the refund will be paid by check within 14 days (about 2 weeks). If the Federal Return to Title IV calculation results in an amount to be returned to a Federal Financial Aid Program, that exceeds the school’s portion, the student is required to repay the remaining funds. Any outstanding loans are repaid by the student according to the terms of the student’s promissory note. Students with an overpayment resulting from federal grants will be responsible to the school to make restitution for the overpayment. Title IV Grants funds are repaid if the amount by which the original overpayment exceeds 50% of the total Title IV grant funds disbursed or could have been disbursed to the student for the semester. If the amount is less than $50.00, the student is not responsible for returning funds to Title IV grant programs. The balance due is the student’s responsibility and will appear on the student’s next billing statement and payment will be expected in a reasonable time.  

Federal Title IV funds are returned to their respective accounts in the following order: Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford Loans, Federal Direct PLUS Loans, Federal Pell Grants, Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants and TEACH grants. State grants are refunded according to the guidelines of the specific state agency. Institutional aid is adjusted at the same rate as the percentage of tuition refund. Funds due to be returned to the Department of Education are returned within 10 business days. The Department of Education requires funds to be returned within 45 days (about 1 and a half months). 

If a student withdraws prior to their federal aid being disbursed and the federal aid could have been disbursed, a post-withdrawal disbursement will be made. If the post withdrawal disbursement indicates that a disbursement of grant funds is due, the funds are automatically applied to the student’s account. If the application of grant funds to the account creates a credit balance, then a refund will be issued to the student within 14 days (about 2 weeks) of disbursement. If the post withdrawal disbursement calculation indicates that a disbursement is due from loan funds- the student is sent a letter within 3 business days notifying them of the amount available. If the student wants the loan funds disbursed to their account, they are given 14 days (about 2 weeks) to request the disbursement by calling the Student Financial Services Office.  

In determining if the aid could have been disbursed the following conditions must have been met: 

  • Pell Grant- Official ISIR received before withdrawal and student meets all other eligibility criteria. 
  • TEACH Grant- Official ISIR received before withdrawal and a valid Agreement to Serve and Counseling was completed before the withdrawal date 
  • Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant: The grant was awarded to the student before the withdrawal date. 
  • Federal Direct Loan and Federal Direct PLUS Loan- The loan had been originated before withdrawal and a Master Promissory Note was signed before the withdrawal date. 

Students who officially withdrawal, take a leave of absence (LOA) from Muskingum University (which is also considered an official withdrawal- see the Muskingum University catalog for LOA eligibility requirements) for any reason after the start of an academic term, or who are dismissed in mid-semester, are entitled to a refund of charges according to the following policy: 

Withdrawal/LOA after the add/drop period will result in a refund of tuition, fees, and room charges (less deposit) according to the following schedule:   

o within the first seven (7) days following the add/drop period - 60% 

o within the next fourteen (14) days - 40% 

o within the next fourteen (14) days - 20% 

o thereafter, no refund of tuition, fees, or room charges (including deposit)   

Board charges will be refunded based upon the following formula: [Number of weeks remaining in the term divided by the number of weeks in the term, rounded down to the nearest 10%] times [Plan board charge for the term] = refund A board week will be considered earned on each Monday’s reconciliation between Campus Services and Student Affairs.   

An appeal process is available for students or parents who believe that individual circumstances warrant exception from this published policy. Appeals should be directed to the Vice President of Enrollment.   

Note: Provisions explained above are subject to final interpretation of federal Return of Funds regulations for federal Title IV financial aid   
Effective August 29, 2010. Updated March 2, 2023. 

 Adult Degree Completers (MAP) 

Students withdrawing or taking a leave of absence prior to the beginning of an academic term, or during the add/drop period of that term, receive a 100% refund of tuition. 

Students departing the University after the add/drop period, for whatever reason, are recognized as having withdrawn. The student is considered as officially withdrawn on the date the student initiated the withdrawal process with the Graduate and Continuing Studies Office or their academic advisor This date will be used for purposes of financial aid Return to Title IV calculations (i.e., returning federal funds to the Department of Education). Students who stop attending all classes without earning a passing grade are considered unofficially withdrawn from the term and will have their aid recalculated according to the Federal Return to Title IV policy. 

Financial aid awards to students who withdraw or take a leave of absence after the beginning of a term are recalculated on a basis consistent with written University and federal/state policies governing student financial aid in a withdrawal situation. The federal recalculation is based on a percent of earned aid for students who withdraw or take a leave of absence prior to completing 60% of a semester. The percentage of earned aid is equal to the number of days completed up to the withdrawal date divided by total days in the semester (scheduled breaks of 5 days or more are excluded from the calculation). The federal aid to be returned (unearned aid) is equal to [100% - percent earned] times the total amount of federal aid disbursed toward institutional charges. 

Federal Title IV funds are returned to their respective accounts in the following order: Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, Federal Direct Subsidized Loan, Federal Direct PLUS Loan, Federal Pell Grant, Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant and Federal TEACH Grant. State grants are refunded according to the guidelines of the specific state agency. Funds due to be returned to the Department of Education are returned within 10 business days. The Department of Education requires funds to be returned within 45 days (about 1 and a half months). 

If the R2T4 calculation indicates a refund is due to the student, the refund will be paid by check within 14 days (about 2 weeks). If the R2T4 calculation results in an amount to be returned to a Federal Financial Aid Program, that exceeds the school’s portion, the student is required to repay the remaining funds.  Any outstanding loans are repaid by the student according to the terms of the student’s promissory note. Students with an overpayment resulting from federal grants will be responsible to the school to make restitution for the overpayment. Title IV Grants funds are repaid if the amount by which the original overpayment exceeds 50% of the total Title IV grant funds disbursed or could have been disbursed to the student for the semester. If the amount is less than $50.00, the student is not responsible for returning funds to Title IV grant programs. The balance due is the student’s responsibility and will appear on the student’s next billing statement and payment will be expected in a reasonable time.  

If a student withdraws prior to their federal aid being disbursed and the federal aid could have been disbursed, a post-withdrawal disbursement will be made. If the post withdrawal disbursement indicates that a disbursement is of grant funds is due, the funds are automatically applied to the student’s account. If the application of grant funds to the account creates a credit balance, then a refund will be issued to the student within 14 days (about 2 weeks) of disbursement. 

If the post withdrawal disbursement calculation indicates that a disbursement is due from loan funds- the student is sent a letter within 3 business days notifying them of the amount available. If the student wants the loan funds disbursed to their account, they are given 14 days (about 2 weeks) to request the disbursement by calling the Student Financial Services Office.  

In determining if the aid could have been disbursed the following conditions must have been met: 

  • Pell Grant- Official ISIR (Institutional Student Information Record) received before withdrawal and student meets all other eligibility criteria. 
  • TEACH Grant- Official ISIR received before withdrawal and a valid Agreement to Serve and Counseling was completed before the withdrawal date 
  • Federal Direct Loan and Federal Direct PLUS Loan - The loan was originated before withdrawal and a Master Promissory Note was signed before the withdrawal date. 

An appeal process is available for students or parents who believe that individual circumstances warrant exception from this published policy. Appeals should be directed to the Director of Student Financial Services. 
Note: Provisions explained above are subject to final interpretation of federal Return of Funds regulations for federal Title IV financial aid. 

Effective August 29, 2010. Updated March 2, 2023. 

Graduate 

Students who wish to withdraw from a class may do so any time prior to the last day of class. Students who withdraw from some or all classes following the end of the add/drop period are responsible for paying all tuition and fees for the courses. Financial aid awards to graduate students who withdraw from all classes after the end of the add/drop period but prior to the completion of 60% of the session will have their federal financial aid adjusted in accordance with federal regulations. Graduate students who wish to withdraw from a class after the add/drop period must submit a written request to the Vice President of Graduate and Continuing Studies. Graduate students who withdraw from a course receive a grade of “W,” which is not included in the GPA (Grade Point Average) computation. 

Financial aid awards to students who withdraw or take a leave of absence after the beginning of a term are recalculated on a basis consistent with written University and federal/state policies governing student financial aid in a withdrawal situation. The federal recalculation is based on a percent of earned aid for students who withdraw or take a leave of absence prior to completing 60% of a semester. The percentage of earned aid is equal to the number of days completed up to the withdrawal date divided by total days in the semester (scheduled breaks of 5 days or more are excluded from the calculation). The federal aid to be returned (unearned aid) is equal to [100% - percent earned] times the total amount of federal aid disbursed toward institutional charges. 

Federal Title IV funds are returned to their respective accounts in the following order: Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, Federal Direct PLUS Loan, and Federal TEACH Grant. Funds due to be returned to the Department of Education are returned within 10 business days. The Department of Education requires funds to be returned within 45 days (about 1 and a half months). 

If the R2T4 calculation indicates a refund is due to the student, the refund will be paid by check within 14 days (about 2 weeks). If the R2T4 calculation results in an amount to be returned to a Federal Financial Aid Program, that exceeds the school’s portion, the student is required to repay the remaining funds.  Any outstanding loans are repaid by the student according to the terms of the student’s promissory note. Students with an overpayment resulting from federal grants will be responsible to the school to make restitution for the overpayment. Title IV Grants funds are repaid if the amount by which the original overpayment exceeds 50% of the total Title IV grant funds disbursed or could have been disbursed to the student for the semester. If the amount is less than $50.00, the student is not responsible for returning funds to Title IV grant programs. The balance due is the student’s responsibility and will appear on the student’s next billing statement and payment will be expected in a reasonable time. 

If a student withdraws prior to their federal aid being disbursed and the federal aid could have been disbursed, a post-withdrawal disbursement will be made. If the post withdrawal disbursement indicates that a disbursement of grant funds is due, the funds are automatically applied to the student’s account. If the application of grant funds to the account creates a credit balance, then a refund will be issued to the student within 14 days (about 2 weeks) of disbursement. 

If the post withdrawal disbursement calculation indicates that a disbursement is due from loan funds- the student is sent a letter within 3 business days notifying them of the amount available. If the student wants the loan funds disbursed to their account, they are given 14 days (about 2 weeks) to request the disbursement by calling the Student Financial Services Office. In determining if the aid could have been disbursed the following conditions must have been met: 

  • TEACH Grant- Official ISIR received before withdrawal and a valid Agreement to Serve and Counseling was completed before the withdrawal date 
  • Federal Direct Loan and Federal Direct PLUS Loan - The loan was originated before withdrawal and a Master Promissory Note was signed before the withdrawal date. 

An appeal process is available for students or parents who believe that individual circumstances warrant exception from this published policy. Appeals should be directed to the Director of Student Financial Services. 

Note: Provisions explained above are subject to final interpretation of federal Return of Funds regulations for federal Title IV financial aid. 

Effective August 29, 2010. Updated March 2, 2023. 

 

Unofficial Withdrawals

Federal law (34 CFR 668.22(a)(1)) requires institutions to monitor the grades of students who received all Fs in their semester coursework to determine if the student stopped attending all classes before completing 60% of the semester; thus, unofficially withdrawing from their courses.     

Based on Muskingum policy, students who withdraw from all courses during a semester, for any reason, will have their financial aid recalculated based on the Federal Return to Title IV regulations and Muskingum University Refund Policy. This means that if it is determined that a student unofficially withdrew from all courses before the 60% point of the semester, their financial aid will be re-calculated based on the last date of attendance.   

To determine the last date of attendance, at the end of each semester, the Student Financial Services staff will review any student who receives no passing grades and follow-up with faculty to determine if the student received the grade because they stopped attending/participating in class or if they earned the failing grade. Reports from faculty are reviewed to determine the latest date of the student’s participation in an academically related activity. This date is then used as the unofficial withdraw date for the Federal Return to Title IV calculation. 

A student in this situation may not be eligible for all the federal aid they were initially receiving, thus only receiving a portion of their financial assistance; however, the student will be charged for the entire semester. This means that a student will owe a balance to the university and not be able to keep all their initial aid eligibility to reduce or cover the balance. It also means students in this situation cannot register for courses for an upcoming semester until the balance is paid in full. Students wishing to transfer to another school will not receive transcripts until the balance is paid. A 1% finance charge will be assessed monthly to a balance due until the balance is paid in full. If arrangements for payment are not made within 120 days (about 4 months), it will be placed with a collection agency.  

Effective August 29, 2010. Updated March 2, 2023.