MSFA - Registration Information

Registration Procedures

Graduate students will register for courses with the Executive Director prior to the start of each course.

Students registered for class(es) will be billed directly by Student Financial Services through a student’s CashNet account. Any student who has an account balance will not be allowed to register until the balance is paid. Questions regarding student bills should be directed to Student Financial Services. See the financial section for more information.

Course Withdrawal Policy

Withdrawal from a course is official when written notification is submitted to the program advisor. Nonattendance does not constitute an official withdrawal; students will be held responsible for all related tuition and fees.

Students who request to withdraw from a course will have the following action recorded on the transcript:

Refund Policy

The following schedules are used to determine the portion of tuition that will be refunded depending upon the date a student withdraws from a course. College policy does not allow retroactive withdrawals or refunds.

• Comprehensive fees are nonrefundable.
• Actual refund percentage depends on the official date of formal withdrawal.
• Students who receive financial aid and withdraw, or reduce credit load, will have an adjustment/reduction in their aid award and may be required to return a portion of the aid to Gordon College.

Grades/Grade Changes/Enrollment Discrepancies

Students are responsible for checking each term’s enrollment and grades on the my.gordon.edu website. Grade reports are not mailed to the student except by special request. Any discrepancy in enrollment should be reported to the Registrar’s Office immediately. Students who feel there may be an error in a grade should contact the faculty member within the first 30 days of the following semester. Requests for changes of final grades must be submitted by the instructor and received by the Registrar’s Office within the following semester. If the transcript reflects an enrollment discrepancy, the student must contact the Registrar’s Office within the first 30 days of the following semester.

Grades may not be changed based on additional work submitted after the completion of the semester unless a student qualifies for and requests an Incomplete grade prior to the end of final examinations. Incomplete grade requests should only be approved when a student fails to complete work on time due to unpreventable and unforeseeable circumstances.

Enrollment Status

Enrollment status is calculated according to the total credits a student is registered for within a semester.
Semesters are:

• Fall: late August to mid-December
• Spring: January to mid-May
• Summer: late-May to mid-August

Enrollment status within a term is based on the following credit loads and affects loan eligibility:

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Federal regulations require that schools monitor the academic progress of each student receiving federal financial assistance and that the school verify that the applicant is making satisfactory academic progress towards earning his/her degree. SAP is monitored at the completion of every semester to ensure financial aid recipients are maintaining satisfactory progress in the following two areas:

1. Cumulative Grade Point Average
2. Maximum Time Frame and Credit Completion Rate

Cumulative Grade Point Average

MSFA students must maintain the minimum cumulative grade point averages outlined in the chart below. These are consistent with academic standards required for graduation.

* Included in the credits attempted are accepted transfer credits and all courses attempted at Gordon, which includes withdrawals, incompletes and failed courses.

Maximum Time Frame and Credit Completion Rate

Federal regulations state that students will not be eligible to receive financial aid once they have attempted more than 150% of the normal credits required for their degree program. At Gordon, students will no longer to eligible to receive financial aid once they have attempted 54 credit hours. To ensure that students will finish their program within this timeframe, Gordon requires that 67% of cumulative credits attempted be completed. This figure will be checked at the end of each semester.

Financial Aid Warning

A student who fails to meet the prescribed minimum requirements for satisfactory academic progress will be placed on Financial Aid Warning for the subsequent semester attended. During the semester the student is on warning, he or she is eligible for financial aid. At the end of the Financial Aid Warning semester, the student must meet satisfactory academic progress standards, or aid eligibility will be lost

Appeal Process

Students who are not making satisfactory academic progress after the Financial Aid Warning semester may appeal to have their situation reviewed by Student Financial Services. Approval of a student’s financial aid appeal will be based on extenuating circumstances outside the normal school activities that had an impact on the student’s ability to achieve the minimum standards of satisfactory academic progress. Cases to consider may fall into the following categories:

• Student becomes seriously ill
• Student is severely injured
• Death in student’s family

Other situations may be considered if they are determined to have caused physical or psychological stress on the student. Each appeal is reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The appeal must be submitted in writing by the student to the Student Financial Services Office and include information about:

• Why the student failed to meet satisfactory academic progress.
• What has changed that will allow the student achieve the standards of satisfactory academic progress.

Financial Aid Probation

If the appeal is approved, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Probation. This provides the student with one additional semester of financial aid eligibility in which to regain compliance with satisfactory progress standards. Alternatively, an appeal may be conditionally approved, with the requirement that the student have an academic plan in place.

Regaining Eligibility

Students whose appeals have not been approved may regain eligibility for aid when they reach the minimum standards of satisfactory progress. Students may continue to attend courses at Gordon College without the assistance of financial aid. In addition, students may be able to attend classes elsewhere in order to demonstrate eligibility for reconsideration of aid. Students are determined to be eligible for funds when they have satisfied the minimum standards of satisfactory progress.

Privacy of Records and Directory Information (FERPA)

Gordon is in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974; thus, most records pertaining to enrolled students may be reviewed by the student upon request and by appointment. A complete statement of the College’s policy and procedures is available from the Center for Student Development.

FERPA permits release of “directory information” without authorization unless the student notifies the Registrar’s Office, in writing and within the first two weeks of a semester, of a specific request that the College not release such information. Careful consideration should be given to the consequences of a request to withhold directory information, and the College cannot assume responsibility for any consequences from honoring an instruction to withhold directory information.

Directory information includes a student’s: name; month/day and place of birth; major field of study; full- or part-time status; participation in officially recognized activities and sports; dates of attendance; degrees, honors and awards received; most recent previous educational agency or institution attended; and photograph, video or web image. Weights and heights of members of athletic teams may also be released.

Privacy Policy. Gordon’s privacy policy allows access to current and permanent addresses, telephone listings, email addresses, class schedules and listings on course rosters to on-campus members of the Gordon community. All other personal data is restricted to only Gordon faculty, staff and student workers, pursuant to their College responsibilities, or to contractual agents of the College, such as an attorney, auditor, the National Student Clearinghouse or a collection agent. Gordon College may make use of an individual student’s photograph, video or web image, or campus scenes including the individual, in College publications, promotional materials or on the website. An effort will be made to obtain permission for use whenever possible.

Transcripts

The Registrar’s Office is responsible for issuing official transcripts of work completed at Gordon. All obligations to the College must have been met before a transcript is issued, including all financial accounts with Gordon College and compliance with the terms of any student loans. While requests are processed as quickly as possible, allow up to five working days for verification of clearance and processing. A transcript fee is charged.

Current students may process an electronic transcript request through my.gordon.edu. A credit card (Mastercard or Visa) is required to order transcripts online, and there is a $1 transcript fee plus a $3 processing fee. Former students who do not have access to my.gordon.edu may order transcripts online from Gordon’s website at www.gordon.edu/transcripts . 

Transcripts may be sent electronically through a secure, web-based process; sent by U.S. mail; or picked up in the Registrar’s Office. Electronic delivery of transcripts is possible wherever web access is available with a high level of security. Recipients are notified of availability by email, and the student is notified by email when the transcript is sent, and when it is viewed and by whom.

Transcripts may also be requested by a written, signed request submitted to the Registrar’s Office in person or by mail, with a check or money order to cover the transcript fee. A transcript fee of $3 is charged for each transcript ordered through the Registrar’s Office. Allow five working days for verification and processing. Credit cards may only be used with the online transcript ordering service.

Verification of Enrollment or Degree

Students needing verification of enrollment or degree should contact the Registrar’s Office or mail verification forms to the office. Degrees and enrollment are also verified through the National Student Clearinghouse.