FSA POLICIES

Verification

Students selected for Verification must submit their verification documents by the posted Financial Aid Priority Deadline to ensure certification by the start of school. Students submitting documentation AFTER the deadline should be prepared to pay for tuition, fees and/or books upfront through LoLA. Students who pay upfront and whose PELL funds are subsequently certified and awarded may receive a refund based on the amount of funding for which the student is certified.

After submitting verification documents, the Financial Aid Central Processing department will re-evaluate the FAFSA. If there are discrepancies, students will be contacted by Financial Aid for resolution. If, during the process of Verification, a student’s EFC changes, the student will be notified through LoLA on the Financial Aid tab.

If it is suspected that a student, employee, or other individual has misreported information or altered documentation to fraudulently obtain federal funds, the Financial Aid Office will report its suspicions and provide any evidence to the Office of Inspector General. The Financial Aid Office will use one of the following methods of contact: US Mail, Telephone Hotline, Email, or via the internet.

Consumer Information (Withdrawal procedures, refunds, and return of aid)

South Louisiana Community College is required to review attendance for all students who drop prior to the last day of class. If it is determined that a student dropped or withdrew from school prior to completing 60% of his or her course, SLCC will evaluate the percentage of time in class and adjust his or her PELL grant. This may result in a refund of PELL funds to the Department of Education. Additionally, a student who misses more than 14 calendar days in a row will be considered to have dropped and his or her account will be re-evaluated for the possibility of returning PELL funds to the Department of Education.

Students who wish to officially withdraw from SLCC must complete the Withdrawal Form found on LoLA under the Student Home tab or obtain the form from the Registrar’s Office. Official Withdrawal is not complete until the withdrawal process is completed on LoLA or the Withdrawal Form is submitted to the Registrar. Please keep in mind that simply ceasing attendance does not constitute an official withdrawal but will be considered an unofficial withdrawal. Students who unofficially withdraw (stop attending classes without completing a withdrawal form) may be subject to repay Federal Student Aid funds received for the semester and may receive an F for each course for which an official withdrawal was not submitted.

To estimate the amount of PELL funds a student may be able to retain or how much will need to be returned to Department of Education, count the total number of days from the term start date to the date one drops/withdraws. Divide this by the total number of days in the semester, minus any school scheduled holidays. If this number is less than 60%, a student should expect to have PELL funds returned to the Department of Education. If the amount of PELL funds to be returned is greater than the balance available on a student’s account, the student may be required to reimburse the school for the difference.

Leave of Absence

South Louisiana Community College does not currently offer leaves of absence for the purpose of financial aid. Students who leave school at the end of a term may return at a future time without penalty to financial aid. If a student returns at the beginning of a new financial aid award year, he or she will need to complete the appropriate FAFSA. For leave policies affecting program eligibility, please contact the registrar’s office.

Consortium Agreements

South Louisiana Community College and Acadiana Technical Colleges, though merged by the Louisiana Board of Regents and SACS, are still recognized as separate schools by the Department of Education until such time as the school codes for each school are merged by the Department. In the meantime, South Louisiana Community College and Acadiana Technical College, for the benefit of the Department of Education, are operating under a Consortium Agreement that allows all students to enroll in SLCC and attend courses and programs at the ATC learning centers. Degrees will be granted by SLCC, programs will continue to be delivered in the typical settings, and there are no additional costs to students who are taking classes under the consortium agreement.

Statement of Penalties for Copyright Infringement

Copyright infringement is the act of exercising, without permission or legal authority, one or more of the exclusive rights granted to the copyright owner under section 106 of the Copyright Act (Title 17 of the United States Code). These rights include the right to reproduce or distribute a copyrighted work. In the file-sharing context, downloading or uploading substantial parts of a copyrighted work without authority constitutes an infringement. Penalties for copyright infringement include civil and criminal penalties. In general, anyone found liable for civil copyright infringement may be ordered to pay either actual damages or “statutory” damages affixed at not less than $750 and not more than $30,000 per work infringed. For “willful” infringement, a court may award up to $150,000 per work infringed. A court can, in its discretion, also assess costs and attorneys’ fees. For details, see Title 17, United States Code, Sections 504, 505. Willful copyright infringement can also result in criminal penalties, including imprisonment of up to five years and fines of up to $250,000 per offense. For more information, please see U.S. Copyright Office