Athletic Grant-in-Aid Appeal Policy

POLICY AND PROCEDURES

Relevant Policies and Regulations: NCAA Division II Manual 15.5.2.4

 

I.            Policy Statement:  Purpose of Committee

In compliance with NCAA Bylaws, the Savannah State University Athletic Grant-in-Aid Review Committee (herein after “committee”) is assigned the responsibility for hearing student-athletes’ request for reviews of decisions to reduce, cancel, or not renew athletically related institutional financial aid.

 

II.            Composition of the SSU Athletic Grant-in-Aid Review Committee

The members of the SSU Grant-in-Aid Review Committee are the members of the SSU Intercollegiate Athletic Committee (IAC) as appointed by the Faculty Senate to serve as requested.  The SSU IAC is chaired by the Faculty Athletic Representative and meets as needed.  The committee members should have no personal involvement in the matter or any personal interest in the outcome of the process.

III.            Applicability

  1. The following procedures are to be used when a student-athlete attending SSU seeks a review of a decision of a financial aid administrator (or his/her designee), on recommendation of the Department of Athletics, related to the reduction, cancellation, or nonrenewal of athletically related institutional financial aid.
  2. The chair of the committee shall convene a hearing to conduct all reviews within thirty (30) days of the Office of Financial Aid receiving the student-athlete’s written request for a hearing.
    1. The committee shall not review a financial aid award decision if it is undisputed that the student-athlete failed to satisfy an express requirement of the financial aid award.
    2. If a student alleges that failure to maintain a required condition of a financial aid award (such as GPA) is due to the University’s failure to reasonably accommodate a disability, then the student-athlete should initially file a complaint with the University’s ADAAA Grievance Officer (Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act). Students should note that the University’s duty to accommodate a disability does not arise until the University knows of the student-athlete’s disability.

 

IV.            When and How to Seek a Review 

 

Student-Athlete’s Responsibilities

      • All review requests must be delivered in writing to the Office of Financial Aid within fourteen (14) calendar days of the date of the notification letter. The director of Financial Aid shall send a copy of the request for review to the committee chair and to the director of the Department of Athletics (or his/her designee).
      • The student-athlete shall provide the committee any relevant documents that support his/her appeal.

Department of Athletics’ Responsibilities

The Department of Athletics’ representative (typically the coach, athletic director, or other designee) shall provide the committee:

      • Copies of policies, procedures, and regulations that relate to the reduction, cancellation, or non-renewal recommendation of the Athletics Department;
      • A written statement explaining the basis of the Athletics Department’s recommendation; and
      • Any other document that supports the Athletics Department’s recommendation

 

V.            Hearing Procedure: Communications with the Committee

Except in the course of the hearing, committee members should not have any communication with the parties, directly or indirectly, concerning the merits of the case, nor should the parties contact the committee members directly. The committee shall judge the merits of the case based on relevant documents and information obtain during the hearing.  The committee must withhold judgment until all the evidence has been presented at the hearing.

 

A.     During the Hearing

  1. Attendance at the Hearing
      •  The student-athlete and the Department of Athletics’ representative must attend the hearing.
      • The student-athlete and the Department of Athletics may each have one observer attend the hearing, or the student-athlete’s parents may attend as observers. Observers may not participate in the hearing or address the committee members, except to the extent they also appear as witnesses.
  2. Burden of Proof
      • The Department of Athletics’ representative has the responsibility to demonstrate through information and supporting documentation that the department’s recommendation is reasonable.
  3. Hearing Procedure
      • Both parties, beginning with the Department of Athletics’ representative, should make a brief statement. Both parties are subject to questioning by the committee and each other.
  4. Hearing Procedural Questions
      • Upon the committee’s request, an attorney from the University’s Office of General Counsel may advise on any procedural questions the committee has before, during, and after the hearing. The attorney may not take a position on the merits of the case while it is before the committee.

 

VI.            SSU Grant-in-Aid Committee Decision

 The committee will report its decision in writing to the Director of Financial Aid within ten (10) calendar days after the hearing. The report should list and resolve the issues of the hearing. The committee’s decision shall be considered the final decision of the University and sent by the director of Financial Aid, subject to state and federal law, to all parties via certified mail, return receipt requested. There are no further appeals.

Once the hearing is closed, all evidence used in the case are to be placed in the custody of the Office of Financial Aid for three years.

 

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