A new academic portion of guidelines regarding the Board of Governor’s Fee Waiver will be implemented begining in Fall 2016.
This change could potentially affect around 1,000,000 applicants, as this was the number of applicants during the 2013-2014 school year meaning 45 percent of the community college system will be affected.
It is now mandatory for all eligible students to have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher.
If a student’s GPA were to fall
below 2.0 for two consecutive semesters they could lose their fee waiver eligibility.
Students must now complete at least 50 percent of their coursework or risk losing their eligibility.
If the cumulative number of courses a student successfully completes falls below the new requirement the waiver may be taken away.
It is easy for students to know whether or not they are still eligible because they will be notified within 30 days at the end of each term to be told if they will be placed on Academic, GPA, and/or Progress, course completion, probation.
Los Medanos College student Jorden Bonwell has her thoughts on the upcoming changes to BOG.
“These limits make it harder for students to attend school. Especially lower income students,” she said. “As someone who has been suspended, and had to even reapply for aid, it almost puts a feeling of guilt and shame on a person for asking for help with school.”
A student can regain their BOG if they improve their GPA and raise it above a 2.0.
“I agree a 2.0 GPA isn’t even that high of a goal, but it’s the 50 percent work I have a problem with,” said Bonwell.
Students who lose their BOG will also have an opportunity to appeal for extenuating circumstances. These include accidents, illnesses or changes in their economic situation.