ASU is implementing a Scholarship Maintenance Plan to make funding renewal easier for students who fail to meet requirements.
In order to completely renew the New American University Scholarship, which includes the President’s Award, the Provost’s Award and the Dean’s Award, students are required to take at least 30 credit hours each academic year and earn a 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher.
The Scholarship Maintenance Plan will allow the students who don’t meet these requirements to still receive money.
“The Scholarship Maintenance Plan is allowing students who fall short in some areas to keep a portion of their scholarship,” said Martha Byrd, special advisor to vice provost of enrollment management.
Students who only complete 24 to 29 credit hours a year and hold between a 2.50 and 2.99 GPA are eligible for the Scholarship Maintenance Plan and will continue to receive a portion of their scholarship.
In previous years, if students didn’t meet the grade or credit requirements, the scholarship was taken away completely.
Students will now be able to be awarded between 60 and 80 percent of their scholarship, depending on their class standing.
Students’ grades and completed credit hours are evaluated at the end of the spring semester. The student is notified whether they meet the requirements for renewal.
The percentage of the scholarship will continue to decrease each year the student doesn’t meet the requirements.
Students on the Scholarship Maintenance Plan can be rewarded with the full amount of money again if they take at least 30 credit hours and maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher.
“We want students to be aware of how they are doing academically and how their scholarship is affected by it,” Byrd said.
Students make decisions to attend ASU based on their financial situation and losing their scholarship could cause a lot of problems, Byrd said.
“This plan will benefit the students,” Byrd said.
Business management junior Gilbert Orrantia works in ASU’s undergraduate admissions office, and said it is important to acknowledge people who are dedicated to exceeding academically.
“This particular scholarship is admissions-based and is given to students based on grades and test scores,” Orrantia said.
Criminal justice and criminology sophomore Brian Moutinho was awarded the New American University Dean’s Award when he was accepted to ASU and receives $10,000 a year.
He said he makes sure to take 15 credits a semester and currently holds a 4.0 cumulative GPA.
“It’s nice to know if I have a hard semester, I won’t be forced to come up with an additional $10,000,” he said.
Reach the reporter at amhayne1@asu.edu.
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