Once accepted students must meet certain requirements each semester to continue receiving the scholarship. If students fail to meet any of the requirements listed below they will lose their scholarship and be suspended from the program.  They may also be responsible for the cost of classes taken and not completed.

 

FAFSA
All students in the program must complete and turn in a FAFSA before March 1 of every year of participation in the program.  All Financial Aid Documents, including verification process, must be cleared before the first class day of the fall semester annually.

15 Hour Rule
All students in the program must register early for a minimum of 15 credit hours every fall and spring semester.  No late registration is every accepted. All students in the program must attempt 15 credit hours per semester in the fall and spring.

 

Drop Rule
Students can apply, pending program advisor approval, to drop up to 3 hours per semester in the fall and spring.  Our program goals are for completion of 15 credit hours per semester. Our program understands there are extenuating circumstances and tries to work with students in the program.  Applications to drop a course are not guaranteed to be approved.

Students are not allowed to drop any courses without prior written authorization from the program advisor.  Failure to notify the program advisor of dropping a course will result in the loss of scholarship and suspension from the program. It will also result in repayment of the cost of the course dropped by the student.   

Dropping a course is not encouraged and our program understands each situation is unique.  Every circumstance is handled on a case by case basis and must be as a result of extenuating circumstances.  Not having enough time to study, complications with your employment, or unable to satisfy class requirements, among others, are not valid excuses.  The program advisor reserves the right to review and approve courses to be dropped at the program advisors discretion.  Ultimately, the University Scorpion Scholars is a merit program and expects academic excellence and performance from all their students.  The program is also responsible to be a good steward of the universities funds and considers failure to complete a course a waste of university resources.  The program advisor may contact faculty members of the course the student is registered for to verify attendance and class standing.

Students must always complete a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester, no exceptions, per long semester. 

Students must complete a minimum of 30 college credit hours within an academic year ( Fall – Summer II). 

Students who are withdrawn or fail a class due to lack of attendance will lose their scholarship and be responsible for the cost of that course. 

In the last semester towards a student’s graduation, students may register for less than 15 credit hours if classes are not available towards their degree plan or they have completed most of their course requirements.

Students in special academic programs that limit their credit hours below 15 must provide documentation of acceptance into the academic program and an explanation on why they can not register for 15 hours.  For example, the nursing programs limit students to 11 credit hours per semester.  Sample documentation would include a letter of admittance to the program or letter from an academic advisor.

Academic Standards: 3.0 GPA.
Our program measures a student’s academic performance during the first long semester the student is awarded the scholarship.  Dual Enrollments credit, other academic credits and transfer credit, earned before the students was awarded our scholarship are not looked at. This usually applies to Duel Enrollment credit earned during high school and summer courses before the start of their first semester.  Our program ultimately is measuring your grades during the start of the first long semester you are awarded, until you graduate.  Grade checks are performed at the end of the fall, spring and summer semesters.  Our scholarship does not award scholarship during the summer, we still take into account any grades earned during the summer semesters, after your first fall semester with us.  Our students are expected to have high academic grades at all times.    

Summer Courses
The USS scholarship only covers cost for the fall and spring semester. Summer semesters tuition and fees and other cost must be paid by the applicants with other resources.
Summers session GPA and credit hours, during participation in our program after their first fall semester are taken into account by the program.

University Orientation (Scorpiontation)
All students must attend University Orientation (Scorpiontation) before the fall semester of their first academic year. Our program has one specific mandatory orientation for all our students. Failure to comply will result in the loss of your scholarship and  suspension from the program. The Orientation fee is not covered by our program and is at the expense of the student.

Life Skills Workshops
All students must attend 8 College Success Workshops or equivalent credit assigned by program advisor in their first year in the USS program. Other projects may be assigned in exchange for workshop credits.

Student Life Events
All students must attend 6 Student Life Events that USS assigns each semester.

Degree Plan
All students must turn in a copy of their degree plan for the year by the fall semester.

Program Advisor Session
All students must meet with the Program Advisor once a semester.

Progress Reports
All students must turn in Mid Semester Progress Report by posted deadline (TBA).

Peer Mentor
All students must meet with a Peer Mentor once a week or mentor a student.

Semester Questionnaire
All students must fill out pre and post assessment survey and other surveys as needed.

UTB/TSC Email
All students must obtain a UTB/TSC Web mail Email Address during the fall semester. (note: Email will be primary form of communication).  Students will also be added to a special section under UTB/TSC Blackboard.

Learning Communities
A Learning Community offers first year students the opportunity to enroll in a pre-determined set of specific university general education required courses that focus on a theme. First year students also participate in a variety of co-curricular activities that support the same theme. Program will require registration in specific classes at a specific time (e.g. HIST 1301, MWF, 10am-11am). All students must participate in Learning Communities.  The program reserves the right to register students at any time to a specific course as part of continued eligibility. 

Student Code of Conduct
All students must follow and adhere to student code of conduct.  All students must not be on academic or interdisciplinary probation.

Appeal Process
An appeal option will be available for students who fail to meet eligibility criteria for initial and/or renewal consideration.  If you feel you would like to appeal a decision made by the program or committee please download, fill out and turn in the appeal form.  There are different appeal deadlines for suspension from programs and other cases. Please contact the program advisor for details on deadlines. After the first semester of a student’s academic year, the committee will not accept appeals for not meeting academic requirements.  You may appeal your scholarship status or the continuation of your eligibility if you believe you have extenuating circumstances that prevented you from complying with the scholarship standards and conditions. Students appeals are heard by an impartial committee made up of students, faculty and staff. Please remember that dropping a class, failing a class, withdrawing from a class and work is a personal decision made by a student or as a result of a student's effort and is not considered an extenuating circumstance and is not eligible for appeal on its own merit.

Additional Policies
All students must comply with policies in Scorpion Scholars Program. All students must complete Scholarship contract agreement form.