Truant UT students may find an unpleasant surprise on their next report card.
The University of Tampa has adopted a new policy to identify students who stopped attending or participating in class before 60 percent of the semester has been completed.
The faculty passed the new policy during the Oct. 31 faculty meeting.
According to the policy, the “NF” grade represents failure in nonparticipation or nonattend-ance.
If a student who receives federal aid stops attending classes before 60 percent of the term is finished, that student is required to refund the federal government, said Barbara Strickler, Vice President for Enrollment.
The “NF” grade will help identify the students have stopped attending their classes prior to the 60 percent point in the semester.
According to Strickler, the previous system for finding these “no-show” students was ineffective.
The previous system awarded the students “F’s” for the classes and assignments missed.
The Registrar would see the failing grades and notify Financial Aid.
Financial Aid would have to contact the faculty members, after they have left at the end of the semester, further complicating the matter.
According to the new policy, if the students receive “NF’s” in multiple classes the Registrar will give the names to the Financial Aid Office.
Financial Aid will then determine what financial aid needs to be refunded.
The university then must identify and pay the refund within the 30 days after the term ends.
This policy comes into place after several years of the university footing the bill for the students, which averaged $30,000-$40,000 a year to the federal government.