CONSUMER INFORMATION
Continued and expounded consumer information for Northpoint College.
CONTENTS
EQUITY
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Disability Services
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STUDENT PRIVACY​​
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FINANCIAL AID
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EQUITY
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Disability Services
Overview
A student is considered a person with a disability, eligible for protection under the laws, if the student has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Disabilities include impairments caused by accident, trauma, genetics, or disease that substantially limit major life activities such as seeing, hearing, speaking, walking, breathing, performing manual tasks, learning, caring for oneself, and working. Disabling conditions include epilepsy; paralysis (e.g., cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis); HIV infection; AIDS; a substantial hearing or visual impairment; intellectual disability; psychiatric disability; cancer; heart disease; diabetes; or a specific learning disability. Conditions not considered a disability include minor, non-chronic conditions of short duration, such as a concussion, sprain, broken limb, or the flu.
To ensure accessibility for students with disabilities, the College provides reasonable accommodations. The College accepts students who meet its admission requirements without regard to disability. To ensure nondiscrimination, students must complete all prerequisites for admission before requesting assistance.
Definition of Disability
A disability is a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of the individual.
1. Major Life Activities: The phrase “major life activities” refers to normal functions such as caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working.
2. Physical Impairment: A physical impairment includes any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological, musculoskeletal, special sense organs, respiratory and speech organs, cardiovascular, reproductive, digestive, genitourinary, hemic and lymphatic, skin and endocrine.
3. Mental Impairment: A mental impairment includes any mental or psychological disorder such as organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities.
4. Learning disabilities: A learning disability is a generic term that refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders manifested by significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning, or mathematical abilities. These disorders occur in persons of average to very superior intelligence and are presumed to be due to central nervous system dysfunction.
Specific disabilities include, but are not limited to, the following: blindness or visual impairment; chronic illnesses; psychiatric and emotional disabilities (ADHD, anxiety and related disorders, depression, etc.); deafness or hearing impairments; epilepsy or seizure disorders; orthopedic impairment; specific learning disability; speech disorder; spinal cord or traumatic brain injury; and neurological and neuro-muscular disorders.
If you are experiencing difficulties with one or more of these activities, or if you are experiencing educational difficulties due to a possible disability, please consider contacting our office to meet with someone to discuss options.
Requesting Accommodations
New Students
Incoming freshman and transfer students must submit a Request for Accommodations form and medical documentation. Once these have been submitted, the Campus Pastor will contact the student to schedule a meeting to discuss accommodations.
Students should also meet with their professors to discuss how accommodations will be handled and to know each professor’s expectations for the classes.
Returning Students
Returning students must notify the Campus Pastor to continue accommodations and schedule an appointment with the Pastor. Requests for accommodations should be completed every year after registration.
Once accommodations have been created, an email will be sent to each professor detailing those accommodations. It is the student’s responsibility to speak with the professor regarding accommodations. If the student feels accommodations are not being applied or additional support is needed, they should schedule a follow up appointment with the Campus Pastor.
If You’re Injured
Unexpected injuries or surgeries may cause confusion about what to do next.
• Inform your professors: let your professors know about your injury and what effects it may have (attendance, exams, deadlines).
• Talk with the Campus Pastor: she will help you by informing professors of your situation and requesting academic accommodations on your behalf.
• Talk with classmates and friends: they can help you during your recovery and also help you study for missed classes.
Contact the Office of the Campus Pastor when
• An instructor tells you they need guidance about accommodations
• There are classrooms you cannot access due to your injury
• Navigating campus is difficult
• You need accommodations for testing
Possible Accommodations
• low distraction testing environment
• extended testing time
• alternate text formats
• dictation
• notetaking services
Classroom Accommodations
Our campus is dedicated to providing reasonable and appropriate accommodations to students with disabilities. Typical classroom accommodations may include priority seating, recording devices used in lectures, and receiving copies of class notes and presentations. Accommodations at Northpoint College are made on a case-by-case basis through the Campus Pastor. A meeting with the Campus Pastor will determine which accommodations a student qualifies for. This is a cooperative endeavor that involves the student acting as a self-advocate and notifying the Campus Pastor if he or she feels an accommodation request is not being reasonably met. Instructors are also encouraged to contact the Campus Pastor if a question arises about how to provide accommodations.
Testing Accommodations
Testing Accommodations are modifications to the standard testing procedures. Testing Accommodations are created to provide access to the test without changing the academic integrity of the course or the test. Examples of testing accommodations are: extended time, low distraction room, test reader, oral testing, scribe, and computer testing. Testing accommodations should be made between the student and the professors.
Chronic Illness
Accommodations are also available for students with chronic illnesses that might interfere with their classwork. Contact the Campus Pastor for more information.
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Student Diversity
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Northpoint College reports the diversity of the student body annually to the ABHE. This report can be obtained by requesting it from the Office of the Registrar can provide this report.
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Email Jamie Trout (Registrar), at jtrout@northpointcollege.edu
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STUDENT PRIVACY
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FERPA Statement
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (also known as the “Buckley Amendment”), as it affects students at Northpoint College, requires: (1) that the College provide students access to official education records; (2) that students be given an opportunity to challenge such records if they are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise inappropriate; (3) that written consent of students be obtained before releasing personally identifiable data about students from records to other than a specified list of exceptions; and (4) that students be notified of these rights and policies.
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Generally, schools must have written permission from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a student’s education record. However, FERPA allows schools to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions (34 CFR § 99.31):
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School officials with legitimate educational interest;
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Other schools to which a student is transferring;
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Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes;
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Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student;
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Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school;
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Accrediting organizations;
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To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena;
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Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; and
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State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific state law.
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Students have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the College to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202
Northpoint Catalog pg 56:
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Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, the following types of information may be made public unless the student desires to withhold all or any portion of it:
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Information for school directory (this includes name, address, telephone number, major fields of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, dates of attendance, and degrees and awards received), information needed by school officials within the college, information requested by officials of other schools to which the student is seeking admission, information requested by Federal or State educational authorities, information needed in connection with the receipt of financial aid, information released pursuant to state law or subpoena, information requested by accrediting organizations, and information requested by parents of dependent students.
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Any student wishing to withhold any or all of this information should fill out, in person, the appropriate form that is available at the Office of the Student Liaison. Additionally, all requests for information by persons other than the student will not be released without written authority from the student. Exception: Parents of students under the age of 18 may have access to the student’s file provided that the appropriate Release of Records form is filed.
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FINANCIAL AID
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Types of Federal Aid
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Federal Pell Grant – The Pell Grant is based upon eligibility and enrollment status and does not need to be repaid. The current maximum amount is $7,395. Only undergraduate students are eligible.
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Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) - This is a gift assistance that does not need to be repaid. It is normally awarded to students enrolled full-time who are Pell Grant recipients. The award ranges from $400 to $1,000 per year. Only undergraduate students are eligible.
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Federal Loans
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Federal Direct Student Loan – Repayment of a Federal Direct Loan begins six months after the student’s enrollment status drops to less than half time. Students must complete Entrance Counseling and sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN) at studentloans.gov. We also ask each student to complete Northpoint’s Financial Aid Check In.
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There are two types of Direct Loans:
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Subsidized – This is a need-based loan that the government pays interest on the loan while the student is enrolled at least half-time. Interest will start accruing when the student drops below half-time status.
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Unsubsidized – This is a non-need-based loan that starts accruing interest immediately. Students may pay the interest quarterly or request that interest be capitalized (added to the loan principle).
Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan
Parents of a dependent undergraduate student may apply for a PLUS loan. They may borrow up to an amount that does not exceed the student’s cost of attendance, minus any other financial aid. Parents must complete an application each year and a one-time Master Promissory Note at studentloans.gov. They will receive immediate notification of acceptance on their application.
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Repayment begins the day the loan is fully disbursed. The first payment of principal and interest is due within 60 days. However, parents may request the payment be deferred as long as the student is enrolled half-time.
If the loan is denied due to a poor credit rating, and the parent does not appeal the credit decision or complete the endorser information, the parent and student will be notified of additional loan options.
Borrowers have the right to cancel all or a portion of the loan within 14 days of disbursement. In the event of cancellation, the Financial Aid Office will need to be notified in writing to complete the cancellation. If a credit balance remains on the student’s account after the loan funds have been disbursed, a check will be issued in the amount of the credit balance. Northpoint’s refund policy can be accessed here[LW1] .
Accessing Aid
To start your financial aid process, first complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
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The FAFSA is the first step in potentially opening the door for grant and scholarship opportunities. Students who are interested in receiving financial aid should include our school code on their application.
If selected for verification, you will receive an email from the Financial Aid Office with instructions on how to complete the necessary next steps.
Complete the Financial Aid Check-In once your Financial Aid Offer is sent to you.
Disbursing Aid
The Financial Aid Office (FAO) disburses financial assistance directly to the student’s Northpoint account. Disbursements are scheduled two weeks after the add/drop date of the term/session to allow time for processing. If a student requests a refund, the Business Office has 14 days to issue a refund once the financial assistance has been posted to the student’s Northpoint account. Refunds will be issued to the student in the form of a check.
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In order to reduce overpayment to students who do not begin attendance, refunds will not be issued until after the term starts. Loans are not disbursed until sometime after the term starts. Exceptions may be made to this rule on a case-by-case basis for students who need to use financial aid funds to purchase books before the beginning of the semester. In these cases, the student is required to submit an appeal to the Financial Aid Office for either approval or denial by the Director. If approved, the funds will not be disbursed any earlier than 10 days before the term start date. The Financial Aid Office abides by the attendance taken by faculty to track whether or not the student actually began attending class.
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Since a student’s aid cannot exceed the Cost of Attendance, over-awards must be eliminated. Over-awards are taken care of according to the circumstance of the over-award. Specifically, the cause of the over-award determines whether the student or school is liable for resolution of the overpayment. In general, unless the school is liable, a student is liable for any overpayment made to him or her. In these instances, the Financial Aid Office will notify the student about their repayment obligation and report the overpayment in the National Student Loan Data System. The student is ineligible for FSA funds until he/she makes repayment arrangements with the Department of Education.
Maintaining Financial Aid
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
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To continue receiving financial aid, students need to make satisfactory academic progress. Northpoint College’s SAP policy can be found in the catalog (pg. 48).
Students who have not maintained SAP and wish to re-establish their eligibility for financial assistance must request an appeal form from the Financial Aid Office. Upon completion of the appeal form and review by the FAO and Academic Dean, the student’s eligibility may be re-established if SAP was made in the previous semester.
link refund policy in catalog. (page 32) [LW1]
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Timeline
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October 1 – FAFSA application available for next academic year
March 1 – Priority Deadline to submit FAFSA for fall semester
Early September - Orientation
Monday after Labor Day – Fall term begins
The Financial Aid process starts with submitting the FAFSA application at FAFSA.gov.
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Once the Financial Aid Office receives the submitted FAFSA into our system, the Financial Aid Director reviews the application to determine if the student was selected for further verification. If so, the Director emails the student requesting additional documentation in order to verify the FAFSA information. Required documentation is often a verification worksheet, parent and/or student IRS Tax Return Transcript, Non-Filers verification, or the V4 & V5 verification worksheet. If the Director determines that more information is needed for review, they will reach out to the student and request the documentation.
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After verification has been performed or the FAFSA application has been determined as ready, the Financial Aid Director will package and award financial aid according to need, merit, and eligibility. Once the packaging process is complete, the student will receive an email notification of the awards they are receiving. The award letter provides details on the awards, amounts, and status of the financial aid package. The Financial Aid Director will reach out with the student’s Financial Aid Offer for them to accept all loans, reduce loans, or reject all loans. A response and signature on the Financial Aid Offer is required before any aid is disbursed.
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Once the awards have been accepted, they will appear on the student’s account. If further financial arrangements need to be made, the student may contact the Finance Coordinator to work out an alternative payment plan. The deadline to make a payment for the fall semester is the first day of classes. If the account is not in good standing at the start of each semester the student may face classes being dropped or restricted access to Populi.
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Veterans​
(Northpoint College is currently in the application process for the VA Bill)
For Post 9/11 GI Bill® (Ch 33) students and VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Ch 31) students, our tuition policy complies with 38 USC 3679(e) which means Post 9/11 and Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment students will not be charged or otherwise penalized due to a delay in VA tuition and fee payments. For eligibility consideration, a Post 9/11 GI Bill student must submit a VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) and a Vocational Rehabilitation Student must provide a VAF 28-1905 form and DD214 (if applicable). Additional forms for certification will be sent from the School Certifying Official.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
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Enrollment in Study Abroad Programs and Title IV Aid
Northpoint College does not offer the opportunity for enrollment in a study abroad program that is approved for credit by the home institution to be considered enrollment at Northpoint College for the purpose of applying for Title IV federal financial aid.
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Private Loans​
The Financial Aid Office (FAO) recommends that students take out a private loan as a last resort only. The FAO does not have preferred lender arrangements with any lenders, nor does it promote any specific lenders. Therefore, the FAO has no obligation to comply with the related regulations found in CFR 601.11(a) (b)(c).
Student Lending Analytics provides an independent review of private educational lenders.
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Student Loan Code of Conduct​
Northpoint College complies with the Higher Education Opportunity Act and its provisions regarding the Code of Conduct required to be adopted and encored by institutions participating in the Title IV loan program. Northpoint staff with responsibilities for the administration of student educational loans are informed of the provisions of the Student Loan Code of Conduct. As an institution that follows the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), Northpoint abides by the Statement of Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct for Institutional Financial Aid Professionals.
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Return of Financial Aid as a Result of Withdrawal
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Institutional and State Aid
Northpoint College awards various types of institutional, federal, and state financial aid (discussed below) designed to support students in reaching their educational goals. When students withdraw from the College, aid is reduced based on the refund calculations described above.
Federal Aid
Federal regulations (34 CFR 668.22) require that, when a student who is a recipient of federal funds withdraws, the date used to determine if federal funds must be returned is either the date the withdrawal was initiated or the mid-term date for the course. The College distributes or returns funds within the 45-day requirement. The calculation used to determine the percentage of federal funds earned is set by federal regulations. It is based on the total number of days in the term, which includes all days from the first day of the term to the final day of the term, excluding breaks of five or more days. The percentage of federal aid earned is calculated by taking the total number of days enrolled based on either the LDA, withdrawal initiation date, or mid-term date, divided by the total number of days in the term. If students have earned more than 60% based on this calculation, they are deemed to have earned 100% of their federal aid.
Allocation of Returned Federal Aid
If it is determined that students must return federal funds, those returns will be made in the federally required order of priority: 1. Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan 2. Subsidized Federal Direct Loan 3. Federal PLUS loan received on behalf of the student 4. Federal Pell Grant 5. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant 6. Federal TEACH Grant 7. Any other Title IV federal program
Student Finances & Housing
Please note: • The return is allocated up to the full amount the student received from a particular fund. • If the student has a credit balance at the time of the return calculation, the College retains the funds until after the return calculation is complete. • If a refund is due to a lender, the Financial Aid Office returns the funds for the full amount of the refund, indicating which loans should be credited. • If a refund is due to the student, the Office of Student Billing informs the student and prepares a check for the full amount of the refund. • If other charges and/or fines are applied to the student’s account after a refund is determined, the student is responsible for those charges and/or fines. • Once the appropriate refund amount has been determined, the refund is allocated in the federally required order. Northpoint College distributes or returns funds within the 45-day requirement.
Allocation of Unearned TA (Tuition Assistance)
If it is determined that a student has withdrawn and received military tuition assistance, the university must return any unearned portions of TA funds on a proportional basis through at least 60% of the period for which the funds were provided. TA funds are earned proportionally during an enrollment period, with unearned funds returned based upon when a student stops attending.
Federal Exit Counseling
Students who withdraw from Northpoint College or graduate are required to complete the Federal Exit Counseling process. This can be accessed at the following link: https://studentaid.gov/exit-counseling
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COPYRIGHT POLICY
Students, faculty, and staff are expected to comply with federal copyright law (Title 17 of the United States Code). Copyright laws protect original works of authorship (such as writing, music, art, video productions, computer programs) as an incentive for creativity by allowing an author to profit from his or her work. There is a "fair use" provision in the Act that balances the need to protect the intellectual property rights of the author with the public's need for free and open discussion.
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NOTE: Federal copyright law provides that the rental, purchase, lending, or download of a copyrighted work, such as a movie, does not entitle anyone to exhibit the work to more than a small group of family and friends in a public setting without a public performance license. The law includes a limited “educational exception” for a nonprofit educational institution’s instructor to show a movie in a face-to-face classroom setting for instructional purposes, only when it directly relates to a course’s curricular goals.
Summary of Civil and Criminal Penalties for Violation of Federal Copyright Laws
Copyright infringement is the act of exercising, without permission or legal authority, one or more of the exclusive rights granted to the copyright owner under section 106 of the Copyright Act (Title 17 of the United States Code). These rights include the right to reproduce or distribute a copyrighted work. In the file-sharing context, downloading or uploading substantial parts of a copyrighted work without authority constitutes an infringement. Penalties for copyright infringement include civil and criminal penalties. In general, anyone found liable for civil copyright infringement may be ordered to pay either actual damages or "statutory" damages affixed at not less than $750 and not more than $30,000 per work infringed. For "willful" infringement, a court may award up to $150,000 per work infringed. A court can, in its discretion, also assess costs and attorneys' fees. For details, see Title 17, United States Code, Sections 504, 505. Willful copyright infringement can also result in criminal penalties, including imprisonment of up to five years and fines of up to $250,000 per offense. For more information, please see the Web site of the U.S. Copyright Office at www.copyright.gov, especially their FAQ's at www.copyright.gov/help/faq. The use of peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing networks, such as Ares or Limewire, is prohibited. Such networks are used on a widespread basis to transfer pornography and to illegally transfer copyrighted material. If you have any questions or concerns about this policy, please contact Campus IT. Legitimate BitTorrent downloads such as Linux disk images and game updates are permitted. Unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material, including P2P file sharing, may subject a student to civil and criminal penalties.
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P2P Alternatives
Students are encouraged to use legal means to obtain digital copies of audio and video files that are under copyright. Such alternatives include iTunes, Amazon, or Hulu, among others.​
GRADUATE SCHOOLS
Upon completing their degree, Northpoint students have the option to pursue advanced degrees from various schools. Northpoint graduates have gone on to pursue their M.A. in Biblical Studies, Theological Studies, Ministry Leadership, Psychology, and Social Work.
In-State
Wayne State University
Spring Arbor University
Cornerstone University
Calvin University
Rochester University
Out-of-State
Assemblies of God Theological Seminary