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SHEFA cuts credit requirement for higher degree beneficiaries
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Posted on Aug 05 2011
The Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance is now seeking public comments on a new policy on the required credit loads for master’s and advanced degree students.
The proposed policy has been published in the Commonwealth Register and is open for comments for 30 days.
SHEFA administrator Henry Hofschneider told the board that the proposed policy was published on July 22. The board is expected to adopt the policy as final after the comment period expires.
The board, at Hofschneider’s recommendation, approved in June this year reducing the credits required of master’s and advanced degree students from the current 12 to just nine credits per academic term.
Once adopted as final, the new policy will take effect in the fall 2011 semester.
The issue arose after the new SHEFA management and board refused to reimburse some scholars who only obtained nine full-time credits—a violation of program regulations that require 12 credits.
Affected scholars said they were approved nine credit units by the previous SHEFA board. It was later discovered that the changes in the regulation were never published in the Commonwealth Register.
“The reduction is necessary and proper in view of concerns expressed by recipients of SHEFA financial assistance funds pursuing graduate and advanced level degrees that most institutions of higher education require nine credits to meet full-time status,” the proposed policy stated.
