Palomar students could lose BOG

There are currently 4,500 Palomar students on probation who could potentially lose their Board of Governor’s fee waiver in the Fall 2016 semester.

In total, there are 7,500 students using the BOG, which waives enrollment fees, who must meet the academic and progress standards in order to keep it. This includes maintaining a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher and completing 50 percent of their units.

If students fail to meet these standards, they are put on academic or progress probation. If students are on either academic or progress probation two semesters in a row, they may lose their eligibility.

This means any student who was on academic or progress probation for Fall 2015 and is put on either probation for Spring 2016 may lose their eligibility for Fall 2016. But there is an alternative.

The total number of those who could potentially lose their BOG does not include the students who may be losing their wavier due to other circumstances.

Saleem Bodden, Palomar digital broadcasting student, may be losing his BOG Waiver for Fall 2016 due to a family income change. “It sucks because now I have less motivation to go to school,” Bodden said. Bodden, like many students, cannot afford to pay for school on his own.

For those that have special circumstances that lead to their probation, such as verified accidents or illnesses, they can appeal the probation. If they do win the appeal, they can get one more semester to try.

It is possible for those who lose their eligibility to get it back by getting off probation.

Lorenzo Zapata, an art student, said he feels that if he ever lost his BOG Waiver it would “put a big damper on his school.” He stated that it would add more stress and responsibilities to his life since he would have to find a way to stay enrolled.

Zapata notes that it would not be very difficult to meet the criteria to keep the BOG Waiver, but understands how some circumstances would make it possible.

Students are notified within 30 days of the end of the semester if they are being placed on probation.

However, there is one way that those students who may lose their eligibility can still use their waiver, said Dr. Kendyl Magnuson, director of enrollment services.

Since registration typically starts for the next semester before the current semester ends or right after — those students who register prior to being notified of the ineligibility — may still keep their waiver for that semester.

Magnuson gave the example of a possible student who was placed on probation for Spring 2015. If that same student is placed on probation for Fall 2015, they will lose their eligibility for the next semester.

“If you register before that (second term of probation) becomes formal and you are notified by the college, but you registered for spring term, you can keep your BOG Waiver for that term and you will lose it the following term,” Magnuson said.

“But if you register late and you have now gotten notified and you have already lost it, then you won’t get to use it,” he added.

This mean that all of the students who could lose their BOG Waiver for Fall 2016, should register as soon as possible to use the BOG Waiver before the second term of probation becomes finalized.