Starting yesterday, the university is implementing an updated Required Withdrawal for Academic Reasons policy across campus to comply with recently clarified federal regulations, more commonly known as Satisfactory Academic Progress policies.

This updated policy for undergraduates is more specific than previous RWAR/SAP approaches at Marquette but still allows the university to place students on academic probation, academic dismissal and college academic alert, which is a “registration hold,” or a hold on your bursar account.

Most of the university’s current academic policies and academic probation standards have not changed because of this update. If students fail to meet SAP standards, they will first be issued a warning. If they fail to comply with the standards, their financial aid eligibility is put on probation. And if students do not meet SAP standards for a third time, they will lose all eligibility for financial aid.

Financial aid eligibility can be reinstated during the probationary period if a student stays in school and raises her grades while paying without financial aid. We appreciate that this policy gives students time to improve in classes and offers motivation if financial aid is taken away temporarily.

Under the old policy, students had to complete 67 percent of their student credit hours or lose their financial aid eligibility — this has not changed. However, under the new policy, the Office of Student Financial Aid and the Office of the Registrar will monitor cumulative GPAs each term. Students with 18 credit hours or less are expected to maintain a GPA above 1.5, and those with more than 18 credit hours must maintain a 2.0. If students fail to meet these requirements, they will be “RAWRed” and lose financial aid eligibility.

All of this is a long-winded way of saying students now need to keep up their GPAs so they do not lose financial aid– a policy we agree with.

Previously, the only GPA requirements were a 2.0 cumulative after two full years of attendance or junior status, or else the student was ineligible for financial aid. As the new policy applies to all students, including freshmen and sophomores, it forces everyone to be accountable for their academic work.

While we understand not everyone with GPAs of less than 1.5 or 2.0 are slacking on their studies, some students may be. If those students are not going to take school seriously, they should reevaluate why they are at Marquette in the first place.

Additionally, sometimes students — especially in their first year — are not quite ready for college. We believe the new policies encourage them to take time off between high school and college in order to prepare for the rigors of higher education, which would help them academically in the long run.

We also acknowledge that students do not always struggle because they are not trying or are not ready for higher education. Life happens, and students can go through emotional or psychological issues that affect their academic performance, which would hinder their SAP standing. However, Marquette has many resources for students in this situation, such as counseling and academic advising, and the SAP regulations encourage them to utilize these resources.

The new policies promote giving financial aid to serious students, and we commend that. Students who work hard to meet SAP standards should receive the financial aid necessary to help them finish their education. Why take away financial aid from serious students?

While the changes to the RWAR and SAP policies are not drastic, we think they are necessary to encourage students to be more invested in their studies. The policies also ensure financial aid is distributed fairly. We all struggle in college at one point or another, and motivation to keep going is necessary to succeed and, ultimately, graduate.