Despite any policy to the contrary, for any students using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from the VA, we will not:
- Prevent their enrollment;
- Assess a late penalty fee to;
- Require they secure alternative or additional funding;
- Deny their access to any resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution.
However, to qualify for this provision, such students may be required to:
- Produce the VA’s Certificate of Eligibility by the first day of class;
- Provide written request to be certified;
- Provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies (see our VA School Certifying Official for all requirements).
The following policies and procedures will be observed by PIERPONT for the purpose of determining satisfactory progress for all students receiving veterans’ benefits. The Veterans Administration will be notified of any veteran who is not maintaining satisfactory progress. This does not replace the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy and if applicable, a student may be subject to both policies if receiving federal financial aid and Veteran’s Education Benefits.
Class Attendance
If a student receiving veterans’ benefits withdraws from the College or an individual class and the Veterans Coordinator has no prior notice of irregular class attendance, the official withdrawal date on the withdrawal form completed in the Registrar’s Office will be assumed as the last date of class attendance. The Veterans’ Certifying Official runs a report to identify these students and notify the Veterans Administration.
Financial Aid
All students, including veterans and veteran dependents, are eligible for institutional waivers and scholarships. In the event that a veteran or veteran dependent receives a waiver that is specific to tuition and fees, the waiver is applied to the student’s account first, and the VA is then billed the remaining balance according to the student’s VA benefits, if applicable.
Any student, including veterans and veteran dependents, who receives a scholarship that is not specific to tuition and fees, and there is no account balance due, the student would receive said scholarship as a refund to them.
Review of Grades
The Veterans Certifying Official will review the midterm grade reports for all students receiving veterans’ benefits and the Veterans Administration will be notified of any irregularities or indication of lack of progress on the midterm grade report.
Final Grade for All Courses Attempted
The final grade policy for all attempted courses applies to all students at Pierpont, including those receiving veterans’ benefits.
Suspension
The Veterans Administration will be notified immediately at the end of the semester if a student receiving veterans’ benefits is suspended. The Office of the Registrar of Pierpont supplies the Veterans Certifying Official with a list of students suspended. This list will serve as the basis for notification to the Veterans Administration.
Summary
As indicated above, students receiving veterans’ benefits are subject to all institutional policies of grading, attendance, and withdrawal. It is the responsibility of the Veterans Coordinator to administer the procedures listed above and to notify the Veterans Administration, in every instance, indicating lack of satisfactory progress by the student receiving veterans’ benefits. There are no separate policies of attendance, withdrawal, or grade average calculation for students receiving veterans’ benefits. Evidence of unsatisfactory progress during a semester may result in loss of benefits back to the point at which satisfactory progress ceased (i.e., irregular withdrawal from class). It is the veteran’s responsibility to immediately notify the Veterans Coordinator of any changes in their enrollment status. If a change in enrollment status reduces amount of veteran’s benefits, the VA may request restitution from the student or the school. If requested, the school will return that portion of Veterans Assistance received. Student will then be billed for the balance. Collection of that balance will follow normal procedures.
Procedure for Military Deployment
If you are called to active duty in the military while enrolled at Pierpont, you will be designated as being on a “Military Leave of Absence.” Active Duty: “Called or ordered to state or federal active service in any active duty or reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States or of the National Guard of this state or any other state” as defined by State Legislature Title 133, Series 56. The following policies and procedures are designed to make your transition from active duty and your return as convenient as possible. Please read the information below and review your choice of options. If you receive any form of financial assistance, it is imperative that you meet with the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships and Enrollment Services. You must provide Enrollment Services with a copy of your Deployment Papers no matter what option you select.
Option 1
When called to active duty during an academic semester, you may withdraw completely from the semester and receive a full tuition refund. You will also receive a prorated refund for campus housing, meal plan, and parking. After consultation with the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships and the Office of Enrollment Services, your transcript for the semester may show enrolled with “W’s” or you may be completely deleted from that semester. If you choose to have all of your classes’ deleted, all financial aid received for the semester must be returned to the Federal, State, and/or Institutional Programs it was awarded from.
This in turn may leave a balance due the school if you have already received a refund check. This balance will be pursued through normal collection procedures.
Option 2
You may contact your individual instructors to determine if you have completed enough work for the semester to receive an incomplete or a final grade for the course. The decision rests solely with each faculty member. You should have completed at least three-fourths of the semester before a faculty awards a final grade for a course. If you wish to pursue this option, you will need to contact the Office of Enrollment Services. Enrollment Services will discuss the procedure with you and provide a form for Faculty members to sign. This form is also available from our Veteran Affairs Representative in Room 238, Hardway Hall. Each faculty member must sign the form to indicate that they will give you an incomplete or final grade for the course.
Upon return from active duty, you will have one year to make up your incompletes. At the end of the one-year period, the instructor must submit a final grade. If no change is made by the instructor, the grade “I” will be changed to an “F.”
You may also officially withdraw from specific courses that you do not wish to complete. You will receive a prorated refund based upon the number of credit hours you retain. Upon consultation with the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships and the Office of Enrollment Services, your transcript for the semester may show “W’s” for courses in which you officially withdraw or you may be completely deleted from those courses. If you choose to have some of your classes’ deleted, all financial aid received for the semester for those classes must be returned to the Federal, State, and/or Institutional Programs it was awarded from.
This in turn may leave a balance due the school if you have already received a refund check. This balance will be pursued through normal collection procedures.
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