The following policies and procedures will be observed by Fairmont State 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 veterans educational benefits.
Any veteran 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.
Registration
Veterans and dependents receive priority registration privileges. Please see the Registrar’s calendar for priority registration dates each semester.
Class Attendance
If a student receiving veterans” benefits withdraws from the University or an individual class and the Veterans Certifying Official 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 notifies the Veterans Administration.
Final Grade for All Courses Attempted
The final grade policy for all attempted courses applies to all students at Fairmont State, 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 Fairmont State 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 Certifying Official 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 Certifying Official of any changes in their enrollment status. If a change in enrollment status reduces the 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 Fairmont State, you will be designated as being on a “Military Leave of Absence.” 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 Financial Aid and Scholarships Office, Veterans Services, 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 Financial Aid and Scholarships Office, Veterans Services, and 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 from which it was awarded.
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 threefourths of the semester before a faculty can awards a final grade for a course. If you wish to pursue this option, you will need to contact Veterans Services. Veterans Services will discuss the procedure with you and provide a form for faculty members to sign. 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 incomplete/s. At the end of the oneyear 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, Veterans Services, and 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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