Veteran And Military Student Short-Term Absences : 2:22:00:01

• Responsible Executive: Vice President for Student Success; Executive Vice President for Business and Finance
• Responsible Officers: Veterans Affairs Program Manager; Dean of Students; Assistant Vice President for Business and Finance

I. PURPOSE

Motlow State Community College (Motlow State) recognizes and appreciates the important contributions made in service of our country by active duty, Reserve, and National Guard members and their dependents. Motlow State acknowledges that students may be temporarily unable to attend classes or be required to suspend their studies to perform military service. Motlow State encourages such students to resume their education once a military service obligation has ended and adopts this policy to ensure the timely readmission of such students. In order to accommodate these students and their dependents, Motlow State faculty and staff shall provide the options within this policy to accommodate unexpected trainings/drills, deployments, or change-of-station orders.

II. APPLICABILITY AND SCOPE

The policies and procedures contained in this document apply to any eligible service member.

III. POLICY

1. For any short-term trainings/drills, deployments, or change-of-station orders, students will attempt to make arrangements with instructors to maintain and/or make up class work as needed. Registration for those courses in which instructors accommodate the absence will remain unchanged and tuition and mandatory fees will be assessed in full for those courses. Service members should provide instructors with maximum advance notice of absences, as well as copies of training/drill, deployment, and/or change-of-station directives from the military, Reserve, or National Guard.
2. Instructors will work with students whenever possible to assign grades as appropriate (including grades of “incomplete” to be made up later). Instructors must accommodate absences of up to two (2) weeks in duration (or equivalent in Summer).
3. When unable to make satisfactory arrangements with any instructors, course(s) will be dropped and the tuition and mandatory fees for the course(s) will be rescinded.
4. When unable to make arrangements with any instructors for unexpected orders requiring longer than a two-week absence, the student’s entire registration will be withdrawn or canceled and 100% of the tuition and mandatory fees will be rescinded.
5. Communication about calls to active duty:
   1. A student must provide oral or written notice of a uniformed service obligation to the following positions and offices as far in advance as possible, unless precluded by military necessity:
      1. Admissions & Records;
      2. Dean of Students;
      3. Veterans Affairs Program Manager; and
      4. Appropriate Instructors – those teaching classes in which the service member is currently enrolled.
   2. Such notice does not need to initially indicate when the student will return to Motlow State when called to duty.
   3. When re-enrolling, the student must also give written notice of the student’s intent to return to Motlow State within three (3) years after the completion of the period of military service. Immediately upon the student’s return to Motlow State, any returning military students must provide notice (written or verbal) that they may be entitled to the tuition and enrollment benefits outlined in this policy. The returning student may be required to provide supporting documentation.
6. In accordance with federal regulations, and the Department of Defense (DoD) Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Motlow State will promptly readmit service members who seek readmission to a program that was interrupted due to a uniformed service obligation.
   1. A student is eligible for readmission under this policy if, during an absence, the student performs uniformed service, voluntary or involuntary, in the Armed Forces, including the National Guard or Reserve, active duty, active duty for training, or full-time National Guard (under federal authority).
   2. The cumulative length of all absences for uniformed service (service time only) must not exceed five (5) years.
   3. Motlow State personnel will ensure that students under the governance of this policy are readmitted without penalty including assurance the student can continue their program of study and courses from the point when active duty disrupted their enrollment.

EXHIBITS

Department of Defense Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding

SOURCES

Department of Defense Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding

HISTORY

• President’s Cabinet Approved: December 19, 2022
• Institutional Oversight Committee Approved: March 8, 2023
• Effective Date: March 8, 2023