Military Activation Policy (Military Accommodation)

Students who are in the military, military reserves, or the National Guard of the United States and who are called to active duty and are ordered to relocate¹, have three options available that they may consider with their advisor in determining their enrollment status with the University:

1. Applicants to the University who have accepted an offer of admission but who have not yet registered in a degree program will be permitted to enroll for the next appropriate semester following their discharge from active duty, provided the University receives adequate notice of the applicant’s intent to re-enroll. The applicant to reapply for admission nor to pay an additional application fee. Any prepaid admission deposits, tuition, room or board charges will be refunded.
2. Students may withdraw from all courses in which they are enrolled as of the effective date of the order to report to active duty. If this option is chosen, a full credit of all tuition and fees will be made to the student’s account. Students will receive a pro-rated credit of dining service and of housing contract charges. Financial aid awards that were credited to students’ accounts will be recovered by the University in the amount of tuition and fees, dining or housing credit, as financial aid regulations require that if the student withdraws prior to completing 60% of a payment period or term and the student has federal financial aid a recalculation of aid must take place.
3. Students may take a grade of Incomplete in all courses if the student receives the official order past the point of 60% of total course engagement time. The remaining course work to be completed will be noted on the Petition for Incomplete Grade form and affirmed by the student and the appropriate faculty member, for each course in which the student is enrolled. Students will receive a pro-rated credit of dining service and housing contract charges.

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Although this policy pertains primarily to the reserves and National Guard, the same options will be offered to active duty personnel who are transferred unexpectedly out of the area as a result of the President of the United States activating reserve or National Guard units.

Should the student fail to pursue any of the three options, they will be subject to standard financial aid and other university policies and processes that guide the handling of students who cease academic engagement mid-term.

Request a Military Accommodation

To initiate any of the options above, and request a Military Accommodation, students must:

1. Provide a copy of their active duty orders to the University Registrar, in the form of a formal correspondence on unit letterhead signed by the commander. The formal correspondence must include unit commander contact information, and verification of duration and location of pending assignment. The orders will be kept in the student’s permanent file in the Office of the Registrar along with the withdrawal form and any petitions for incompletes.
2. File a Military Leave of Absence Form with the Office of the Registrar.
3. File Petitions for Incomplete Grades if that option is chosen.
4. A copy of a duly executed power of attorney will be required by the University before processing the withdrawal or incomplete form for a student, when that process is initiated by any person other than the student. It is recommended that a power of attorney be filed for any activated student to address any unanticipated situation.
5. The student’s advisor should be notified of the activation.
6. The maximum length of time for a Military Leave of Absence is 180 days during any 12 month period. It will not be necessary for the applicant to reapply for admission nor to pay an additional application fee, provided the student returns from active duty within 180 days of deployment, and notifies the University of their intent to re-enroll within 30 days of separation from active duty.

Return Following Separation from Active Duty

To initiate the process to return following separation from active duty, the student must:

1. Upon separation from active duty, and within 30 days of such, the student should notify the University of their intent to re-enroll.
2. A student who opted for a full withdrawal from courses at the point of their activation/deployment, may register for the next available term following the notification of their intent to re-enroll. If a notification of intent occurs less than 14 days prior to the start of the next available term, registration in that term will be subject to administrative approval from the office of Academic Affairs.
3. A student who opted to receive “I” grades in their course work at the point of their activation/deployment, must complete any pending course work related to Incomplete grades, thus allowing for the conversion of the “I” grade to a regular grade, by no later than the end of the eighth week of the semester after their return, and before the student will be allowed to register for additional coursework.