Veterans’ Education Benefits

Procedure Administrator: Chief Enrollment Management Officer

Authority: Memorandum of Understanding between Stockton University and the Department of Defense; Principles of Excellence

Effective Date: September 27, 1982; September 22, 2009; August 13, 2021

Index Cross-References:

Procedure File Number: 3805

Approved By: Dr. Harvey Kesselman, President

I. PURPOSE:

To provide procedural guidance related to benefits for veterans and their dependents in accordance with the provisions of Title 38 of the United States Code.

II. PROCEDURE:

A. Federal Benefit Program

In accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between the institution and the Department of Defense (DOD), Stockton University will process veteran benefits in compliance with the Principles of Excellence, by:

▪ Providing the student with a written personal summary of the total cost of the educational program, including:

o The costs covered by VA benefits.
o The financial aid for which the student qualifies.
o Expected student-loan debt after graduation.
o Other information to help compare aid packages offered by different schools.

▪ Providing an educational plan with a timeline showing how and when graduation requirements can be fulfilled;

▪ Assigning a point of contact to provide ongoing academic and financial advice (including access to disability counseling);

▪ Allowing for absences of varied duration due to mandatory service obligations for active-duty service members and reservists;

▪ Ensuring all new programs are accredited (officially approved) before enrolling students;

▪ Ensuring refund policies follow Title IV rules, which guide federal student financial aid programs; and

▪ Banning fraudulent (deceitful) and aggressive methods of recruiting.

B. State Benefit Program

In accordance with N.J.S.A. 18A:62-24 (Tuition Benefits for Members of New Jersey National Guard; State Payment), Stockton University will apply a tuition waiver up to 16 credits per semester for eligible National Guard members AFTER other qualified funding is applied and submission of statutorily required documentation.

C. Return of Funds

Military Tuition Assistance (TA) is awarded to a student under the assumption that the student will attend school for the entire period for which the assistance is awarded, thereby earning the full amount authorized. When a student withdraws, the student may no longer be eligible for the full amount of TA funds originally authorized. To comply with the DOD policy, Stockton University will return any unearned TA funds on a prorated basis through at least the 60% portion of the
enrollment period for which the funds were provided.

Unearned funds will be returned on a prorated basis, depending on the length of the course. To determine the amount of TA that needs to be returned, the University will determine the date of the withdrawal, and then divide that by the number of days in the term to determine the percentage of TA that was earned by the student.

For example: The student enrolled in a course with a duration of 56 days. The student withdraws from the course on the 21st day. The percentage earned is 20/56 = 35.714%. Since 36% of the TA authorized was earned by the student, the remaining portion (64%) of what was originally authorized must be returned to the DOD in accordance with this rule.

In instances when a service member stops attending due to a military service obligation, the University will work with the affected service member to identify solutions that will not result in a student debt for the returned portion in compliance with the DOD policy.

Refund Procedures:

To comply with the DOD policy, the University will return any unearned TA funds through at least 60% of the semester on a prorated basis. The amount of unearned TA that is returned is based on the date of withdrawal from the course(s).

The DOD will be billed after 60% of the semester has passed to reduce the amount of incorrect TA funds being disbursed by the DOD to the University. The University will only bill for the amount the student earned given their enrollment.

D. Additional Information

For additional information regarding a specific benefit program, contact the School Certifying Official in the Office of Financial Aid.

Review History:

Procedure Administrator 06/02/2021

Divisional Executive 06/16/2021

General Counsel 07/15/2021

Cabinet 08/12/2021

President 08/13/2021