Veteran's Services
The Office of Veteran's Services, located in the Admissions and Records Office on the main campus, provides a one-stop, centrally located area for the student to deal with veteran-related problems.
The office handles VA educational paperwork, changes in program and problems with late or in-appropriate benefit checks. The office also can refer students to agencies specializing in discharge upgrading, military-related problems and psychological and drug counseling. Eligible students should contact the Veterans Certifying Official for certification every term enrolled in classes. The Veterans' Administration Regional Office keeps a central file on each person receiving benefits and all enrollment information must first be processed by the college before any award is made.
The veteran's office continually audits the transcripts of each student receiving VA benefits to ensure that the veteran's work leads toward the stated degree. All classes must be taken for credit and applied towards the degree on file with the VA. Attendance in classes is mandatory to continue receiving benefits. Distance education and independent study classes offered for credit by Mt Hood Community College do qualify for benefits.
Veteran Level Status
Full Time: 12 credits
Time: 9 to 11 credits
Time: 6 to 8 credits
Less than 1/2 time: 5 credits or less
Full-time equivalency is defined as regularly enrolled for 12 or more credit hours. Students certified for less than full-time will have their eligibility proportionately extended. Veterans registering for classes which meet for less than the standard 10-11 week session will be certified by the number of credits for the class and the class dates and paid accordingly. Contact the Veteran Certifying Official for details or help determining credit loads for short term classes and during summer term.
Other Veterans' Services
Deferred Tuition:
Initiating VA educational benefit checks generally takes six to eight weeks. Because of this, many veterans are unable to pay tuition at the time of registration. A note deferring tuition must be signed by the Veterans Certifying Official stating that the veteran will be receiving benefits. This note is an I. 0. U. between the individual and the business office to register for and attend classes, then pay tuition once the VA checks comes. This deferral note must be completed and turned into the veterans certifying official every term prior to the end of the second week of each term.
Tutorial Assistance:
Veterans and dependents needing extra help with class work in addition to the help received through the Learning Assistance Center may have the cost of hiring a tutor reimbursed by the VA. Contact the Veterans Certifying Official for more information.
Veterans' Satisfactory Progress Standards
The Purpose of the Standard
To assist each veteran student with accomplishing his/her educational goal by:
- Alerting the student and the college of academic difficulties or deficiencies.
- Providing the opportunity for the college to be of greater assistance to the student in setting and achieving academic goals.
- Assisting the student in utilizing the facilities and personnel of the college.
- Creating an atmosphere in which the student may become successful in his/her pursuit of an education.
Academic Review and Referral
At the end of each term, the veterans office reviews the grade point average achieved by each student enrolled in 1 or more credits. If a student's term GPA falls below 2.00, the student is notified of their academic status. The following statuses can be assigned:
- Warning
- Probation
- Suspension
See below for further details.
Warning
Students who achieve a term GPA between 1.50 and 1.99 are placed on academic warning.
Students are encouraged to meet with an academic advisor or the Certifying Veteran Official immediately to determine the steps the student can take to raise their GPA the next term. The student's academic status will be adjusted the following term depending on their academic performance:
- Academic Warning status is removed if the student earns a 2.00 GPA or higher for the term or higher
- Academic Probation status is assigned if the student does not earn a minimum of a 2.00 GPA for the term.
Probation
Students are placed on Academic Probation if:
- They earn a 1.49 GPA or lower for a term
or
- They achieve a GPA of 1.99 or lower for two consecutive terms
Students are strongly encouraged to meet with an academic advisor or the Certifying Veteran Official to determine the steps the student can take to raise their GPA the next term. The student's academic status will be adjusted the following term depending on their academic performance:
- Academic Probation status is removed if the student earns a 2.00 GPA for the term.
- Academic Suspension for one term is assigned if the student does not earn a minimum of a 2.00 GPA for the term.
Suspension
Students are placed on Academic Suspension for one term if they earn a term GPA of 1.99 or lower while they are on Academic Probation. A student will be prevented from enrolling for one term while on suspension. If there are extenuating circumstances, a suspended student can choose to appeal their suspension.
Suspension Appeals
Students may appeal their suspension if they believe there are compelling reasons for reinstatement from suspension.
Steps to Appeal
- Obtain a "Suspension Appeal" form from the Academic Advising and Transfer Center.
- Meet with an academic advisor to complete the Suspension Appeal form.
- The academic advisor will determine whether the appeal will be approved and inform the student immediately. A copy of this appeal for must to turned into the Veterans Certifying Official before they can have their veteran benefit restored.
Appeal Decisions
The advisor will render one of the following decisions:
Appeal Approved - The student is expected to fulfill the expectations outlined on the Suspension Appeal form and is returned to academic probation status for one term. If the student does not fulfill the expectations, they can be suspended from one term to one year.
Appeal Denied - Student is suspended for one term and must complete a plan with an advisor before they will be allowed to enroll the following term.
- Students transferring to MHCC from any post-secondary educational institution or who have otherwise been granted college credit must submit a transcript of all prior credit records for evaluation and determination of prior credit granted as substitutions for MHCC curriculum requirements prior to the end of the second term in residence. Appropriate reduction in the time allowed for completion of the student's educational objectives will be noted on the transfer transcript evaluation.
- Since the permanent record must reflect a withdrawal and re-enrollment in any course for which there was a withdrawal or no show (W or N) these marks will not be replaced by a subsequent grade. Subsequent grades will be entered on the transcript at the time the grades are achieved. W or N grades may not be changed or erased for any reason. The date of receipt of these non-punitive grades will be reported to the VA Regional Office.
- MHCC will make available to the VA records that will substantiate whether the student is progressing satisfactorily at the rate for which he is certified.
- Within restrictions imposed by the VA, students may be allowed to enroll in and receive benefits for a given deficiency course for a period not to exceed one academic term including summer session. Exceptions may be allowed when the course instructor recommends in writing that the student repeat.
- All veteran students who drop or withdraw from any class after the second week and their credit-clock hour load is reduced to a lesser category (three-quarter time, quarter-time, etc.) than the one for which they were certified will be liable for repayment of funds.
- Students and the VA Regional Office will be notified in writing within 30 days of the date unsatisfactory progress has been determined.
- Students are expected to maintain a cumulative 2.00 grade point average to meet graduation requirements for degrees and certificates.
NOTE-- Veterans must notify the Veteran Certifying Official of any changes in their enrollment status (adds, drops, etc.) in addition to processing through the registration office. Failure to do so may result in overpayment of benefits.
Links of Interest
GI Bill Information - https://www.gibill.va.gov
GI Bill WAVE - Web Automated Verification of Enrollment - https://www.gibill.va.gov/wave/
Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs ODVA - http://www.oregon.gov/ODVA
ODVA Educational Aid for Veterans - http://www.oregon.gov/ODVA/docs/PDFs/Education.pdf
DD 214 Requests Online - http://www.archives.gov/veterans/evetrecs
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