/Institutions/Pensacola-State-College/json/2014-2015/Catalog-local.json

/Institutions/Pensacola-State-College/json/2014-2015/Catalog.json

2014-2015 Catalog > Academic and Student Services > Veteran Services

Veteran Services

Pensacola State College has served veterans and their families since 1948. The Veteran Services Office (VSO), located in Building 6 on the Pensacola Campus, assists students with Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) and college VSO procedures. Veteran Services is part of the Student Financial Services Division of the College. The VSO assists students with their DVA education claims and is responsible for meeting all institutional reporting requirements mandated by DVA regulations. Students using Veteran Benefits are required to follow both the academic policies and procedures for obtaining a degree or certificate at Pensacola State College and adhere to DVA policies and procedures. DVA determines the education benefits and amount to be paid to the eligible student. Both the College and the student must abide by DVA regulations. The college’s VSO is a service of Pensacola State College and not an affiliate of the United States Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA).

Information for students receiving DVA benefits is found in this catalog and on the website:

http://www.pensacolastate.edu/financialaid/veterans.asp 

Resources are also available in the VSO. Pensacola State College’s VSO is committed to providing resources online for students, limited and protected by concerns for privacy and security. Students should frequently consult the DVA website: http://www.gibill.va.gov for updates.

Advance Payment: Newly enrolling Chapter 30, 35 and 1606 students and Chapter 30, 35, and 1606 students who did not receive VA education benefits from Pensacola State College or any other school within 30 days of the start of the term may apply for a one month advance payment of their eligible education benefit. The properly completed application and certified documentation must be received by the DVA Regional Office, no earlier than 120 days and no later than 30 days before the first day of class. Students should allow an average of four to six weeks after the VSO office submits enrollment certification for receipt of their first direct deposit of DVA education benefits. Visit http://pensacolastate.edu/financialaid/veteransAffairsForms.asp for more current information.

Application: Students anticipating the use of their DVA education benefits for enrollment at Pensacola State College should submit their applications using the VONAPP (Veterans-On-line Application) website: http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/get_started.asp  Doing this will accelerate the application process (see Certificate of Eligibility below). DVA forms are available online at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/handouts_forms.asp. All students who have previously attended training or education after high school (including military education/training) are required by the DVA to have their training evaluated for applicable credit to programs of study, regardless of whether or not DVA assistance was previously received. The credit evaluation is processed by the Pensacola State College Registrar’s Office. Credits may then be applied toward the student’s degree program at Pensacola State College. A copy of all DD-214’s or Military Training Transcripts (Joint Services Transcript for Army, Navy and Marines; CCAF for Air Force) and official school transcripts must be submitted to the Admissions/Records Office at this College for military/educational training evaluation. The Pensacola State College VA Certification Request form is available from the VSO website and must be accurately completed, signed, and submitted to this VSO by the student.

Certificate of Eligibility: Upon favorable review of a benefits application, the DVA will issue a Certificate of Eligibility directly to the student. The student MUST then submit a copy of the Certificate to the VSO.

Attendance Requirements: VA students may be withdrawn by their instructors when their absences are excessive, as defined under the “Attendance Policy” described in this catalog. Students must verify their attendance on the last day of the month to initiate the release of the monthly benefit check if using CH 30, 1606, or 1607 education benefits. To verify attendance, please use the Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) at https://www.gibill.va.gov/wave, or the toll free Interactive Voice Response (IVR) telephone line at (877) 823-2378 .

Calculation o f Pay Rate: Pay rate classifications set by DVA for CH 30, 31, 35, 1606, and 1607 are FULL, THREE-QUARTER, HALF, and LESS-THAN-HALF-TIME. The rate calculation is based on the combination of credits enrolled and the length of the session in days of instruction. Pensacola State College has three terms — fall, spring, and summer. Each term has four sessions, A, B, C, and D. The sessions have varied lengths. It is important to remember that “term” and “session” have different meanings and measurements. A student enrolled in 12 credits for fall term, all in the “A” session would be FULL TIME for the semester. Enrollment in two or more different sessions during the term could result in changes in the calculation of the rate of pay over the term. Students should go to http://www.gibill.va.gov for pay rate information.

Certification: All enrolled VA students should submit a VA Certification Request form to the VSO if they wish to claim DVA benefits for the upcoming semester. Certification requests should be submitted at least thirty business days prior to the term the student wishes to be certified. Final certification is not completed until registration for the upcoming semester. IMPORTANT: Students should complete their registration and the necessary steps for certification as early as possible to ensure quick processing and DVA payment.

Communications: Official communications between Pensacola State College and students are through Pirate Mail. It is each student’s responsibility to regularly monitor their account. Students should submit correspondence to the VSO using veterans@pensacolastate.edu. The student’s name, Pensacola State Student ID number, and chapter of VA benefits should be always be included.

Cooperative (CO-OP) Training: Co-op training is approved for DVA benefits if the course is required in the student’s program and meets DVA regulations for certification purposes. If the co-op course is verifiable and the student would like to receive DVA benefits, the “Statement of Election” form must be completed before the co-op course can be certified to the DVA. Contact the VSO to ensure the course is certifiable and to obtain the necessary paperwork.

Courses for which the VA will not pay: Any course that cannot be applied toward fulfilling graduation requirements in the student’s DVA approved degree program at Pensacola State College cannot be certified to the DVA for benefit payments. The following list reflects other types of “non-pay” courses, but is not all-inclusive:

1. Repeated courses which have been successfully completed with a grade of “D” or better, unless the course is being repeated in accordance with the Gordon Rule or Pensacola State College graduation requirements. This includes courses transferred in whether DVA benefits were received or not.
2. Courses not listed under the student’s DVA approved degree program; unless the course is a pre-requisite/co-requisite listed under the course descriptions of the current Pensacola State College catalog, or a course substitution is processed and approved before the term begins. The student should follow the Pensacola State College program outline listed in the college catalog under which the student plans to graduate.
3. Courses offered as open entry/open exit.
4. Courses considered excessive electives. This includes credit received for prior training that will count toward an elective requirement whether DVA benefits were received or not.
5. Remedial courses which are not required by placement test scores and/or under Florida State laws.
6. Courses taken to fulfill requirements at another institution unless an approved transient authorization is received.
7. Courses taken as audit, non-credit, CLEP, or exemption.
8. Any course in which the student’s final permanent grade is “non-punitive” in nature, for example a “W” grade, unless DVA finds the student received the grade due to mitigating circumstances. See Grades Table elsewhere in the catalog.
9. Courses offered as independent study in a certificate program.

Deferment: Florida law provides for one deferment of tuition and fees (does not include books) per academic year for students receiving DVA benefits. The deferment is a legal promissory note  between Pensacola State College and the student; therefore, the student is responsible for making full payment by the due date. All costs of collection including reasonable attorney fees will be the responsibility of the student. The student’s obligation to pay is not contingent on the student first receiving his or her DVA payment. Consult with the VSO staff for complete eligibility requirements and proper ID documents. Students receiving CH 33 benefits should review the Post 9/11 section for additional information.

Dual Degree: DVA allows a student to concurrently pursue two degree programs. The student must first receive approval from Pensacola State College’s Registrar. Then the student must request approval through Pensacola State College’s VSO. The Dual Degree request should be submitted sixty business days prior to the start of the term dual enrollment is desired. If the student changes one of the dual degree programs after approval, the approval is then voided. If the student submits a certification request with other than one of the approved dual programs, that certification will not be processed. Careful review of the dual request form should be done prior to submitting the request located at: http://www.pensacolastate.edu/financialaid/veteransAffairsForms.asp

DVA Resources: Pensacola State College’s VSO does NOT have access to a student’s DVA pay information; therefore, students should consult the DVA’s websites: http://www.ebenefits.va.gov and http://www.gibill.va.gov to check on education benefits and payments. Students should view these periodically for updates regarding their benefits. Specific questions regarding a student’s education benefits and payments should be addressed directly to the DVA using the “Ask a Question” feature at the following address: https://gibill.custhelp.com/app/utils/login_form/redirect/ask or by calling (888) 442-4551.

DVA Vocational Rehabilitation: Students approved for DVA Vocational Rehabilitation (Chapter 31) are eligible to charge tuition, fees, books, and supplies as approved by their DVA case manager and as allowed by DVA regulations. The college’s VSO must receive an authorized DVA Form 28-1905 from the case manager before changes can be made. Please allow at least five business days for changes to be made. For additional information, email veterans@pensacolastate.edu.

Educational Objective: In order to receive DVA Educational Assistance the student must be pursuing an approved BAS, BSN, AA, AS,  or certificate at Pensacola State College. The student must follow the catalog for the academic year the student began the program, unless the student takes longer than five years to complete the program. Please see Effective Catalog Policy for complete details. Transient students must contact the VSO staff for additional requirements.

NOTE: DVA will not pay educational benefits for pursuit of a second AA degree if the student has already earned an AA or a bachelor’s degree issued by the state of Florida.

Graduating Term: A VA student under Chapters 30, 33, 35, 1606 or 1607 may register in any college credit course, not part of their degree program, to achieve up to full-time enrollment during their graduation term. This exception is once per program.

Name/Address/Program Changes: Students are to notify VSO and the Admissions/Registrar’s office of change of name, address, or degree program. These changes can affect your receipt of DVA education benefits.

Non-College Degree (NCD) Programs: DVA sets specific standards for NCD programs. Based on the instruction/lab mix of the course, DVA designates the number of contact hours needed to qualify for full-time training rate. Students enrolled in Adult Basic Education (ABE) and adult high school (AHS) programs are required by DVA to provide monthly Attendance Sheets for EACH course enrolled. Attendance Sheets for the previous month must be received by Pensacola State College’s VSO by the fifth business day of the next month. If the Attendance Sheets are not received by the deadline, the student will not be certified for payment until after the end of the term and all completed Attendance Sheets are received. Additional information will be provided to each student in an NCD program. Students in ABE and AHS may have their benefits terminated for excessive absences.

Post 9/11 GI Bill-CH 33: Students using CH 33 will be allowed to request a VA Deferment each term with the following stipulations: If the student has a VA Deferment from a prior term and the student has less than 100% eligibility, the student must have paid his/her portion of the deferment and have no other financial obligations to the College.

Processing Time: New applications, program changes, and certification requests should allow a minimum of two weeks for the VSO to audit and submit to the DVA. Certifications are processed in date-received sequence.

Repeating Courses: A student may repeat a course in which an “F” or a non-passing grade is received. The DVA will not pay for successfully completed courses unless the student is repeating a “D” grade in accordance with the Gordon Rule or Pensacola State graduation requirements.

Reporting Requirements: It is the responsibility of VA students to keep the VSO informed of all changes in their enrollment status by adhering to the following:

1. After registering for classes, students should go to www.pensacolastate.edu and under “Student Records” click on “My Degree Audit.” Any course indicated as “The following credits are not used in this program” may not count toward enrollment for benefits calculation. The VSO can help determine which courses are eligible for benefits. Submit an e-mail to veterans@pensacolastate.edu with their name, Student ID number, chapter of VA benefits, and a statement confirming completion of registration.
2. Students under Chapters 30, 35, 1606, and 1607 pursuing degree programs, certificate programs, Adult Basic Education or Adult High School must certify their enrollment each month. Verification of attendance should be done on the last day of the month to initiate the release of the monthly benefits check. CH 30, 1606, and 1607 should use the Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) at https://www.gibill.va.gov/wave or the toll free Interactive Voice Response (IVR) telephone line at (877) 8232378 to verify enrollment. CH 35 students must call (888) 442-4551.
3. Students must e-mail veterans@pensacolastate.edu with their name, Student ID number, and chapter of VA benefits to report any changes in school enrollment or attendance.

Tutorial Assistance: Veteran’s under Chapters 30, 32, 33, dependents under Chapter 35, or reservists under Chapter 1606 or 1607 enrolled at least half-time in a post-secondary program have potential entitlement to DVA tutorial assistance. Contact VSO for additional information and proper forms. Veterans under Chapter 31 should contact their DVA vocational rehabilitation counselor.

Unsatisfactory Progress: When a student fails to meet Pensacola State College’s standards of academic progress, the VSO is required to advise the DVA. The student must obtain a Pensacola State College Veteran Services Office Unsatisfactory Academic Progress Form and make an appointment with an academic advisor to have the form completed. When completed, the form will state the reason for the unsatisfactory academic progress and steps the student must take to regain satisfactory academic progress. The completed form must be returned to the VSO in order to be certified for DVA benefits. If the student is on academic probation or suspension for two consecutive terms, his or her DVA benefits can be suspended for unsatisfactory academic progress.  See STANDARDS OF ACADEMIC PROGRESS this catalog.

Work-Study: Students enrolled a minimum of three-quarter time under Chapters 30, 31, 33, 35, 1606, or 1607 may apply for the DVA Work-Study Program. The qualified and selected student is paid minimum wage (Florida or federal, whichever is higher) by the Department of Veteran Affairs. Work-Study pay is tax exempt and students may work a maximum of 425 hours over a fall or spring term and 325 hours over the summer term. For additional information please contact veterans@pensacolastate.edu.