Military or Emergency Declaration Withdrawal Policy

Custodian of Policy: Registrar

Relevant Minnesota State System Policy: 5.12

Relevant Procedures: Minnesota State System Procedure 5.12.1

Effective Date: Fall 2014

Last Review: Fall 2020

Next Review: Fall 2025

Policy

Part 1. Purpose
To provide consistent guidance for students at MSUM who are called to active duty for military service or are veterans, as defined in Minn. Stat. § 197.447. In the case of an emergency declaration, MSUM students other than military personnel may be called to active, full-time service in response to the emergency. As such, when an emergency declaration has been issued, the president has the discretion to extend this policy to include students who are called to full-time service in response to such an emergency declaration for the duration of the emergency. If the president applies this discretionary extension, an announcement will be made indicating those community members who can utilize the extension.

Part 2. Applicability
This policy is applicable to students who are called to active duty for military service or veterans with a service-connected disability certified by the United States Department of Veteran’s Affairs, and their service-connected medical condition or medical treatment requirements prevent their attendance at or progress in their higher education training or studies. It is also applicable to students who are called to full-time service in response to an emergency declaration who are included in the announcement from the president.

Part 3.
Student Options for Course Interruption by Active Duty, Medical Conditions or Medical Treatment, or Full-Time Service in Response to an Emergency Declaration Applicable students, as defined in Part 2 of this policy, must to the extent possible, be provided one of the following options.

Option 1. Withdraw and Refund
The student may withdraw from one or more courses for which tuition and fees have been paid and be given a full refund of tuition and fees. In such a case, the student may either receive a retroactive drop from the courses or “W” grades with an approved tuition waiver and Military or Emergency Declaration Withdrawal annotation on the student’s record, whichever is deemed in the student’s best interest. The Military or Emergency Declaration Withdrawal annotation on the student’s record must not result in negative consequences for the student. The student’s grade point average must not be altered or affected in any manner because of action under this item. Any refunds are subject to the requirements of the state or federal financial aid programs of origination.

Students receiving financial aid who choose this option must be informed that they may be liable for any required refunds of state or federal financial aid funds.

Option 2. Delay Completion
The student may be given a grade of incomplete in a course and complete it upon release from active duty or upon completion of medical treatment, or upon sufficient medical recovery. Course completion may be accomplished by independent study or by retaking the course without payment of tuition. Under federal financial aid policies, a course that is retaken under these conditions cannot be counted toward a student’s enrollment load.

Option 3. Complete the Course
The student may continue and complete the course for full credit. Class sessions missed by the student due to performance of active military service, the veterans’ medical treatment or condition, or full-time service in response to an emergency declaration must be counted as excused absences and cannot be used to adversely impact the student’s grade or standing in the class. However, any student who selects this option is not automatically excused from completing assignments due during the time-period the student is performing such service, receiving medical treatment or recovering from a medical condition.

Pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 192.502, a passing grade must be awarded if, in the opinion of the faculty member teaching the course, the student has completed sufficient work and has demonstrated sufficient progress toward meeting course requirements to justify the grade.

Part 4. Refunds
Students covered by this policy are eligible to receive a refund for paid room, board, and fees attributable to the time-period during which the student was serving in active military service, receiving medical treatment or dealing with the student’s medical condition and did not use the facilities or services for which the amounts were paid. Any refund of room, board, and fees is subject to the requirements of the state or federal financial aid programs of origination.

Part 5. Withdrawal and Readmission
Students who choose to withdraw must be readmitted and reenrolled as students, without penalty or redetermination of admission eligibility within two years following release from the state or federal active military service, following completion of medical treatment, or sufficient recovery from the student’s medical condition.