Veterans Benefits: Beyond the Basics Presented by Jenni Peterson, Assistant Director, One Stop Student Services and University Veterans Services, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities Additional content provided by Carin Anderson, Education Liaison Representative, United States Department of Veterans Affairs

Agenda Updates Common Compliance Issues Best Practices – Benefits request – Communicating with your student veterans – Study Abroad Tools/Resources VA Feedback System Q & A 2

Minnesota FY Active Facilities 189 Active Schools- Institutes of Higher Learning (IHL), Non-College Degree (NCD), & High Schools 52 OJT/Apprenticeships Benefits in Minnesota- April 2014 Chapter (includes VRAP) Chapter Chapter 32 0 Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Total = 11,559 3

Updates Section 702 of the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 (“Choice Act”) - Requires VA to disapprove programs of education for payment of benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill and Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty at public institutions of higher learning if the schools charge qualifying Veterans and dependents tuition and fees in excess of the rate for resident students for terms beginning after July 1, VA will not issue payments under the Post-9/11 GI Bill and MGIB-AD for all students in terms beginning after July 1, 2015, if the requirements of Section 702 are not met, unless a waiver is granted. If the in-state tuition and fee policies are brought into compliance with the requirements after July 1, 2015, and no waiver was previously granted, VA will begin making payments for terms, quarters, or semesters that begin on or after the date that the compliant policies take effect. -Minnesota State Approving Agency is the main Point of Contact - As of April 2015, Minnesota intends to comply 4

Updates Continued Graduation reporting -Schools were sent letters to reconcile -Only reporting if student graduated during a term with an active certification - Questions can be referred to -School Certifying Officials should be reporting graduation in VA Once Annual Reporting Fees - Sent out to the schools in April - $9/certification -Must be used to support certifications Yellow Ribbon Open season -Any modifications to existing agreements and any new agreements must be submitted no later than May 15, Cap Cost for 2015/2016 year is $

Common Compliance Issues 1.Reporting tuition and fees properly When a student reduces credits, no matter what the school refund policy is or when they drop in the term, you must report the actual amount of tuition and fees that the student would have been charged if that was their original amount of credits. It talks about this on page 68 of the SCO Handbook for both flat rate and/or per credit rates. An example- Original certification reported is 12 credits at $350/credit= $4,200 T/F Student drops to 10 credits midway through the term You must report 10 credits x $350/credit= $3,500 T/F (even if the school is still charging the student $4,200) 2. Punitive V. Non-Punitive Grades Per Marie George, Chief Education Liaison Officer, please report as follows: Punitive Grades- grades that impact the GPA (mostly F grades here in Minnesota) Non-Punitive Grades- grades that do not impact GPA (Mostly W’s or NP’s) 6

Common Compliance Issues Continued 3. Reporting F Grades (Punitive Grades) Punitive grades only have to reported if the school has a mandatory attendance policy 4. Study Abroad Fees - If Study Abroad is required for graduation, the tuition and program fees can be billed to the VA (no travel, lodging, or meals can be included). - If Study Abroad is not required for graduation, but will count as an elective towards degree completion, regular institutional tuition and fees can be billed to the VA (unless the Study Abroad tuition/fees are less, then it should be the lesser cost) - Tuition and fees must be billed through the student account and the student must have official registration through the college 5. Certifying Non-Standard Terms - If classes starts and ends in the same calendar week (Sunday through Saturday), they can be certified as a “term” - If the course start or end dates are not in that same week, they should be certified as their own “term” 7

Best Practices 1.Forms -How do students request certification -Sign off saying they agree to pay balance, may incur debt with school/VA, etc 2.Communication - SCO, Billing Office, Registrar’s, Financial Aid 8

Benefits Request Creates accountability Provides information to the student Easy to have for compliance Online or paper 9

Recommended information on request Students agree to notify the certifying official of: – Registration changes – Changes in academic program – Responsibly for paying tuition if VA benefits does not pay/cover all – Non standard terms pay differently – Type of benefit being used 10

11 Paper request form example

Online request Students authenticate in – secure Workflow Easy to manage process 12

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Find an ally in your IT office Reports – Catch drop/adds – Tuition changes Online Request form 15

Communicating with your students Open house Orientation s Newsletters Phone calls Student group Social Media 16

Study Abroad Is studying abroad required for their degree program? Does the student have registration on your campus? Who is billing the student? What can the VA cover for students studying abroad? 17

Tools/Resources Contacting the VA Carin Anderson, ELR: SCO Line: SCO Fax: – *To fax certification forms only Veteran Line: Debt Management Center: Debt Management Center (schools only) Submit a Question: – * Once you have set up an account, contact ELR to code you as an SCO GI Bill Website eBenefits 18

Tools/Resources- GI Bill Website 19

Tools/Resources - eBenefits 20

VA Feedback System A.K.A. Complaint System VA Website: Best for students and schools to work through school leadership when possible 21

VA Feedback System 22

VA Feedback System 23

Staff changes Designation of Certifying Official. Must be completed with each staffing change 24

Contact Information Jenni Peterson Assistant Director University Veterans Services and One Stop Student Services Carin Anderson Education Liaison Representative, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs