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 byCarin Anderson, Education Liaison Representative, United States Department of Veterans Affairs

2

Agenda• Updates• Common Compliance Issues• Best Practices– Benefits request – Communicating with your student veterans– Study Abroad

• Tools/Resources• VA Feedback System• Q & A

3

MinnesotaFY 2014

241 Active Facilities • 189 Active Schools- Institutes of Higher Learning (IHL), Non-College Degree (NCD), & High Schools• 52 OJT/Apprenticeships

Benefits in Minnesota- April 2014Chapter 30 532 (includes VRAP)

Chapter 31 789Chapter 32 0Chapter 33 7893Chapter 35 927Chapter 1606 1127Chapter 1607 291

---------------------------------- Total = 11,559

4

UpdatesSection 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, 2015. - 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

5

Updates ContinuedGraduation reporting- Schools were sent letters to reconcile- Only reporting if student graduated during a term with an active

certification- Questions can be referred to outcomemeasures.vbavaco@va.gov- 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, 2015- Cap Cost for 2015/2016 year is $21.084.89

6

Common Compliance Issues

1.Reporting tuition and fees properlyWhen 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/FStudent drops to 10 credits midway through the termYou 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)

7

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”

8

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

9

Benefits Request

• Creates accountability• Provides information to the student• Easy to have for compliance• Online or paper

10

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

11

Paper request form example

12

Online request

• Students authenticate in – secure• Workflow• Easy to manage process

13

14

15

Find an ally in your IT office• Reports– Catch drop/adds– Tuition changes

• Online Request form

16

Communicating with your students

• Open house• Orientation• Emails• Newsletters• Phone calls• Student group• Social Media

17

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?

18

Tools/Resources

• Contacting the VA• Carin Anderson, ELR: 612-970-5457 • SCO Line: 855-225-1159• SCO Fax: 314-552-9444– *To fax certification forms only• Veteran Line: 888-442-4551 •Debt Management Center: 800-827-0648•Debt Management Center (schools only) email: dmcedu.vbaspl@va.gov• Submit a Question: https://gibill.custhelp.com/app/ask/– * Once you have set up an account, contact ELR to code you as an SCO

• GI Bill Website• http://www.benefits.va.gov/GIBILL/index.asp

• eBenefits• https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits-portal/ebenefits.portal

19

Tools/Resources- GI Bill Website

20

Tools/Resources - eBenefits

21

VA Feedback System

• A.K.A. Complaint System• VA Website:

http://www.benefits.va.gov/GIBILL/Feedback.asp• Best for students and schools to work through school

leadership when possible

22

VA Feedback System

23

VA Feedback System

24

Staff changes• Designation of Certifying Official. Must be completed with

each staffing change

25

Contact Information

Jenni PetersonAssistant DirectorUniversity Veterans Services and One Stop Student Services612-626-1431hoff0489@umn.edu

Carin AndersonEducation Liaison Representative, MinnesotaDepartment of Veterans Affairs612-970-5457carin.anderson@va.gov