Student Deployment

1.0    Purpose

This policy establishes guidelines on how to manage the deployment of students in the U.S. uniformed services.  

2.0    Revision History

3.0    Persons Affected

3.1    Any enrolled student who is a present member of the uniformed services, who has applied for membership in the uniformed services, or who is obligated to serve in the uniformed services. Individuals who separate from the uniformed services with a dishonorable or bad conduct discharge terminate their rights under this policy.

4.0    Policy

The policy of Casper College is to ensure the following.

4.1    The college provides equitable, consistent treatment of its deployed students.

4.2    The college provides accommodations to minimize the effects of a deployment on a student’s academic progress.

4.3    Students meet their military deployment obligations without discrimination or retaliation.

4.4    Students take deployment leave in accordance with this policy.

4.5    The college complies with federal and Wyoming laws pertaining to military leave.

5.0    Definitions

5.1    Uniformed Services. Any of the United States armed forces, Coast Guard, reserves, or National Guard.

5.2    Deployment. The mobilization or activation of persons in the uniformed services.

6.0    Responsibilities

6.1    Students are responsible for notifying the Veteran and Military Student Services Coordinator, registrar, or VPSS Office that they will be deployed and for following this policy.

6.2    The vice president of student services (VPSS) is responsible for maintaining compliance with this policy.

7.0    Procedures

7.1    Taking Leave

7.1.1    Students present official military orders indicating their deployment to the Veteran and Military Student Services Coordinator, registrar, or VPSS Office. The student’s parents, guardian, or spouse may present the orders if the student is unable to do so because of rapid deployment.

7.1.2    The Veteran and Military Student Services Coordinator, registrar, or VPSS Office verifies eligibility and explains the student’s rights and responsibilities to the student or the student’s representative.

7.1.3    Students return to the college at the conclusion of the deployment in accordance with this policy and any applicable federal or Wyoming laws pertaining to military leave.

7.2    Enrollment and Grades

Following are three options for students who are deployed during a semester in which they are enrolled. Students who have completed less than 60 percent of the semester at the time of deployment may receive a prorated refund of tuition and fees if these costs were paid with student personal funds.

7.2.1    Students may withdraw completely from all enrolled courses without penalty or a punitive grade.

7.2.2    Students may request an incomplete grade in some or all of their courses from the faculty of those courses. Students who receive an incomplete grade must meet with the VPSS Office no more than one year from the conclusion of the term of active duty to establish a timeline to remove the incomplete grade. If the instructor is unable to arrange for an incomplete, the course will be considered dropped.

7.2.3    Students may request that their instructors assign a course grade or to take an early final exam in some or all of their courses. If the instructor is not able to assign a grade or offer an early final exam, the course will be considered dropped. The college will issue a full tuition and mandatory fees refund for the dropped courses to the payment source.

7.3    Books

Refunds on textbooks are not guaranteed. The college is not responsible for reimbursing student book expenses.

7.4    Room and Board

The college will issue a prorated refund for room and board to the payment source. Deployed students who have resided in student housing prior to deployment will be placed first on the list of available housing upon their readmission to the college.

7.5    Scholarships, Grants, and Loans

The college will notify students who have scholarships, grants, or loans, if they need to return any money. Federal financial aid is subject to federal regulations and the college will process a return of funds calculation. For institutionally funded scholarships, the college will make every effort to award students equitable scholarships upon reenrolling after the student’s period of active duty, so long as the student remains otherwise eligible and is contingent upon available funding.

7.6    Readmission

7.6.1    Students returning from deployment notify the Veteran and Military Student Services Coordinator, registrar, or VPSS Office in writing of their intent to reenroll into their program of study and provide a copy of the DD-214 or certificate of release.

7.6.2    The college will make every effort to place deployed students who reenroll within one year of completion of their term of active service as close as possible into their academic studies that they occupied when deployed.

If the college determines that a student is not prepared to resume a program of study with the same academic status or will not be able to complete the program, the college must make reasonable efforts at no extra cost to the student to help the student become prepared or to enable the student to complete the program. The college may deny readmission, if after reasonable efforts, the college determines that the student is not prepared to resume the program at the same point as when the student left or that the student is unable to complete the program.

The following privileges apply for deployed students.

7.6.2.1    The college will readmit students into the next class or classes upon notification of the intent to reenroll from the student, unless the student requests a later readmission date. The college will readmit students at same academic status as they had prior to deployment.

7.6.2.2    The college will waive any college application fees.

7.6.2.3    Students will receive preferential enrollment into high demand and sequential courses to continue their studies.

7.6.2.4    Students may choose to remain under the academic catalog in which they were under prior to deployment.

7.6.2.5    The college will suspend time spent deployed from the time-to-complete program requirements.

7.6.2.6    The appropriate dean or department chair will make reasonable accommodation to substitute courses, independent study, or other options for courses that are no longer offered but required for the student’s initial program of study. If there have been substantial curriculum changes during the period of deployment, the appropriate dean or department chair may prescribe a special curriculum that will assure proper preparation of the student.

7.6.2.7    The college will assist students whose program of study no longer exists in changing to a new program or transferring to another institution.