CENTER FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Transcription

1 7 Columbia Circle, Albany, NY Phone: Toll-Free: Fax: CENTER FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT On behalf of the Center of Professional Development, we thank you for your service and welcome you to Excelsior College. We are pleased you have chosen to take VA-approved programs offered through the Center for Professional Development that will help you get started in a new career or advance in your current position. Once you have sent us your form, completed with your Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, we will provide you with registration instructions. Included here is a checklist of items as well as the PDFs you will need to complete and return to us. As you go through the checklist, please give careful attention to the Satisfactory Academic Progress and Standard of Attendance Policy Agreement, making sure you fully understand the policy and the potential consequences if you do not meet its standards. The Center for Professional Development looks forward to facilitating your success in our programs by providing support, resources, and information that meet your needs as a veteran and a student. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our office at Center for Professional Development Team cpd@excelsior.edu cpd15-009; 05/2015

2 PRE-REGISTRATION CHECKLIST Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation Submit to Center for Professional Development (CPD) Letter of Intention Satisfactory Academic Progress and Standard of Attendance Policy Agreement Prior Learning Assessment Form (PDF) (Must be obtained from your Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor) SUBMIT YOUR COMPLETED PAPERWORK TO OUR OFFICE BY: FAX:

3 Letter of Intention Please print or type VETERANS AFFAIRS (VA) BENEFITS VA File # and/or Social Security Number: Name Date of Birth Address (No. and Street) (City) (State) (Zip Code) Home Phone ( ) Office Phone ( ) Active duty soldiers with two years of service and veterans are eligible to use their benefits toward a VA-approved Excelsior College professional development program. If you have any questions regarding your benefits, please contact the DVA directly at ext 1-0. Current educational benefit reimbursement rates are available on the VA website at As per the DVA, all benefit claims will be processed at a half-time rate of pursuit (minimum of 9 clock hours per week); however, if you successfully complete your program at a full-time or ¾-time rate of pursuit, Excelsior s VA Office will report your change in status to the DVA. For Post 9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) benefits, this change will generate a housing allowance for eligible students. Please note that you will not receive the BAH entitlement until completion of your program. Every two weeks you will receive a reminder about your clock hour commitment. The DVA requires that we report on your attendance. Should you dedicate fewer than the minimum hours required for half-time status, your benefit claim may be amended to quarter-time. This adjustment to your rate of pursuit may result in a reduction or loss of VA financial benefits and, in some cases, a debt with the DVA may be created. You are required to maintain satisfactory progress toward your program completion so that your education goals can be achieved in a reasonable time frame. Maximum completion times vary dependent upon the program; enrollment periods are defined on the VA Approved Programs list available at: Refund Policy: Once a program is accessed or textbooks received, you will no longer be eligible for a refund and may be responsible for the full cost of the program. Answer the following questions and the completed form to cpd@excelsior.edu or fax to ) What professional development program are you registering for? 2) How many clock hours are required for this program? Course Code: 3) Are you currently active duty? Yes No 4) What educational benefit do you have? Ch 30: MGIB-AD Ch 33: Post 9/11 Ch 1606: MGIB-SR Ch 35: Survivors and Dependents Ch 31: Voc Rehab Ch 32: VEAP Ch 1607: REAP 5) Have you ever previously used your benefits? Please note: The VA will not allow you to use your benefits for two different programs at the same time. Yes No 6) Have you completed VA form (if you have never used your benefits) OR VA form (if you have used your benefits and are changing schools) indicating that Excelsior College is your parent school? Either form can be completed on the VA website at Yes No I acknowledge that by signing this form, I have read, understand, and agree to the expectations stated above, and that it is my responsibility to ensure that I will make satisfactory progress toward the completion of my program. 7) (Signature) (Date) TO BE COMPLETED BY THE CENTER FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Program start date:, Program end date (at the half time rate of pursuit):. Note that your program start and end dates will be ed to you when you register for a course. 7 Columbia Circle, Albany, NY Phone: Toll Free: cpd14-016_va-loi; 10/14

4 Satisfactory Academic Progress and Standard of Attendance In order for veterans or eligible persons to receive educational benefits there are two requirements: 1) satisfactory academic progress (measured by participation) and 2) attendance. Failure to comply with the stated progress and attendance policies will result in the discontinuation of benefits by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA). If the student does not meet the minimum progress set by the DVA and Excelsior College, the student s education benefit claim will be terminated. Satisfactory Academic Progress Satisfactory Academic Progress is measured by the consistent participation in and completion of program requirements (including readings, learning activities, assignments, and assessments) each week of the defined enrollment period. Participation is defined as reading online program material taking an assessment preparing and submitting an assignment completion of learning activities All students are expected to actively participate in their program until its completion. Standard of Attendance The Center for Professional Development maintains a record of attendance for all veterans and eligible persons enrolled in non-degree, noncredit professional development coursework. This record demonstrates that a student consistently meets the minimum number of clock-hour participation required per week. Enrollment periods are determined by taking the training time (total program clock hours) and dividing it by the hours expected from a student s chosen rate of pursuit. For example, if a half-time student enrolls in a program that is 180 clock hours, the DVA will use the following formula: 180 clock hours / 9 clock hours of activity per week = 20-week enrollment period. If that same student completes their program in 10 weeks, their benefit claim will be amended to reflect a full-time status: 180 clock hours / 10-week enrollment period = 18 clock hours of activity per week. Similarly, if a student dedicates fewer than the minimum hours required for half-time status, their benefit claim will be amended to reflect a less than half-time rate of pursuit. Unless otherwise noted in the program description, the Center for Professional Development programs have a maximum completion time of 12 months; therefore, enrollment periods cannot extend beyond 52 weeks. All benefit claims are processed at a half-time rate of pursuit (minimum of 9 clock hours of participation per week). Students who successfully complete a program at a fulltime or three-quarter-time rate of pursuit will have the change in status reported to the DVA accordingly. All students using veterans benefits receive a written expectation of attendance and participation within the first five days of enrollment, with subsequent reminder notifications sent every fourteen days until program completion. Students who are active within a program but fail to complete the required 9 clock hours per week of participation (half-time status) will be reported by the VA Certifying Official. This change in clock-hour commitment may result in an amendment to a lower rate of pursuit, causing a potential reduction or loss of VA education benefits and, in some cases, creating a debt with the DVA if payment has already been received. Excessive Absenteeism Per Excelsior College s Excessive Absenteeism Policy, any student who fails to actively participate in a program for three consecutive 1

5 weeks will, at any point in a program, be considered excessively absent. Absenteeism of one week results in a written notice informing the student of his or her nonparticipation and the consequences of unsatisfactory attendance, including claim amendment and the potential for termination of his or her program. The student will be administratively withdrawn after three consecutive weeks of nonparticipation. The student will not be eligible for a refund of the program fee and will owe any balance due for the program. The student will be assigned a U ( unsatisfactory ) grade reflecting his or her administrative withdrawal and will not be eligible to receive a certificate of completion. Any student who does not participate in a program for a week or longer must contact the Center for Professional Development to have his or her absence approved. Approval for absences must be made in advance on a week-by-week basis. Approved absences are at the discretion of the Center for Professional Development and the VA Certifying Official. Students who fail to maintain satisfactory academic progress or attendance will be reported to the VA for discontinuance of their educational assistance allowance. Any student not actively participating for one week will be sent an notifying the student of his or her nonparticipation and encouraging the student to contact the Center for Professional Development staff and/or begin participating in the course immediately. The student will be warned that he or she will be administratively withdrawn after three consecutive weeks of nonparticipation. The student s attendance will be documented in their record. Any student not participating by the end of the third consecutive week will be assigned a U grade for the program and the student s access terminated. The claim termination date will be the last date of attendance. Staff, including the VA Certifying Official, receive a report listing students who have been awarded U grades When the U grade is assigned, the Center for Professional Development will send an to the student. When a student is administratively withdrawn, the student will not be eligible for a refund of course tuition. Procedure The Center for Professional Development will take the following steps to monitor progress and take attendance in an effort to retain students enrolled in its courses: The student, faculty facilitator, and Center for Professional Development staff will have access to the attendance record within the program. This record reflects the time spent within the program each day, and progress made toward the completion of each lesson. By signing below, I acknowledge that I have read, understand, and agree to the expectations as stated above in the Satisfactory Academic Progress and Standard of Attendance policy. (Signature) (Date) 2 cpd14-026_sap; 11/2014

6 Prior Learning Assessment Form This form is required in order to process your VA benefits. If you do not have previous training or course work please fill out the top and leave the remainder of the form blank. Name Address CPD Program Name If applicable, please list prior related training or coursework including training provider and dates of attendance. PROGRAM NAME TRAINING PROVIDER DATES OF ATTENDANCE If applicable, please attach documentation of prior learning; this may include certificates, tables of contents, syllabi, etc., for our office to evaluate your prior learning accurately. TO BE COMPLETED BY THE CENTER FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: No prior related training or coursework Prior training or coursework exempts student from the following list of applicable modules: Reviewer Date cpd15-024_pla; 12/15