Statement
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC) participates in the department of Defense (DoD) Tuition Assistance (TA) Program by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) conveying commitments and agreements between the institution and DoD. This policy articulates that the College refrains from high-pressure recruitment tactics for the purpose of securing enrollments of Service Members and Reservist, directs prospective students who are eligible Service Members, intending to use TA to receive approval from an Education Services Officer (ESO) or military counselor prior to enrollment, and allows Services Members and reservists to be readmitted to a program of study if they are temporarily unable to attend class or have to suspend their studies due to service requirements.
This policy also addresses the return of TA benefits to Military Service Members or reservists who are unable to complete course work, as well as the posting obligations for the College’s Cohort Default Rate (CDR)
Definitions
- Appropriate Officer: a warrant, commissioned, or noncommissioned officer authorized to give such notice by the military service concerned.
- Armed Forces: The U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. Active full-time duty in the active military service of the United States. Active duty includes full-time training duty, annual training duty and attendance, while in active military service, at a school designated as a service school by law or by the Secretary of the military department concerned. Active duty does not include full-time National Guard duty.
- Education Service Officer: Person assigned the responsibility for advising service persons of the educational opportunities available to Active-Duty Personnel.
- Military Service (or service in the uniformed services): Voluntary or involuntary service in the armed forces, including service by a member of the National Guard or reserve on active duty, active duty for training, or full-time National Guard duty under federal authority, for a period of more than 30 consecutive days under a call or order to active duty or more than 30 consecutive days. This does not include National Guard service under state authority.
- Reservist: A person who is a member of a military reserve force. They are otherwise civilians, and in peacetime have careers outside the military.
- Service Member: someone who is a member of, applies to be a member of, performs, has performed, applies to perform, or has an obligation to perform, service in the uniformed services.
- Tuition Assistance (TA): military tuition assistance is a benefit paid to eligible members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard.
- Undue hardship: An action requiring significant difficulty or expense considering the overall financial resources of the institution and the impact of such action on its operations.
Recruitment of Military Affiliated Students
In accordance with federal laws, regulations, and the Department of Defense (DoD) Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), MGCCC:
- Bans the payment of any Commission, bonus, or other incentive payment based directly or indirectly on securing enrollments or federal financial aid (including TA funds) for Service Members to any persons or entities engaged in any student recruiting, admission activities, or making decisions regarding the award of student financial assistance.
- Reframes from high pressure recruitment tactics such as making multiple unsolicited contacts (three or more), including contacts by phone, e-mail, or in person, and engaging in same day recruitment and registration for the purpose of securing Service Member enrollments.
- Allows educational institution-sponsored scholarships or grants available to military-affiliated students.
Enrollment of Service Members
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC) is approved to enroll eligible Service Members who apply to utilize Tuition Assistance (TA). Military Tuition Assistance is a benefit paid to eligible members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard. Congress has given each service the ability to pay up to 100% of the tuition expenses of its members. Each service has its own criteria for eligibility, obligated service, application process, and restrictions. This money is usually paid directly to the institution by the individual military services. The student may be responsible for any fees associated with enrollment.
The Military Base Representative and Enrollment Services at MGCCC directs eligible Service Members to receive approval from an Education Services Officer (ESO) or military counselor within the appropriate Military Service for TA funding prior to enrolling in classes at MGCCC.
Service Members who fail to receive approval for TA prior to enrollment will be obligated for the amount due for the costs of tuition and fees. Fees may not be covered by all services.
Employees of the College are not responsible for the submission and approval of TA requests made by Service Members.
Withdrawal for Active Military Duty
Service Members who have been called to active duty and withdraw from all coursework should refer to the MGCCC Policies and Procedures Manual Statement No. 715.1.
Return of Unearned Tuition Assistance
Military Tuition Assistance (TA) is awarded to a student under the assumption the student will attend school for the entire period for which the assistance is awarded. When a student withdraws, the student may no longer be eligible for the full amount of TA funds originally awarded.
To comply with the Department of Defense (DOD) policy, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC) will return any unearned TA funds on a proportional basis through at least the 60% portion of the period for which the funds were provided. TA funds are earned proportionally during an enrollment period, with unearned funds returned based upon when a student stops attending Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.
In instances when a Service member stops attending due to a military service obligation, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College will work with the affected Service member to identify solutions that will not result in a student debt for the returned portion in compliance with the DOD policy.
The TA Program is a benefit that is only available while the student is in the service. This policy does not apply to Veterans or Veteran benefits. This policy only applies to this type of educational benefit.
A. Procedures
To remain in compliance with the DOD’s policy, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College will return any unearned TA funds through at least 60% of the semester on a prorated basis. The amount of unearned TA that is returned is based on the date of withdrawal from the course. After 60% of the semester has passed, TA will not be evaluated for a return to the DOD. As an institution, the DOD will be billed after 60% of the semester has passed to reduce the amount of incorrect TA funds being disbursed by the DOD to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. MGCCC will only bill for the amount the student earned given their enrollment.
The standard MGCCC Tuition and Fees Refund Policy may be accessed under the Financial Information section of the College Catalog. The procedures to withdraw can be found under Academic and General Information in the Student Handbook.
B. Calculations of Return of Unearned TA Funds
The unearned TA funds will be returned directly to the Military Department, not to the service member, within 45 days of the determination of a withdrawal by a student according to the following schedules:
16-Week Courses
| Time of Withdrawal |
Return of Funds to Military Service |
| Before week 1 |
100% return |
| During weeks 1-2 |
90% return |
| During weeks 3-8 |
40% return |
| During week 9 (60 % of course completed) |
40% return |
| During weeks 10-16 |
0% return |
15-Week Courses
| Time of Withdrawal |
Return of Funds to Military Service |
| Before week 1 |
100% return |
| During weeks 1-2 |
90% return |
| During weeks 3-8 |
40% return |
| During week 9 (60 % of course completed) |
40% return |
| During weeks 10-15 |
0% return |
13-Week Courses
| Time of Withdrawal |
Return of Funds to Military Service |
| Before day 1 |
100% return |
| During days 1-12 |
90% return |
| During days 13-59 |
40% return |
| During day 60 (60 % of course completed) |
40% return |
| During days 61-91 |
0% return |
10-Week Courses
| Time of Withdrawal |
Return of Funds to Military Service |
| Before week 1 |
100% return |
| During week 1 |
90% return |
| During weeks 2-5 |
40% return |
| During week 6 (60 % of course completed) |
40% return |
| During weeks 7-10 |
0% return |
9-Week Courses
| Time of Withdrawal |
Return of Funds to Military Service |
| Before week 1 |
100% return |
| During week 1 |
90% return |
| During weeks 2-5 |
40% return |
| During week 6 (60 % of course completed) |
40% return |
| During weeks 7-9 |
0% return |
8-Week Courses
| Time of Withdrawal |
Return of Funds to Military Service |
| Before week 1 |
100% return |
| During week 1 |
90% return |
| During weeks 2-4 |
40% return |
| During week 5 (60 % of course completed) |
40% return |
| During weeks 6-8 |
0% return |
4-Week Courses
| Time of Withdrawal |
Return of Funds to Military Service |
| Before day 1 |
100% return |
| During days 1-4 |
90% return |
| During days 5-16 |
40% return |
| During day 17 (60 % of course completed) |
40% return |
| During days 18-28 |
0% return |
3-Week Courses
| Time of Withdrawal |
Return of Funds to Military Service |
| Before day 1 |
100% return |
| During days 1-3 |
90% return |
| During days 4-12 |
40% return |
| During day 13 (60 % of course completed) |
40% return |
| During days 14-21 |
0% return |
Weekend Courses
| Time of Withdrawal |
Return of Funds to Military Service |
| Before day 1 |
100% return |
| During day 2 |
90% return |
| During day 3 |
40% return |
| During day 4 (60 % of course completed) |
40% return |
| During days 5-6 |
0% return |
Note: The institution’s week of instruction is counted as 7 days.
Readmission of Military Affiliated Students
In accordance of the Federal Student Aid Handbook Volume 2, Chapter 3, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College will promptly readmit students who were unable to attend college due to military service with the same academic status they had when last attended the college or were accepted for admission prior to deployment, provided the following conditions are met.
- Student must have completed the Military Withdrawal process (see Policy and Procedures Statement 715.1).
- Student must provide oral or written notice to the Dean of Student Services of their military service and intention to return to college within three years after the completion of the period of service.
- Student must apply for admissions with the college.
- Student who fails to apply for admission within the required period does not automatically forfeit eligibility for admission but is subject to the college’s established leave of absence policy and general practices.
- MGCCC must admit the student to the same program to which the student was last admitted or, if that exact program is no longer offered, the program that is most similar to that program, unless the student chooses a different program.
- MGCCC must admit the student with the same academic standing (e.g., with the same satisfactory academic progress status) the student had prior to admission.
- MGCCC will 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 if determined that the student is not prepared to resume the program with the same academic status at the point where the student left off or will not be able to complete the program.
- MGCCC is not required to admit the student if it determines that there are not reasonable efforts it can take to prepare the student to resume the program at the point the student left off. After making reasonable efforts (those that do not place an undue hardship on the institution) to enable the returning student to complete the program, and it is determined that the student is not prepared to resume or complete the program, the institution is not required to admit the student in that particular program.
Posting of Cohort Default Rate
In accordance with Department of Defense (DoD) Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), MGCCC will disclose the Cohort Default Rate (CDR) on the MGCCC webpage, in the event that the CDR rises above the national average.
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