Policies & Procedures

I. Purpose

To establish policies and guidelines which govern students receiving educational assistance administered by the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) called to active military duty during a national emergency.

II. Applicability

These guidelines shall apply to all students receiving educational assistance administered by the US Department of Veteran Affairs whose active military duty or mobilization requires their sudden withdrawal or prolonged absence from Longwood University after August 1, 2024.

III. Policy

1. The student who is called to active military duty or whose military unit is mobilized during a national emergency, their representative, or an appropriate officer of the Armed Forces or official at the Department of Defense, must provide the appropriate active duty orders to the student's college dean. The dean will then assist the student to select one of the following options.
   1. University Withdrawal: The student may withdraw from Longwood. If the student elects this option, no credit may be awarded for any courses that have not already been completed and graded. The student shall receive a full refund of all tuition and fees (to include housing fees) for any course that has not been completed or graded for the current semester.
   2. Withdrawal from In-Progress Courses and/or Receive Credit. The student may elect:
      1. (with the instructor's approval) to receive credit for any course based on the work completed to date. No refund of tuition, fees or housing will be given for this option.
      2. to be withdrawn from any course(s) in progress. Tuition, fees, and housing will be refunded for this option for any course(s) that are in progress.
2. Deposits. Regardless of which option the student elects, the student shall receive a complete refund or crediting of all deposits for future terms.
3. Academic Credit. The student who is called to active military duty or whose military unit is mobilized during a national emergency, their representative, or an appropriate officer of the Armed Forces or official at the Department of Defense must provide the appropriate active duty orders to the student's college dean. The dean will then assist the student to select one of the options outlined above:
4. Reinstatement. A student shall be entitled to reinstatement to Longwood following the student's release or return from service in the uniformed services without having to re-qualify for admission if:
   1. the student returns after a cumulative absence of not more than five years, or
   2. the student provides notice of intent to return to the institution not later than three years after the completion of the period of service
      
      Longwood reserves the right to deny reinstatement to a student for causes unrelated to the student's military service in accord with institutional policies governing all students (poor performance at another institution during or after service, etc) as well as the events listed in the provisions of The Higher Education Opportunity Act (20 U.S.C. 1088 et. Seq. SEC. 484C (d))
      
      A student may be reinstated into the program in which they were previously enrolled or may select to be considered for a new program. Advising will be provided by the department chair, Academic and Career Advising Office and/or faculty members to determine the impact of the absence from the program in regard to the likelihood of the student's ability to resume study, succeed and graduate in a timely manner.  These advisors will also advise the student of available options when a program is no longer available or suitable.  The University reserves the right to postpone entry for a student who was previously enrolled in nursing or athletic training who wants to continue in that program if due to guidelines or facility limitations; Longwood is unable to appropriately accommodate them.
      
      
   3. Deferral of Enrollment: A student may defer enrollment into the program to which they were originally admitted or may select to be considered for a new program. Advising will be provided by the department chair, Academic and Career Advising Office and/or faculty members if the program of study is no longer available or suitable.  The University reserves the right to postpone entry for a student who was previously admitted to nursing or athletic training who wants to begin in that program if due to guidelines or facility limitations; Longwood is unable to appropriately accommodate them.
5. Documentation. To benefit from the options listed under A. above, the student who is called to active military duty or whose military unit is mobilized during a national emergency, their representative, or an appropriate officer of the Armed Forces or official at the Department of Defense must provide the appropriate active duty orders to the student's college dean.
6. When a student is seeking readmission to Longwood, they must submit: (at least 60 days prior to the start of the term in which they plan to enroll)
   1. a readmit application (no application fee will be assessed)
   2. service discharge papers to include type and date of discharge.
7. Textbooks. Longwood's Store will refund money for returned textbooks when a student is forced to withdraw from a class due to military service. The student or their representative must provide the receipt and proof of withdrawal.