Southern recognizes and appreciates the important contributions made in service to our country by our military service members. In support of these students, Southern has developed procedures to provide each activated student with maximum flexibility. 

Southern students who are ordered to Active Duty face the following possibilities:

1. They may have to reduce their credit load but can stay in school (100% refund of tuition, books, and fees for dropped courses).     
2. They may be gone for a short period of time and be able to return (student and professor decide best course of action).
3. They may be activated for longer periods of time and be unable to finish the semester (100% refund of tuition, books, and fees).
4. They may be activated late in the semester, in which case we encourage professors to consider the grade the student has earned at that point or incompletes or total withdrawal (with 100% refund).

The bottom line is that we want to do what's in our students' best interest. Our policy is to provide activated students with a 100% refund of tuition, fees, and books in consideration of the options stated in #1-4.

Often there is little time between the student's receipt of activation orders and his or her reporting date. The student may not be able to return to campus. As we determine each student's situation, we do our best to allow him or her every consideration.

In most cases our activated student's will contact the Office of Veteran, Military, and Adult Learner Services. If they talk with you in class please:

• Refer them to the Office of Veteran, Military, and Adult Learner Services.
• Include the the student's name, student ID number.

If a withdrawal does become necessary, the Office of Veteran, Military, and Adult Learner Services will follow through with the appropriate offices, and instructors will be notified.

Public Law 117-328, which was signed on December 29, 2022, adds to Title 38 of the U.S. Code a new section, section 3691A “Withdrawal or leave of absence from certain education.” Section 3691A creates new obligations for colleges and universities when an enrolled student who is a member of the Armed Forces (including reserve components) receives orders “to perform a period of service” (i.e., active duty, inactive duty training, or state service). 

38 U.S.C. §3691A(a)(2)(B) provides that an educational institution may not take the following actions when a member receives orders for a period of service:

• Assigning the member a failing grade,
• Reducing the member’s grade point average,
• Characterizing any member’s absence(s) as unexcused, or
• Assessing a financial penalty on a member because of a withdraw or leave of absence due to receiving orders for service.

Additionally, 38 U.S.C. §3691A(b) provides that an educational institution must take the following actions when a member withdraws due to receiving orders for a period of service:

• Refunding all tuition and fees paid for the academic term to the appropriate party. Please note that VA’s interpretation of academic term is the term as reported to your State Approving Agency and VA.
• Refunding payments made by the student (or behalf of the student) to the institution for housing. Please note that in this instance the reference to housing is not the monthly housing allowance provided by the Post 9/11 GI Bill but rather housing costs such as dorm fees.

Finally, 38 U.S.C. §3691A(c) provides that an educational institution must take the following actions when a member takes a leave of absence from a course(s) due to receiving orders for a period of service:

• Assigning a grade of incomplete (or equivalent) for the course(s) during the term, and
• Providing the opportunity to complete the term after the period of service.

It is the student’s responsibility to present appropriate documentation regarding such military orders as soon as possible so leave of absence and/or withdraws may be processed according to Public Law 117-328.    Documentation should be presented to the Veteran Coordinator for approval.