VETERAN’S SERVICES

Cayuga Community College is committed to supporting student veterans.

SUPPORT SERVICES FOR STUDENT VETERANS INCLUDE:

Cayuga Community College welcomes veterans as an asset to our College community. We seek to ensure a successful transition from military service to college entry through degree completion.

Each semester, we host a veteran welcome session within the new student orientation program to explain the various veteran-specific student support services available through the College and its community partners. A veteran certifying official is available on each campus to assist veterans with their educational benefits compliance issues and refer them to other College resources specific to their needs. Student veterans on either campus are invited to join an SVA-affiliated Veterans Club.

Isakson and Roe Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act

The Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 requires educational institutions to make certain disclosures to students using federal military and/or VA educational benefits. Additional financial information can be found at the NCES College Navigator site.

The SUNY Financial Aid Plan (FAP) will provide a more in-depth analysis and accurate picture of student cost once the student has filed their FAFSA, completed a SUNY application, and has been accepted by a campus.

In accordance with Title 38 US Code 3679 subsection (e), Cayuga Community College adopts the following additional provisions for any students using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from the VA. The information below is retrieved from: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/2248/text#toc-H909A7C475E9446BEB272E7FF1816393E

SEC. 103. Disapproval for purposes of educational assistance programs of Department of Veterans Affairs of certain courses of education that do not permit individuals to attend or participate in courses pending payment.

(a) In General — Section 3679 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

“(e) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, beginning on August 1, 2019, a State approving agency, or the Secretary when acting in the role of the State approving agency, shall disapprove a course of education provided by an educational institution that has in effect a policy that is inconsistent with any of the following:

“(A) A policy that permits any covered individual to attend or participate in the course of education during the period beginning on the date on which the individual provides to the educational institution a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance under chapter 31 or 33 of this title and ending on the earlier of the following dates:

“(i) The date on which the Secretary provides payment for such course of education to such institution.

“(ii) The date that is 90 days after the date on which the educational institution certifies for tuition and fees following receipt from the student such certificate of eligibility.

“(B) A policy that ensures that the educational institution will not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that a covered individual borrow additional funds, on any covered individual because of the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due to the delayed disbursement of a payment to be provided by the Secretary under chapter 31 or 33 of this title.

“(2) For purposes of this subsection, a covered individual is any individual who is entitled to educational assistance under chapter 31 or 33 of this title.

“(3) The Secretary may waive such requirements of paragraph (1) as the Secretary considers appropriate.

“(4) It shall not be inconsistent with a policy described in paragraph (1) for an educational institution to require a covered individual to take the following additional actions:

“(A) Submit a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance not later than the first day of a course of education for which the individual has indicated the individual wishes to use the individual’s entitlement to educational assistance.

“(B) Submit a written request to use such entitlement.

“(C) Provide additional information necessary to the proper certification of enrollment by the educational institution.”.

(b) Prompt Payments —

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall take such actions as may be necessary to ensure that the Secretary makes a payment to an educational institution on behalf of an individual, who is entitled to educational assistance under chapter 31 or 33 of title 38, United States Code, and who is using such assistance to pursue a program of education at the educational institution, not later than 60 days after the date on which the educational institution certifies to the Secretary the applicable tuition and fees for the individual.

(2) SEMIANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than May 1 and October 1 of each year, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a semiannual report summarizing any cases in which the Secretary failed to make a payment described in paragraph (1) within the period set forth in such paragraph and an explanation for each delayed disbursement of payment.

(c) Rule of construction — In a case in which an individual is unable to meet a financial obligation to an educational institution due to the delayed disbursement of a payment to be provided by the Secretary under chapter 31 or 33 of such title and the amount of such disbursement is less than anticipated, nothing in section 3679(e) of such title, as added by subsection (a), shall be construed to prohibit an educational institution from requiring additional payment or imposing a fee for the amount that is the difference between the amount of the financial obligation and the amount of the disbursement.

For information on Veteran’s Benefits, contact the following individuals:

Debbi Purcell
VA Certifying Official
Community Education and Workforce Development
315-294-8841
purcell@cayuga-cc.edu

Emily Cameron
Assistant Director, Community Education and Workforce Development
Veteran’s Programming and Initiatives
Community Education and Workforce Development
315-294-8527
emily.cameron@cayuga-cc.edu