Call to Active Duty and Non-Attendance Policies

Supporting you when you serve

We understand that military service sometimes requires being away from class for extended periods of time. Should it be necessary for you to return to active duty, you can have confidence that we'll work with you to make sure you meet your service obligations and still achieve your academic ambitions.

Deployment Procedures

If you are called to active duty while enrolled at Waubonsee, you must present the official letter of notice for active duty to Waubonsee's Sr. Veterans Academic and Career Advisor.

Withdrawal Due to Call to Active Duty

The following procedures are for students who are enrolled in classes and who are members of the National Guard, Reserves, or active duty United States military that have been called to serve with their military units. Students may elect either option in this situation. Questions should be directed to the Financial Aid Office.

Option 1 - Full Refund for complete withdrawal

a. In accordance with Illinois Statute (330 ILCS 60/5.2), students who are called to active military service can receive a refund of tuition and fees applicable to their registration, when called to duty for a period of 7 or more consecutive days.

b. Eligible students should first withdraw from the affected course(s) and complete the Student Account Appeal Form, which is available in the mywcc portal, and attach a copy of their orders.

c. Withdrawn students will receive a notation on their official transcript that reflects that the withdrawal is due to military service.

Option 2 - Remain enrolled in classes for current term

a. Complete course requirements early:

i. Students make individual arrangements with instructors

ii. Coursework is completed prior to reporting for duty

iii Earned final grades are reported by the instructors at end of term

b. Request an incomplete grade - A grade of I signifies incomplete coursework and is assigned at the discretion of the instructor when unusual circumstances prevent a student from completing course requirements by the end of the term. The student and instructor will agree upon specific timeframes and procedures for completing the course based on the college’s incomplete guidelines (See “Incomplete Grades” in Waubonsee Catalog) Students who select an incomplete grade are not eligible for a textbook refund. The usual textbook buy back policies are available.

Financial Aid and VA Education Benefits

Students must contact the School Certifying Official in the Financial Aid Office to determine how their Federal Student Aid and military benefits could be affected due to their withdrawal. Things to keep in mind are:

The School Certifying Official will notify the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) about withdrawals and last dates of attendance for students who are receiving federal benefits.

If the student withdraws from all classes in a term and had federal financial aid, the "Federal Return to Title IV Policy" applies.

Non-Attendance Due to Military Service

In accordance with Illinois Statute (330 ILCS 60/5.2), a service member enrolled in courses and unable, because of his or her military service, to attend classes on a particular day or days, has the right to be excused and to reschedule a course examination administered on the missed day or days.

Additionally, members of the National Guard and Reserve must be excused if their absence is due to required participation in a drill or other military obligation. Members must also be allowed to submit any missed assignments within a reasonable timeframe determined with the instructor. This is in accordance with Public Act 103-0871.

The student and instructor are to determine if the student will be able to successfully complete the course due to missed classes or if the student needs to withdrawal due to military service. A copy of military leave orders must be presented to each instructor prior to their absence(s). Successful completion of the course(s) remains the sole responsibility of the student.

If a student’s military service requires them to take a leave of absence (more than 30 consecutive days of active duty), the student should withdraw due to active military service. In accordance with the Higher Education Act 2008; Public Law (110-315), the service member is entitled to be readmitted in the next class or classes in their program after giving notice to reenroll.

Readmission after withdrawal from classes

The Higher Education Act of 2008 - Public Law 110-315 ensures entitlement to readmission of military service members returning from more than 30 days of active duty who have completely withdrawn from Waubonsee Community College.

Limited Admission Programs include:

Nursing
Medical Assistant
Paramedic

Readmission requirements apply to those students who perform service under a call to duty order by Federal authority for a period of more than 30 consecutive days.

Readmission requirements apply to those students who have completely withdrawn from an institution.

Readmission requirements do not apply to a service member's absence from class to attend training.

The service member who is eligible for readmission will be readmitted into the next class or classes in the service member's program beginning after the service member provides notice of his or her intent to re-enroll.

The cumulative length of absences due to service must not exceed five years.

A service member's eligibility for readmission terminates upon the occurrence of a dishonorable or bad conduct discharge.

Textbook Refunds

A full refund for textbooks shall be granted to those students who receive a full tuition refund when a Student Account Appeal has been approved based on military obligations. The textbooks must be returned to the bookstore in resaleable condition within 30 days of the appeal approval. If a student is unable to meet the 30-day deadline due to their military obligation, they should reach out to the director of Registration and Records/Registrar at (630) 466-2373.