H486 - National Guard Education Assistance Changes. (SL 2017-155)

Overview: S.L. 2017-155 makes various changes regarding education assistance for members of the National Guard. The Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina (BOG) and the State Board of Community Colleges (SBCC) must each adopt a uniform policy to ensure that National Guard Service Members are not academically penalized when they are placed on State active duty status during an academic term. These polices will apply to all enrolled students in a UNC constituent institution or North Carolina community college who are National Guard Service Members. These students must be given an excused absence for the period of time they are on State active duty.

The BOG and SBCC policies must also provide all of the following for these students:

• Opportunities to make up tests or other work missed during the excused absence.
• Options, when feasible, to continue classes and coursework during the academic term through online participation for the period of the active duty.
• Options to receive a temporary grade of "incomplete" or "absence from the final exam" for any course the student was not able to complete because of being placed on State active duty status. The student must complete the course requirements within a time period specified by the constituent institution or community college to avoid receiving a failing grade for the course.
• Ability to drop, with no penalty, any course that the student was unable to complete because of being placed on State active duty status.

The policies must be adopted by the BOG and the SBCC by July 1, 2017 and the UNC constituent institutions and the community colleges must implement the policies beginning with the fall 2017 academic term.

The act extends eligibility for tuition assistance to North Carolina National Guard members who are enrolled in a professional certification program recommended by the Director of the North Carolina National Guard Education and Employment Center and approved by the North Carolina National Guard Education Services Officer.

The act allows recipients using transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits while the transferor is on active duty to also be eligible for in-State tuition if the recipient's abode is in the State and the recipient provides a letter of intent to establish residency. The act also allows recipients of the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship whose parent or spouse died in the line of duty, regardless of whether the death followed a period of active duty service of 90 days or more, to be eligible for in-State tuition if the recipient's abode is in the State and the recipient provides a letter of intent to establish residency.

The act prohibits the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) from closing any of the State-owned veterans cemeteries, and requires the DMVA to operate these cemeteries at their current levels.

This act became effective July 21, 2017. The BOG and SBCC must implement the required policies beginning with the 2017 fall academic semester.