The Cal Veteran Services Center (CVSC) continues to support veteran and military-affiliated students through online engagement.
Connect with CVSC staff:
Luis Hernandez, Program Coordinator/Academic Achievement Counselor, luish@berkeley.edu
CVSC Peer Advisors, cvsc@berkeley.edu
OR
CVSC Peer Advisors Drop-in Sessions:
CVSC Peer Advisors
CVSC Outreach Peer Advisors (prospective students)
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic there have been a few different policy changes by the VA and UC Berkeley that have an impact on veteran and military affiliated students utilizing VA Education Benefits. VA policy change allows students to receive in-residence monthly housing allowance/stipends for courses that have shifted to online training. Courses that were planned to be online will still be paid the online rate. This policy is in place until the end of the Fall 2020 semester. Students can request certification as normal from the School Certifying Official, Jay Nelson. UC Berkeley has gone to a Default Pass/Not Passed grading option for the Spring 2020 semester. To reduce the negative financial impact of receiving a deficient non-punitive grade (NP,U) the university has extended the deadline to change from a NP to a letter grade to September 20, 2020 for those utilizing VA Education Benefits. To opt into the grade change option after the May 8, 2020 campus deadline, students should connect with a college advisor. Further information on these policy changes can be found below.
In response to higher education institutions moving to online learning, legislation was introduced (S. 3503) that passed and signed into law (Public Law 116–128) that authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to continue to provide educational assistance through December 21, 2020, for programs of education that have been converted to distance learning due to an emergency or health-related situation. Such assistance includes monthly housing stipends or subsistence allowances.
This will not have an impact on courses that were already planned to be taught through distance learning.
Further legislation that can change VA policy is currently at the Congressional level which we will continue to monitor for any impact on you.
SPRING 2020
Veteran and miliatry-affiliated students will continue to receive their in-residence monthly housing allowance at the rate of pursuit they enrolled in for the Spring 2020 semester.
SUMMER SESSION
Due to the campus decision to change summer sessions from in-residence learning to distance learning, courses that have shifted to online learning will be treated as in-residence courses. Your monthly housing allowance will be paid at the in-residence rate.
Please note, courses that were already planned as online courses prior to COVID-19 will be paid the online monthly housing allowance rate of $894.50. These courses usually have a “W” in the course title number designation. For example:
Software Engineering - Session C:
To request certification for Summer 2020 fill out the Summer 2020 VA Enrollment Certification Request Form
If you have questions or concerns please email Jay Nelson, Campus Certifying Official, veteranservices@berkeley.edu
FALL 2020
If the decision is made that Fall 2020 will change from in-residence learning to distance learning, the monthly housing allowance rate will remain at the in-residence.
VA policy remains the same in its handling of P/NP grade option. The VA does not pay for non-punitive deficient grades, “Not Passed/NP” or “Unsatisfactory"/U.” If you receive a non-punitive deficient grade and the total number of units which are for letter grade or P/S are above full-time rate of pursuit (100%), you will not need to return funds to the VA.
Please note, although the VA does not typically make payments for classes resulting in non-punitive grades, if COVID 19 is reported as mitigating circumstances for the student’s receipt of a non-punitive grade (i.e., NP/U) VA will pay for the class.
Students receiving grades of P/S/Letter grade will have their VA Education Benefits paid as normal. If you receive a grade of NP/U and it drops you below your current rate of pursuit, you may have to return a percentage or all of the monthly housing allowance received.
UC Berkeley has made the decision to change the grade option to Default Passed/Not Passed (DPN) for the Spring 2020 semester. In response to the negative financial impact a veteran or military-affiliated student may have when receiving a “NP” or “U” non-punitive deficient grade, campus has extended the grade change option deadline to September 20, 2020.
Per the Academic Senate:
Q. Can students using military benefits change their “default Passed/Not Passed” grading basis to a letter grade after the May 8th, 2020 grade change deadline?
A. Yes. The deadline to change the grading option from “default Passed/Not Passed” (DPN) to “Letter Grade” for students receiving military benefits has been extended to September 20, 2020. This only applies to make the change from “default Passed/Not Passed” to “Letter Grade,” and only for coursework completed in Spring 2020. No other changes to a student’s grading basis may be made after May 8th, 2020, except in the case of grade appeals under Berkeley Division Regulation A207
If you receive a grade of “NP” or “U” you have until September 20, 2020 to request a grade change. To make the request of a grade change after the campus deadline of May 8, 2020 you will need to contact a college advisor.
Please note, we are currently seeking clarification for students who receive a “P” grade to change to a letter grade after the May 8, 2020 campus deadline.