Grading Procedures
In 1976, the Congress amended the “GI Bill” in such a way as to encourage veterans to move toward the attainment of educational career goals. The law now provides that no payment will be made to an eligible veteran for auditing a course or for taking a course in which the grade assigned is not used in computing graduation requirements. Included in this rule are courses from which veterans withdraw.

To comply with this federal law, the following rules apply to veterans or other individuals who receive veterans benefits:

• The “I” grade is a non-punitive grade as defined by the Veterans Administration. This grade is not a permanent grade and carries only a message of temporary condition that will be changed to a letter grade of A, B, C, D or F.
• Veterans who receive an “I” as a grade must make up the work at least one week prior to final exams of the following semester. Work not made up will result in the grade of “F.”
• n the event that a veteran receives an “I” at the end of a semester, further work in the course must be accomplished by the veteran at his own expense without government reimbursement.
• In all cases, an “F” grade is defined as a punitive grade for purposes of computing eligibility for and receipt of veterans’ benefits.
• Veterans cannot be paid for an “AU,” “NC” or a “CF” grade.
• Veterans cannot be paid for any course not listed in the curriculum.  If there are any electives listed as part of the curriculum, veterans must not exceed the total number of elective hours designated by the program. Veterans must take only electives that are listed as approved electives or electives that have been approved in writing by the department head.
• Veterans cannot be paid for upgrading or prerequisite courses not counting toward graduation without written verification of test results indicating a need for such course.  Remedial/deficiency training is limited to the equivalent of two semesters.
• D grades are not transferable and the VA will not reimburse for repeating courses to remove or supplant Ds.
• Students may repeat for VA benefits a course in which a grade of W, I, NC or F has been received only if he or she has obtained an Authorization to Retake course(s) (VA Form 191) and the course is required for the training objective
• Academic probation will be determined by the transcript evaluation at the end of each semester.  Failure to maintain a 2.0 GPA during any semester will result in the student being placed on academic probation for the following semester.
• Failure to achieve a GPA of 2.0 during the probationary semester will result in academic dismissal (termination of veterans benefits).
• Veterans/dependents on academic dismissal will have educational benefits suspended at the end of the probationary period.  Payment is suspended until the student has been counseled in the Veterans Affairs Office on campus.  The results of this counseling session will determine if benefits are reinstated for the student’s        present program, or if he/she will have to change programs.
• Students who have their benefits reinstated after dismissal and fail to obtain at least a GPA of 2.0 the next semester of enrollment will be suspended from further benefits until they have completed a semester with GPA of 2.0 or better.  Benefits for the successful semester will be applied for and received retroactively.
• Unsatisfactory grade reports (below 2.0 GPA) in any subsequent semester will result again in the suspension of benefits until a satisfactory GPA is reached.

Veterans Change of Status
All recipients of veterans benefits must immediately notify the Veterans Affairs Office of any changes that may affect their pay status.  Such changes include change of program, change of hours, change of dependency and change of address.  All necessary forms and instructions can be obtained in the Veterans Affairs Office.  All recipients must notify the Greenville Technical College Veterans Affairs Office each semester when they enroll for class if they wish their benefits to be continued for subsequent terms.  Certifications will not be automatically processed without the student request.

Veterans Attendance Policy
Whenever a veteran’s absences exceed 20 percent of the scheduled class meetings, he/she can expect a reduction in or an interruption of benefit payments.  An instructor may administratively withdraw a student who has missed more than 10 percent of contact hours (class attendance hours) for the course if the student has not notified the instructor of reasons for the absences prior to reaching the 10 percent limit.  He/she is immediately reduced to the appropriate number of hours when his/her instructor turns in a VEAR (Veterans Excessive Absenteeism Report) form. Circumstances may occur which will allow the veteran to have his/her benefits reinstated.  Students can be reinstated by the Veterans Affairs personnel.  Reinstatement can occur only within the semester in which the VEAR is issued; therefore, each student should be aware of allowable absences at all times.

The procedures for notifying the Veterans Affairs Office of a veteran’s excessive absenteeism are

• An instructor who has a veteran student who has been absent more than 20 percent of the scheduled class meetings or is going to be administratively withdrawn will complete a Veterans Excessive Absenteeism Report (VEAR) form which is found on CampusCruiser in the Veterans Affairs section.

• The instructor will then send the completed form to the Veterans Affairs office.

• Responsibility for further processing of this information will rest solely with the Veterans Affairs Office.

For more information about veterans educational benefits, contact the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Regional Office, 1-800-827-1000, 1-888-442-4551, or visit the website, www.gibill.va.gov . Local offices that may be of assistance are the Greenville County Veterans Affairs Office, (864) 467-7230, VA Clinic, (864) 299-1600, and the VET Center, (864) 271-2711.