Appendix A to Part 68 - DoD Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Between DoD Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (USD(P&R)) and [Name of Educational Institution]
32:1.1.1.4.21.0.44.7.16 : Appendix A
Appendix A to Part 68 - DoD Voluntary Education Partnership
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Between DoD Office of the Under
Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (USD(P&R)) and
[Name of Educational Institution]
1. Preamble.
a. Providing access to quality postsecondary education
opportunities is a strategic investment that enhances the U.S.
Service member's ability to support mission accomplishment and
successfully return to civilian life. A forward-leaning, lifelong
learning environment is fundamental to the maintenance of a
mentally powerful and adaptive leadership-ready force. Today's
fast-paced and highly mobile environment, where frequent
deployments and mobilizations are required to support the Nation's
policies and objectives, requires DoD to sponsor postsecondary
educational programs using a variety of learning modalities that
include instructor-led courses offered both on- and
off-installation, as well as distance learning options. All are
designed to support the professional and personal development and
progress of the Service members and our DoD civilian workforce.
b. Making these postsecondary programs available to the military
community as a whole further provides Service members, their
eligible adult family members, DoD civilian employees, and military
retirees ways to advance their personal education and career
aspirations and prepares them for future vocational pursuits, both
inside and outside of DoD. This helps strengthen the Nation by
producing a well-educated citizenry and ensures the availability of
a significant quality-of-life asset that enhances recruitment and
retention efforts in an all-volunteer force.
2. Purpose.
a. This MOU articulates the commitment and agreement educational
institutions provide to DoD by accepting funds via each Service's
tuition assistance (TA) program in exchange for education
services.
b. This MOU is not an obligation of funds, guarantee of program
enrollments by DoD personnel, their eligible adult family members,
DoD civilian employees, or retirees in an educational institution's
academic programs, or a guarantee for DoD installation access.
c. This MOU covers courses delivered by educational institutions
through all modalities. These include, but are not limited to,
classroom instruction, distance education (i.e., web-based,
CD-ROM, or multimedia) and correspondence courses.
d. This MOU includes high school programs, academic skills
programs, and adult education programs for military personnel and
their eligible adult family members.
e. This MOU articulates regulatory and governing directives and
instructions:
(1) Eligibility of DoD recipients is governed by Federal law,
DoD Instruction 1322.25, DoD Directive 1322.08E, and the cognizant
Military Service's policies, regulations, and fiscal
constraints.
(2) Postsecondary educational programs provided to Service
members using TA on DoD installations outside of the United States,
will be operated in accordance with guidance from DoD Instruction
1322.25, DoD Instruction 1322.19, section 1212 of Public Law
99-145, as amended by section 518 of Public Law 101-189; and under
the terms of the Tri-Services contract currently in effect.
f. This MOU is subject at all times to Federal law and the
rules, guidelines, and regulations of DoD. Any conflicts between
this MOU and such Federal law, rules, guidelines, and regulations
will be resolved in favor of the Federal law, rules, guidelines, or
regulations.
3. Educational Institution (Including Certificate and Degree
Granting Educational Institutions) Requirements for TA.
Educational institutions must:
a. Sign and adhere to requirements of this MOU, including
Service-specific addendums as appropriate, prior to being eligible
to receive TA payments.
(1) Those educational institutions that have a current Voluntary
Education Partnership MOU with DoD will sign this MOU:
(a) At the expiration of their current MOU (renewal);
(b) At the request of DoD or the specific Military Service
holding a separate current MOU. The DoD Voluntary Education
Partnership MOU (which includes the Service-specific addendums) is
required for an educational institution to participate in the DoD
TA Program. An “installation MOU” (which is separate from this MOU)
is only required if an educational institution is operating on a
DoD installation. The installation MOU:
1. Contains the installation-unique requirements that the
responsible education advisor coordinated, documented, and
retained; is approved by the appropriate Service voluntary
education representative; and is presented to the installation
commander for final approval.
2. Cannot conflict with the DoD Voluntary Education
Partnership MOU and governing regulations.
(2) Educational institutions must comply with this MOU and the
requirements in Service-specific addendums that do not conflict
with governing Federal law and rules, guidelines, and regulations,
which include, but are not limited to, Title 10 of the U.S. Code;
DoD Directive 1322.08E, “Voluntary Education Programs for Military
Personnel”; DoD Instruction 1322.25, “Voluntary Education
Programs”; DoD Instruction 1322.19, “Voluntary Education Programs
in Overseas Areas”; and all DoD installation requirements imposed
by the installation commander, if the educational institution has
been approved to operate on a particular base. Educational
institutions failing to comply with the requirements set forth in
this MOU may receive a letter of warning, be denied the opportunity
to establish new programs, have their MOU terminated, be removed
from the DoD installation, and may have the approval of the
issuance of TA withdrawn by the Service concerned.
b. Be accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency
recognized by ED, approved for VA funding, and certified to
participate in Federal student aid programs through ED under Title
IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
c. Comply with the regulatory guidance provided by DoD and the
Services.
d. Comply with state authorization requirements consistent with
regulations issued by ED, including 34 CFR 600.9. Educational
institutions must meet all State laws as they relate to distance
education as required.
e. Participate in the Third Party Education Assessment process
when requested. This requirement applies not only to educational
institutions providing courses on DoD installations, but also to
those educational institutions that provide postsecondary
instruction located off the DoD installation or via DL. Educational
institutions may be selected for Third Party Education Assessment
based on provider offerings (on-installation, off-installation, or
DL), education benefits received (large provider in terms of
enrollments or TA funds), or an observed promising practice.
Educational institutions may also be selected as a result of
reports of non-compliance with the DoD Voluntary Education
Partnership MOU, complaint(s) received, or negative information
received from other government agencies and regulators. Educational
institutions demonstrating an unwillingness to resolve findings may
receive a range of penalties from a written warning to revocation
of the DoD Voluntary Education Partnership MOU and removal from
participation in the DoD TA Program. As appropriate, Third Party
Education Assessment findings will be shared with other government
agencies/regulators including but not limited to CFPB, VA, ED, DOJ,
and FTC.
(1) If an educational institution is operating on the DoD
installation, the educational institution will resolve the
assessment report findings and provide corrective actions taken
within 6 months of the Third Party Education Assessment to the
responsible education advisor on the DoD installation, the
appropriate Service Voluntary Education Chief, and the DoD
Voluntary Education Chief.
(2) If an educational institution is operating off the DoD
installation or via DL, the educational institution will resolve
the assessment report findings and provide corrective actions taken
within 6 months of the Third Party Education Assessment to the DoD
Voluntary Education Chief.
(3) In instances when the resolution action cannot be completed
within the 6 month timeframe, the educational institution will
submit a status report every 3 months to the responsible education
advisor on the DoD installation if the educational institution is
operating on the DoD installation, and the DoD Voluntary Education
Chief, until the recommendation is resolved.
f. Before enrolling a Service member, provide each prospective
military student with specific information to locate, explain, and
properly use the following ED and CFPB tools:
(1) The College Scorecard which is a consumer planning tool and
resource to assist prospective students and their families as they
evaluate options in selecting a school and is located at:
http://collegecost.ed.gov/scorecard/.
(2) The College Navigator which is a consumer tool that provides
school information to include tuition and fees, retention and
graduation rates, use of financial aid, student loan default rates
and features a cost calculator and school comparison tool. The
College Navigator is located at:
http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/.
(3) The Financial Aid Shopping Sheet which is a model aid award
letter designed to simplify the information that prospective
students receive about costs and financial aid so they can easily
compare institutions and make informed decisions about where to
attend school. The shopping sheet can be accessed at:
http://www2.ed.gov/policy/highered/guid/aid-offer/index.html.
(4) The `Paying for College' Web page which can be used by
prospective students to enter the names of up to three schools and
receive detailed financial information on each one and to enter
actual financial aid award information. The tool can be accessed
at: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/paying-for-college/.
g. Designate a point of contact or office for academic and
financial advising, including access to disability counseling, to
assist Service members with completion of studies and with job
search activities.
(1) The designated person or office will serve as a point of
contact for Service members seeking information about available,
appropriate academic counseling, financial aid counseling, and
student support services at the educational institution;
(2) The point of contact will have a basic understanding of the
military tuition assistance program, ED Title IV funding, education
benefits offered by the VA, and familiarity with institutional
services available to assist Service members.
(3) The point of contact does not need to be exclusively
dedicated to providing these services and, as appropriate, may
refer the Service member to other individuals with an ability to
provide these services, both on- and off-campus.
h. Before offering, recommending, arranging, signing-up,
dispersing, or enrolling Service members for private student loans,
provide Service members access to an institutional financial aid
advisor who will make available appropriate loan counseling,
including, but not limited to:
(1) Providing a clear and complete explanation of available
financial aid, including Title IV of the Higher Education Act of
1965, as amended.
(2) Describing the differences between private and federal
student loans to include terms, conditions, repayment and
forgiveness options.
(3) Disclosing the educational institution's student loan Cohort
Default Rate (CDR), the percentage of its students who borrow, and
how its CDR compares to the national average. If the educational
institution's CDR is greater than the national average CDR, it must
disclose that information and provide the student with loan
repayment data.
(4) Explaining that students have the ability to refuse all or
borrow less than the maximum student loan amount allowed.
i. Have a readmissions policy for Service members that:
(1) Allows Service members and reservists to be readmitted to a
program if they are temporarily unable to attend class or have to
suspend their studies due to service requirements.
(2) Follows the regulation released by ED (34 CFR 668.18)
regarding readmissions requirements for returning Service members
seeking readmission to a program that was interrupted due to a
Military service obligation, and apply those provisions to Service
members that are temporarily unable to attend classes for less than
30 days within a semester or similar enrollment period due to a
Military service obligation when such absence results in a
withdrawal under institution policies. A description of the
provisions for U.S. Armed Forces members and their families is
provided in Chapter 3 of Volume 2 of the Federal Student Aid
Handbook.
j. Have policies in place compliant with program integrity
requirements consistent with the regulations issued by ED (34 CFR
668.71-668.75 and 668.14) related to restrictions on
misrepresentation, recruitment, and payment of incentive
compensation. This applies to the educational institution itself
and its agents including third party lead generators, marketing
firms, or companies that own or operate the educational
institution. As part of efforts to eliminate unfair, deceptive, and
abusive marketing aimed at Service members, educational
institutions will:
(1) Ban inducements including any gratuity, favor, discount,
entertainment, hospitality, loan, transportation, lodging, meals,
or other item having a monetary value of more than a de minimis
amount to any individual, entity, or its agents including third
party lead generators or marketing firms other than salaries paid
to employees or fees paid to contractors in conformity with all
applicable laws for the purpose of securing enrollments of Service
members or obtaining access to TA funds. Educational institution
sponsored scholarships or grants and tuition reductions available
to military students are permissible.
(2) Refrain from providing any commission, bonus, or other
incentive payment based directly or indirectly on securing
enrollments or federal financial aid (including TA funds) to any
persons or entities engaged in any student recruiting, admission
activities, or making decisions regarding the award of student
financial assistance.
(3) Refrain from high-pressure recruitment tactics such as
making multiple unsolicited contacts (3 or more), including
contacts by phone, email, or in-person, and engaging in same-day
recruitment and registration for the purpose of securing Service
member enrollments.
k. Refrain from automatic program renewals, bundling courses or
enrollments. The student and Military Service must approve each
course enrollment before the start date of the class.
l. The educational institution will obtain the approval of their
accrediting agency for any new course or program offering, provided
such approval is required under the substantive change requirements
of the accrediting agency. Approval must be obtained before the
enrollment of a Service member into the new course or program
offering.
m. If the educational institution is a member of the
Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC), in addition to the
requirements stated in paragraphs 3.a through 3.l of this MOU, the
educational institution will:
(1) Adhere to the SOC Principles, Criteria, and Military Student
Bill of Rights. (located at
http://www.soc.aascu.org/socconsortium/PublicationsSOC.html).
(2) Provide processes to determine credit awards and learning
acquired for specialized military training and occupational
experience when applicable to a Service member's degree
program.
(3) Recognize and use the ACE Guide to the Evaluation of
Educational Experiences in the Armed Services to determine the
value of learning acquired in military service. Award credit for
appropriate learning acquired in military service at levels
consistent with ACE Guide recommendations and/or those transcripted
by CCAF, when applicable to a Service member's program.
n. If an educational institution is not a member of SOC, in
addition to the requirements stated in paragraphs 3.a. through 3.l.
of this MOU, the educational institution will:
(1) Disclose its transfer credit policies and articulated credit
transfer agreements before a Service member's enrollment.
Disclosure will explain acceptance of credits in transfer is
determined by the educational institution to which the student
wishes to transfer and refrain from making unsubstantiated
representations to students about acceptance of credits in transfer
by another institution.
(a) If the educational institution accepts transfer credit from
other accredited institutions, then the educational institution
agrees to evaluate these credits in conformity with the principles
set forth in the Joint Statement on the Transfer and Award of
Credit developed by members of the American Association of
Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, the American Council
on Education, and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
The educational institution will then award appropriate credit, to
the extent practicable within the framework of its institutional
mission and academic policies.
(b) Decisions about the amount of transfer credit accepted, and
how it will be applied to the student's program, will be left to
the educational institution.
(2) Disclose its policies on how they award academic credit for
prior learning experiences, including military training and
experiential learning opportunities provided by the Military
Services, at or before a Service member's enrollment.
(a) In so far as the educational institution's policies
generally permit the award of credit for comparable prior learning
experiences, the educational institution agrees to evaluate the
learning experiences documented on the Service member's official
Service transcripts, and, if appropriate, award credit.
(b) The JST is an official education transcripts tool for
documenting the recommended college credits for professional
military education, training courses, and occupational experiences
of Service members across the Services. The JST incorporates data
from documents such as the Army/ACE Registry Transcript System, the
Sailor/Marine ACE Registry Transcript System, the Community College
of the Air Force transcript, and the Coast Guard Institute
transcript.
(c) Decisions about the amount of experiential learning credit
awarded, and how it will be applied to the student's program, will
be left to the educational institution. Once an educational
institution has evaluated a particular military training or
experiential learning opportunity for a given program, the
educational institution may rely on its prior evaluation to make
future decisions about awarding credit to Service members with the
same military training and experience documentation, provided that
the course content has not changed.
(3) If general policy permits, award transfer credit or credit
for prior learning to:
(a) Replace a required course within the major;
(b) Apply as an optional course within the major;
(c) Apply as a general elective;
(d) Apply as a basic degree requirement; or
(e) Waive a prerequisite.
(4) Disclose to Service members any academic residency
requirements pertaining to the student's program of study,
including total and any final year or final semester residency
requirement at or before the time the student enrolls in the
program.
(5) Disclose basic information about the educational
institution's programs and costs, including tuition and other
charges to the Service member. This information will be made
readily accessible without requiring the Service member to disclose
any personal or contact information.
(6) Before enrollment, provide Service members with information
on institutional “drop/add,” withdrawal, and readmission policies
and procedures to include information on the potential impact of
military duties (such as unanticipated deployments or mobilization,
activation, and temporary duty assignments) on the student's
academic standing and financial responsibilities. For example, a
Service member's military duties may require relocation to an area
where he or she is unable to maintain consistent computer
connectivity with the educational institution, which could have
implications for the Service member's enrollment status. This
information will also include an explanation of the educational
institution's grievance policy and process.
(7) Conduct academic screening and competency testing; make
course placement based on student readiness.
4. TA Program Requirements for Educational
Institutions.
a. One Single Tuition Rate. All Service members attending
the same educational institution, at the same location, enrolled in
the same course, will be charged the same tuition rate without
regard to their Service component. This single tuition rate
includes active duty Service members and the National Guard and
Reservists who are activated under Title 10 and using Title 10
Military Tuition Assistance, in order to assure that tuition rate
distinctions are not made based on the Service members' branches of
Service.
(1) It is understood tuition rates may vary by mode of delivery
(traditional or online), at the differing degree levels and
programs, and residency designations (in-state or out-of-state).
Tuition rates may also vary based on full-time or part-time status,
daytime vs. evening classes, or matriculation date, such as in the
case of a guaranteed tuition program.
(2) It is also understood that some States have mandated State
rates for Guard and Reservists within the State. (Those Guard and
Reservists not activated on Title 10, U.S. Code orders).
b. Course Enrollment Information. The educational
institutions will provide course enrollment, course withdrawal,
course cancellation, course completion or failure, grade,
verification of degree completion, and billing information to the
TA issuing Service's education office, as outlined in the Service's
regulations and instructions.
(1) Under section 1232g of title 20, United States Code (also
known as “The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act” and
hereinafter referred to as “FERPA”), DoD recognizes that
educational institutions are required to obtain consent before
sharing personally identifiable non-directory information with a
third party. Service members must authorize the educational
institutions to release and forward course enrollment information
required in 4.b. to DoD prior to approval of course enrollment
using tuition assistance.
(2) If an educational institution wants to ensure
confidentiality during the transmission of data to the third party,
then the educational institution can contact the appropriate
Service TA management point of contact to discuss security and
confidentiality concerns prior to transmitting information.
c. Degree Requirements and Evaluated Educational
Plans.
(1) Educational institutions will disclose general degree
requirements for the Service member's educational program
(evaluated educational plan) to the member and his or her Service
before the enrollment of the Service member at the educational
institution. These requirements, typically articulated in the
educational institution's course catalog, should:
(a) Include the total number of credits needed for
graduation.
(b) Divide the coursework students must complete in accordance
with institutional academic policies into general education,
required, and elective courses.
(c) Articulate any additional departmental or graduate academic
requirements, such as satisfying institutional and major field
grade point average requirements, a passing grade in any
comprehensive exams, or completion of a thesis or dissertation.
(2) In addition to providing degree requirements, the
educational institution will provide to Service members who have
previous coursework from other accredited institutions and relevant
military training and experiential learning an evaluated
educational plan that indicates how many, if any, transfer credits
it intends to award and how these will be applied toward the
Service member's educational program. The evaluated educational
plan will be provided within 60 days after admission to the
educational institution in which the individual has selected a
degree program and all required official transcripts have been
received.
(3) When a Service member changes his or her educational goal or
major at the attending school and the Services' education advisor
approves the change, then the educational institution will provide
a new evaluated educational plan to the Service member and the
Service within 60 days. Only courses listed in the Service member's
evaluated educational plan will be approved for TA.
(4) Degree requirements in effect at the time of each Service
member's enrollment will remain in effect for a period of at least
1 year beyond the program's standard length, provided the Service
member is in good academic standing and has been continuously
enrolled or received an approved academic leave of absence.
Adjustments to degree requirements may be made as a result of
formal changes to academic policy pursuant to institutional or
departmental determination, provided that:
(a) They go into effect at least 2 years after affected students
have been notified; or
(b) In instances when courses or programs are no longer
available or changes have been mandated by a State or accrediting
body, the educational institution will identify low or no cost
solutions, working with affected Service members to identify
substitutions that would not hinder the student from graduating in
a timely manner.
(5) Degree requirements and evaluated educational plans will
meet educational requirements for credentialing in stated career
field and graduates of a program will be eligible for relevant
professional license or certification. Educational institutions
will disclose any conditions (state or agency limitations) or
additional requirements (training, experience, or exams) required
to obtain relevant credentials.
d. Approved and TA Eligible Courses.
(1) Approved Courses. If an eligible Service member
decides to use TA, educational institutions will enroll him or her
only after the TA is approved by the individual's Service. Service
members will be solely responsible for all tuition costs without
this prior approval. This requirement does not prohibit an
educational institution from pre-registering a Service member in a
course in order to secure a slot in the course. If a school enrolls
the Service member before the appropriate Service approves Military
TA, then the Service member could be responsible for the tuition.
All Military TA must be requested and approved prior to the start
date of the course. The Military TA is approved on a
course-by-course basis and only for the specific course(s) and
class dates that a Service member requests. If a military student
“self-identifies” their eligibility and the Service has not
approved the funding, then the Service member will be solely
responsible for all tuition costs, not the Service.
(2) TA Eligible Courses. Courses will be considered
eligible for TA if they are:
(a) Part of an individual's evaluated educational plan; or
(b) Prerequisites for courses within the individual's evaluated
educational plan; or
(c) Required for acceptance into a higher-level degree program,
unless otherwise specified by Service regulations.
e. Use of Financial Aid with TA.
(1) “Top-Up” eligible active duty DoD personnel may use their
Montgomery or Post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefit in conjunction with TA
funds from their Service to cover those course costs to the Service
member that exceed the amount of TA paid by his or her Service. RC
members who qualify for Montgomery G.I. Bill benefits may use those
benefits concurrently with TA. RC members who have earned
entitlement for the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill can use both VA education
benefits and TA, but VA will only pay for the portion of tuition
not covered by TA; therefore, the combination of VA education
benefits and TA will not exceed 100 percent of the actual costs of
tuition.
(2) DoD personnel are entitled to consideration for all forms of
financial aid that educational institutions make available to
students at their home campus. Educational institution financial
aid officers will provide information and application processes for
Title IV student aid programs, scholarships, fellowships, grants,
loans, etc., to DoD TA recipients.
(3) Service members identified as eligible DoD TA recipients,
who qualify for Pell Grants through ED's student aid program, will
have their TA benefits applied to their educational institution's
account prior to the application of their Pell Grant funds to their
account. Unlike TA funds, which are tuition-restricted, Pell Grant
funds are not tuition-restricted and may be applied to other
allowable charges on the account.
f. Administration of Tuition.
(1) The Services will provide TA in accordance with DoD- and
Service-appropriate regulations.
(2) Educational institutions will comply with these requirements
for the return of TA funds:
(a) Return any TA Program funds directly to the Military
Service, not to the Service member.
(b) Up to the start date, return all (100 percent) TA funds to
the appropriate Military Service when the Service member does
not:
(i) begin attendance at the institution or
(ii) start a course, regardless of whether the student starts
other courses
(c) Return any TA funds paid for a course that is cancelled by
the educational institution.
(d) Have an institutional policy that returns any unearned TA
funds on a proportional basis through at least the 60 percent
portion of the period for which the funds were provided. TA funds
are earned proportionally during an enrollment period, with
unearned funds returned based upon when a student stops attending.
In instances when a Service member stops attending due to a
military service obligation, the educational institution will work
with the affected Service member to identify solutions that will
not result in a student debt for the returned portion.
(3) Tuition charged to a Service member will in no case exceed
the rate charged to nonmilitary students, unless agreed upon in
writing by both the educational institution and the Service.
(4) Educational institutions will provide their tuition charges
for each degree program to the Services on an annual basis. Any
changes in the tuition charges will be provided to and explained to
all the Services, as soon as possible, but not fewer than 90 days
prior to implementation.
(a) Tuition charges at many public institutions are established
by entities over which they have no jurisdiction, such as State
legislatures and boards. As such, in some instances tuition
decisions will not be made within the 90-day requirement
window.
(b) When this happens, the educational institution will request
a waiver (via the DoD MOU Web page) and provide the Services with
the new tuition charges. To the extent practicable by State law or
regulation, Service members already enrolled will not be impacted
by changes in tuition charges.
(5) TA invoicing information is located in the Service-specific
addendums attached to this MOU.
g. Course Cancellations. Educational institutions are
responsible for notifying Service members of class cancellations
for both classroom and DL courses.
h. Materials and Electronic Accessibility.
(1) Educational institutions will ensure that course materials
are readily available, either electronically or in print medium,
and provide information about where the student may obtain class
materials at the time of enrollment or registration.
(2) Educational institution representatives will refrain from
encouraging or requiring students to purchase course materials
prior to confirmation of sufficient enrollments to conduct the
class. Students will be encouraged to verify course acceptance by
CCAF (Air Force only) or other program(s), with the responsible
education advisor before enrolling or requesting TA.
(3) Educational institutions will provide, where available,
electronic access to their main administrative and academic
center's library materials, professional services, relevant
periodicals, books, and other academic reference and research
resources in print or online format that are appropriate or
necessary to support the courses offered. Additionally, educational
institutions will ensure adequate print and non-print media
resources to support all courses being offered are available at
base or installation library facilities, on-site Institution
resource areas, or via electronic transmission.
i. Graduation Achievement Recognition.
(1) The educational institution will issue, at no cost to the
Government, documentation as proof of completion, such as a diploma
or certificate, to each student who completes the respective
program requirements and meets all financial obligations.
(2) In accordance with Service requirements, the educational
institution will report to the Service concerned those TA
recipients who have completed a certificate, diploma, or degree
program. Reporting will occur at least annually and include the
degree level, major, and program requirements completion date.
(3) The academic credentials for certificate, diploma, or degree
completion will reflect the degree-granting educational institution
and campus authorized to confer the degree.
(a) If the Service member attends a branch of a large,
multi-branch university system, the diploma may indicate the
credential of the specific campus or branch of the educational
institution from which the student received his or her degree.
(b) Credentials will be awarded to Service members with the same
institutional designation as non-Service members who completed the
same course work for a degree from the same institution.
(4) The educational institution will provide students with the
opportunity to participate in a graduation ceremony.
j. Reporting Requirements and Performance Metrics.
(1) The educational institution will provide reports via
electronic delivery on all DoD TA recipients for programs and
courses offered to personnel as required by the cognizant Service.
This includes, but is not limited to, TA transactions, final course
grades to include incompletes and withdrawals, degrees awarded,
certificates earned, evaluated educational plans, courses offered,
and military graduation. Educational institutions providing
face-to-face courses on a DoD installation will provide a class
roster to the responsible education advisor. The class roster will
include information such as the name of the instructor, the first
and last name of each student (military and non-military), the
course title, the class meeting day(s), the start and ending time
of the class, and the class location (e.g., building and room
number).
(a) All reporting and transmitting of this information will be
done in conformity with all applicable privacy laws, including
FERPA.
(b) Educational institutions will respond to these requests in a
timely fashion, which will vary based on the specific nature and
scope of the information requested.
(2) The cognizant Service may evaluate the educational
institution's overall effectiveness in administering its academic
program, courses, and customer satisfaction to DoD. A written
report of the findings will be provided to the educational
institution. The educational institution will have 90 calendar days
to review the report, investigate if required, and provide a
written response to the findings.
(3) The Services may request reports from an educational
institution at any time, but not later than 2 years after
termination of the MOU with such educational institution. Responses
to all requests for reports will be provided within a reasonable
period of time, and generally within 14 calendar days.
Institutional response time will depend on the specific information
sought by the Services in the report.
5. Requirements and Responsibilities for the Delivery of
On-Installation Voluntary Education Programs and Services
a. The requirements in this section pertain to educational
institutions operating on a DoD installation.
An installation MOU:
(1) Is required if an educational institution is operating on a
DoD installation.
(2) Contains only the installation-unique requirements
coordinated by the responsible education advisor, with concurrence
from the appropriate Service voluntary education representative,
and approved by the installation commander.
(3) Cannot conflict with the DoD Voluntary Education Partnership
MOU and governing regulations.
b. Educational institutions will:
(1) Agree to have a separate installation MOU if they have a
Service agreement to provide on-installation courses or degree
programs.
(2) Comply with the installation-unique requirements in the
installation MOU.
(3) Agree to coordinate degree programs offered on the DoD
installation with the responsible education advisor, who will
receive approval from the installation commander, prior to the
opening of classes for registration.
(4) Admit candidates to the educational institution's
on-installation programs at their discretion; however, priority for
registration in DoD installation classes will be given in the
following order:
(a) Service members.
(b) Federally funded DoD civilian employees.
(c) Eligible adult family members of Service members and DoD
civilian employees.
(d) Military retirees.
(e) Non-DoD personnel.
(5) Provide the responsible education advisor, as appropriate, a
tentative annual schedule of course offerings to ensure that the
educational needs of the military population on the DoD
installation are met and to ensure no course or scheduling
conflicts with other on-installation programs.
(6) Provide instructors for their DoD installation courses who
meet the criteria established by the educational institution to
qualify for employment as a faculty member on the main
administrative and academic center.
(7) Inform the responsible education advisor about cancellations
for classroom-based classes on DoD installations per the guidelines
set forth in the separate installation MOU.
c. The Services' designated installation representative (usually
the responsible education advisor), will be responsible for
determining the local voluntary education program needs for the
serviced military population and for selecting the off-duty
educational programs to be provided on the DoD installation, in
accordance with the Services' policies. The Service, in conjunction
with the educational institution, will provide support services
essential to operating effective educational programs. All services
provided will be commensurate with the availability of resources
(personnel, funds, and equipment). This support includes:
(1) Classroom and office space, as available. The Service will
determine the adequacy of provided space.
(2) Repairs as required to maintain office and classroom space
in “good condition” as determined by the Service, and utility
services for the offices and classrooms of the educational
institution located on the DoD installation (e.g., electricity,
water, and heat).
(3) Standard office and classroom furnishings within available
resources. No specialized equipment will be provided.
(4) Janitorial services in accordance with DoD installation
facility management policies and contracts.
d. The Service reserves the right to disapprove DoD installation
access to any employee or agent of the educational institution
employed to carry out any part of this MOU.
e. Operation of a privately owned vehicle by educational
institution employees on the DoD installation will be governed by
the DoD installation's policies.
f. The responsible education advisor will check with his or her
Service's responsible office for voluntary education before
allowing an educational institution to enter into an MOU with the
DoD installation.
6. Review, Modifications, Signatures, Effective Date,
Expiration Date, and Cancellation Provision.
a. Review. The signatories (or their successors) will
review this MOU periodically in coordination with the Services, but
no less than every 5 years to consider items such as current
accreditation status, updated program offerings, and program
delivery services.
b. Modifications. Modifications to this MOU will be in
writing and, except for those required due to a change in State or
Federal law, will be subject to approval by both of the signatories
below, or their successors.
c. Signatures. The authorized signatory for DoD will be
designated by the USD(P&R). The authorized signatory for the
educational institution will be determined by the educational
institution.
d. Effective Date. This MOU is effective on the date of
the later signature.
e. Expiration Date. This MOU will expire 5 years from the
effective date, unless terminated or updated prior to that date in
writing by DoD or the educational institution.
f. Cancellation Provision. This MOU may be cancelled by
either DoD or the educational institution 30 days after receipt of
the written notice from the cancelling party. In addition,
termination and suspension of an MOU with an educational
institution may be done at any time for failure to follow a term of
this MOU or misconduct in accordance paragraphs (a)(18)(i) through
(a)(18)(iii) of § 68.6.
FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE: DESIGNATED SIGNATORY DATE FOR THE
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION: PRESIDENT or Designee DATE