Atlanta — October 9, 2001

In support of America’s call to military action, Board of Regents Chair Hilton H. Howell Jr. and University System of Georgia Chancellor Stephen R. Portch have jointly announced that University System institutions will offer full refunds of tuition and mandatory fees to all military reservists, National Guardsmen and active-duty military personnel who receive emergency orders preventing them from attending classes after they have enrolled at a University System institution.

The Board of Regents took action on this policy today during a meeting of the Committee on Finance and Business Operations, in which the regents met as a Committee of the Whole.

“In this time of national need, the Board of Regents wishes to affirm its strong support for United States military and National Guard personnel,” Howell said. “Many of our students are active-duty personnel or reservists who will be activated, called up or deployed during the coming months. We want to do all we can to assist these young women and men in serving their country.”

The regents have revamped an existing policy concerning military-service refunds (Policy 704.0401 - Military Service Refunds). In addition to tuition refunds, the regents also will refund mandatory fees covering the cost of student activities, athletic programs, technology, parking and other services, as well as the unused portion of any elective fees paid for student housing and meal service.

The revised policy authorizes full refunds of tuition and mandatory fees and prorated refunds of elective fees for students who are:

1. military reservists (including members of the National Guard) and who receive emergency orders to active duty after having enrolled in a University System institution and paid tuition and fees;
2. active-duty military personnel and who receive an emergency reassignment after having enrolled in a University System institution and paid tuition and fees;
3. otherwise unusually and detrimentally affected by the emergency activation of members of the reserve components or the emergency deployment of active-duty personnel of the Armed Forces of the United States and who demonstrate a need for exceptional equitable relief.

In order to qualify for the refunds, students must withdraw formally from their classes and present the institution with a copy of their official orders. Requests for exceptional relief (under Section C above) must be made to the president of the institution.

“Since this conflict is unlike any other the nation has faced, we believe flexibility is an important component of our policy,” Chancellor Portch said.

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