DoD and schools in showdown over tuition assistance 

A battle is brewing between the Department of Defense and a number of academic institutions over the military's tuition assistance program, and it could mean servicemembers have fewer options about where to attend college if they want to take advantage of military funds for school.

The DoD is requiring all schools enrolling students who receive tuition assistance to sign a Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU, that outlines certain standards and policies about transfer credit and residency requirements, among other topics. Some schools, however, are saying the MOU gives the military too much control over academic issues, and have refused to sign.

Last month, members of Congress signed a letter to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta asking for changes to the MOU. In response, the deadline to sign was extended from Jan. 1 to March 30, 2012. But no changes to the MOU have been announced.

Stricter requirements for military tuition assistance eligibility in 2012

The Department of Defense issued its MOU in March 2011, in an effort to tighten controls on its popular tuition assistance program. Tuition assistance, which currently provides $250 per credit hour, up to $4,500 per year for active-duty soldiers to attend classes, has come under scrutiny lately as costs for the popular program rise. In 2011, the DoD military tuition assistance program disbursed $545 million in college funding.

Institutions that sign the MOU will be subject to a series of requirements, including:

• More generous transfer policies. Participating schools must accept certain types of experience for academic credit, including previously-earned credits and some military experience.
• No student residence requirement during the final terms. Many college degree programs currently require temporary residency, which can delay or derail completion for active-duty service members.
• Timely reporting of student enrollment, course withdrawal and grades.
• Measures to promote student success. For example, the MOU mandates that colleges produce an education plan detailing how courses funded by tuition assistance dollars fit into a degree program.
• Tuition payment processing changes to prevent fraud.
• Quality practices for distance programs, including standards developed by a DoD Task Force and participation in a third-party review process.

According to the DoD, these and other requirements outlined in the MOU should promote educational quality for military students while ensuring that the federal government gets a good value from its tuition investment.

What the 2012 changes mean to you

Under the new requirements, some schools could become ineligible for military tuition assistance. While many higher education officials resist the federal oversight in principle, others are simply unable to meet the requirements. Smaller schools, in particular, may lack the infrastructure to comply with some of the operational requirements, for example. The higher education industry group AACRAO (American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers) reports resistance to the MOU among higher education officials.

To ensure continued tuition assistance funding, military students will have to check whether their college is among the institutions to sign the MOU. If your school loses its TAP eligibility, you may opt for an on-base campus program (which is already governed by an MOU agreement) or a distance education program with a participating institution.

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