Happy Halloween AUMCC,
We hope you all are doing well and had a spooky weekend! Students Veterans of America released their Fall 2022 survey, and we would like as many of you as possible to fill it out. The results from this survey will assist the SVA in supporting its over 1,500 chapters in the network.
Please access the link below to get started!
SURVEY: https://studentveterans.org/research/sva-census/thank-you/
We wanted to share with you all about this wonderful opportunity with AU Votes!
To support AU students in exercising their right to vote, American University has launched this initiative in order to assist students in requesting absentee or mail-in ballots and connecting local students to in-person voting information.
Since many of you are registered voters in your home state and state rules governing out-of-state voting can vary and be confusing, AU Votes is providing tools and practical support to take the guesswork out and streamline the process, including:
– State-by-state ballot request instructions;
– Sept 19, 20 & 21st Absentee Ballot Days
-In-person assistance with requesting absentee or mail-in ballots @ AU in front of the Library.
Receive help navigating the steps in YOUR state, AU Votes is providing supplies, postage, and notarization (if your state requires it).
-Active Duty Military Members and Overseas Citizens can apply for their ballots via www.fvap.gov.
You must submit your request for an absentee or mail-in ballot SOON to have enough time to receive the ballot, vote, and submit by your state-authorized deadline.
Ensure your vote counts! Stop by the library Sept 19-21 for support requesting your absentee ballot. Additionally, please visit AU Votes for more information, including a sign-up sheet to receive voting reminders and/or get involved.
AU Votes Link: https://www.american.edu/ocl/au-votes.cfm
We all hope you’re having a fantastic Fall semester so far. We apologize to share the solemn news that our organization has been frozen and will not be able to access funds available for all other student clubs at this time. As a result, AUMCC will not be recognized as a student organization for this year.
We found out about this news last week when the Center for Student Involvement (CSI) informed us that we did not complete our registration, and our club leadership is currently looking into the issue. We are currently working to resolve it with the university administration given that we’ve fulfilled all the required steps to recertify our organization to the best of our knowledge, much like how we have done in every year prior to this one. We will keep you all updated on the situation as we work to try and rectify this situation to the best of our ability.
In the meantime, we will continue our best to maintain and support our club’s mission which is to support American University’s military-connected students. As a chapter of Student Veterans of America (SVA), we believe it’s our greatest responsibility to ensure that we meet the unique needs of student veterans and our military-affiliated students. Not only that, but we will continue to link student veterans with resources, assistance, training opportunities, support, and social engagements to improve academic, social, emotional, and professional experiences, success, and overall well-being. Nothing will stop us from achieving this mission no matter which obstacles are emplaced in our path.
Regardless of what the future has for our club, please rest assured that we will do everything we can to represent our student veteran and military-affiliated community.
Good evening AUMCC Family,
This will be the first ever AUCC event hosted in-person and will consist of 3 different events:
We would love for you all to attend, and please RSVP on Engage so we know how many people are attending.
Lastly, AUCC is also hiring and is looking for an entire new team! If you are interested or know anyone that is interested please apply. All positions are stipend!!
https://american.campuslabs.com/engage/submitter/form/start/531922.
Hope to see you this week!
Hello AUMCC community!
Be sure to mark your calendars on SATURDAY, APRIL 9TH AT 10 AM – 3 PM for the Warrior Events Spring Navy Tailgate at the Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium Gate 5 (Jet) in Annapolis, MD!
https://www.facebook.com/events/s/warrior-events-spring-navy-tai/513124300406799/
This event will also feature the band We’re NOT Handsome from 11am – 12:30pm.
Game Time will be at 1pm and will feature Men’s Navy vs Loyola.
Lastly, GREAT FOOD will be provided by Adams Ribs, Subway, Davis’ Pub, Mission BBQ, McGarvey’s, Acme, Harvest Thyme, Stan & Joes, and Carpaccio’s.
View it on the AU website at https://www.american.edu/veterans/newsletter-921.cfm
Make sure to read News You Can Use Volumes 1 & 2 for other important announcements!
What is the VA 6 Credit Hour Exclusion and how is it different from mitigating circumstances?
The American University Veterans Services team is excited to welcome students back to campus! Still, we recognize that returning to in-person classes will not be without its challenges. Luckily, Veterans Affairs offers two options for students that might need to drop one or more classes without disrupting the continued receipt of their education benefits or penalizing the student with an incurring debt.
So, what is the 6-hour credit exclusion?
Well, the VA permits students to continue to receive benefits relevant to their enrollment after dropping up to 6-credit hours and up to the date they dropped classes where the student received non-punitive grades (“W’). What this means is that the VA will grant a one-time exclusion and no questions asked (proof of mitigating circumstances do not need to be provided), where the VA will pay for the dropped course from the date the course began until the date they were dropped by the student after the deadline of the university or program (whichever is applicable). This is not to be interpreted as the VA paying for the courses in full up to 6 credit hours. The VA will pay for the portion of the courses the student completed and the student will be billed for the portion that was not. If you’re dropping less than 6 Credit hours, the exclusion will only be granted for the amount of credits dropped and your one-time exclusion is used. The “unused” credits do not roll over for another time.
Ok. So what happens if you need to drop credit hours beyond the 6-credit hour exclusion policy?
Dropping credits beyond the 6-credit hour exclusion is where the mitigating circumstances provision may apply. This provision works the same as the 6-credit hour exclusion in terms of payments (the VA only paying for the portion of what was completed and billing the student for what was not) however the distinction is that the provision requires proof of mitigating circumstances before it is approved, and VA payments can be dispersed. A few examples of what the VA would deem mitigating circumstances are death in the family, severe sickness or illness, unforeseen change in employment, unavoidable geographical transfer. These are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
September 5, 2021 (6:30 – 7:30 PM EST)
First general body meeting of the American University Military Connected Club held on Zoom. This meeting occurs the first Sunday of every month. Meeting Zoom Link
September 5, 2021 (8:00 PM EST)
Open discussion for student members of the American University Military Connected Club. This is a monthly event! To request membership to the American University Military Connected Club, visit the Office of Campus Life’s “Engage” platform. You can also follow the Military Connect Club on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
September 6, 20201
Labor Day! American University Veterans Services Office will be closed and will resume normal services on September 7, 2021.
September 13, 2021
Last day to drop a fall course for a 100% refund and without a “W” recorded. This date is especially important for students using VA education benefits, since our office will start certifying students’ benefits after this date for students in programs at AU’s main campus. For guidance on the add/drop period for other academic programs (i.e., online programs) visit American University’s Calendar of Events.
Mark your calendar!
Army Contracting Command – INSCOM is registered to attend the Career Fair at American Universiy on September 23, 2021. Army Contracting Command – INSCOM is made up of mostly Army Civilian Employees along with some Active Duty Soldiers. It also has a large number of former Active Duty Soldiers working in the organization now as Army Civilians.
Feel free to reach out to Jeff Martin, Supervisory Human Resources Analyst at:
Jeffrey.p.martin.civ@mail.mil with any questions.
Kai Yuen Suherwan
Communications Director,
American University Military Connected Club
Kai Yuen Suherwan grew up in Singapore and served in the Singapore Army, as part of his national service. He now attends American University and is enrolled in the School of International Studies. He is extremely passionate about helping the Veteran community and is especially looking forward to his new position as social media director for the American University Military Connected Club. Kai’s passion for assisting the American University Military Connected Club stems from his hope that American University’s military-connected students feel a sense of inclusion and appreciation that he was not afforded. He’s the youngest but among the brightest of the American University Military Connected Club’s leadership team. We’re very grateful for his communications and social media skills. Kai plays an essential role, working tirelessly for all members of the American university Military Connected Club. The club’s President, Jennifer Thurston, has expressed much praise for Kai and says “I can’t imagine where we’d be without him. Thank you, Kai!”
