Inside this month's issue:

• Section 1, Announcements: Account Balances, scheduling appointments, new enrollment verification standards and more!
• Section 2: What you need to know about the Isakson and Roe Act of 2020
• Section 3: Calendar & Spotlight – Meet our new Veterans Services Coordinator!

Announcements

Make sure to read News You Can Use Volumes 1 through 3 for other important announcements!

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• Are you seeing an amount due on your student account?
  • Don’t Panic! If you submitted your Request for Certification, your VA education benefits are pending approval and will be dispersed in a timely manner. Please be advised that certifications will not be processed until after the add/drop deadline. This is to account for any changes in enrollment that could impact your benefit payment rate. It also means that you should expect to receive your first payment in early/mid October. The payment will either be sent to you directly or to your student account in Eagle Service, depending on VA education benefit type. For more information on VA education benefits, check out this help knowledge article on our American University Central Veterans Knowledge Base
• In-person office hours are back!
  • While the American University Veterans Services team has expanded our office hours by adding a virtual component, we recognize that Zoom meetings can be exhausting and less personal. That is why we will be resuming in-person office hours this Fall! Be advised that in-person meetings will be limited to Tuesdays and Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. We are still hoping to resume our Virtual Office hours as well, facilitated by our wonderful student work-study team. To schedule an in-person or virtual appointment with the Veterans Services team, you can visit our You Can Book Me calendar.
• Monthly enrollment verification requirement coming soon!
  • The Department of Veterans Affairs is implementing a monthly enrollment verification requirement for Post 9/11 GI Bill® recipients. Effective December 17, 2021, students receiving these benefits must verify their enrollment at the end of each month. Those who fail to verify their enrollment for two consecutive months will have their Monthly Housing Allowance and kicker payments put on hold. If you want to learn more, you can read the Veterans Affairs’ blog post about these changes.
• Important notice for Yellow Ribbon Program recipients: Did you receive an award or scholarship this semester?
  • If you received an institutional scholarship or merit-award and are eligible for Yellow Ribbon, you cannot use both types of benefits within the academic year. For more information on the Yellow Ribbon Program, you can read our knowledge article titled “What is the Yellow Ribbon Program?”
• Health Insurance: Did you forget to waive your health insurance by September 17, 2021?
  • Unfortunately, the September 17, 2021, deadline to waive the health insurance fee has passed. If you are seeing a student health insurance charge on your account, you are responsible to pay that amount. If you are a Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) or Chapter 33 Post 9/11 eligible student, please reach out to the Veterans Services office to see if your benefits can cover the health insurance charge. For all other students using different Veterans Affairs education benefits, please pay the fee as soon as possible to avoid any holds on your student account.

What you need to know about the Isakson and Roe Act of 2020

“On January 5, 2021, the President signed the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (P.L.116-315) into law. This new law brings significant changes to Veterans’ education benefits. Many of the changes enhance or expand education benefits for Veterans, Service members, families and survivors and provide for the improvement and/or expansion of various GI Bill® programs.”

We at the American University Veterans Services Office understand that the Isakson and Roe Act might be difficult to navigate. There are a lot of significant changes including those that directly impact all American University students and other changes that only impact some. So, we have taken the time to highlight a few important changes that have already gone into effect in this article. If you’d like to read more details about the Isakson and Roe Act, you can reference this helpful Fact Sheet on The United States Department of Veterans Affairs website or you can check out this useful Knowledge Article on American University’s Knowledge Base.

What part of Isakson and Roe Directly Impacts All American University Students?

Effective: January 5, 2021

Section 1104. Payment of education benefits in cases of withdrawal due to COVID-19
Summary: When reviewing a student’s schedule changes, COVID-19 is an approved mitigating circumstance. Please keep in mind that when mitigating circumstances are approved due to a schedule change the VA will only pay until your last day of attendance which may still create a debt to the VA and/or the university. This section requires VA to view a student’s withdrawal from a school due to covered reasons as a result of the COVID-19 as being due to mitigating circumstance. Section 1104.

Effective: August 1, 2021

Section 1010. Verification of enrollment to receive Post-9/11 Educational Assistance benefits
Summary: AU is now required to complete a dual certification for all students using Chapter 33 Post 9/11 GI® Bill. Students will see an initial “zero cert” followed by a request for tuition and fees after add/drop. Anticipating to start in Spring 2022, the VA will require all Chapter 33 students to verify enrollment monthly with the VA via text message or phone. More information about this process is forthcoming.

Creates a dual certification for the receipt of Post - 9/11 GI Bill® benefits. The school will certify the student’s enrollment after the add-drop date, and then each month thereafter, the student would be required to electronically verify with VA their continued enrollment in that school. If a student fails to certify for two consecutive months, VA will withhold monthly housing allowance payments until the student certifies.

What part of Isakson and Roe May Impact Some American University Students?

Effective: January 5, 2021

Section 1001. Improvements to Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship Program
Expands eligibility under the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship program to allow scholarships for those enrolled in dual- secondary degrees and health care professionals completing clinical training to become licensed to practice in a State or locality. This section also ensures benefits under the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship program are not subject to the months of entitlement limitations under section 3695 of title 38, U.S.C.

Section 1011. Expansion of Transfer of Entitlement for Dependents under the Post-9/11 GI Bill
Expands the eligibility for dependents to whom Post - 9/11 GI Bill® benefits can be transferred. Eligibility now includes certain unmarried children placed in the legal custody of the service member for at least 12 months as a result of a court order.

Effective: August 1, 2021

Section 1002. Expansion of eligibility for Fry Scholarship
Expands eligibility for the Fry Scholarship to a child or spouse of a person who dies on or after September 11, 2001, in the line of duty while serving on duty other than active duty as a member of the Armed Forces, and a child or spouse of a member of the Selected Reserve who dies on or after September 11, 2001, from a service-connected disability while a member of the Selected Reserve.

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October Calendar

Don’t miss these important deadlines and upcoming events!

October 1, 2021: AU Family Weekend festivities will begin. Please be aware of adjusted parking regulations during this time.

October 3,10, 17, 24, and 31, 2021 (8:00 PM EST): Open discussion for student members of the American University Military Connected Club. This is a weekly 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.

October 4, 2021: Schedule of Classes for Spring published!

October 15, 2021: Fall break. While no classes will be held, American University Veterans Services Office will be open. Additionally, financial restrictions will be added to student accounts on this day. If you have a “stop” on your account due to pending VA education benefit payments and it has not been removed 48 hours prior to your registration date, please contact the Veterans Services Team.

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AU Veterans Spotlight

Dymeah Casey

Veterans Services Coordinator
AU Veterans Services

“We are excited to welcome Dymeah Casey to the American University Veterans Services Team as our Veterans Services Coordinator! Dymeah has been working as a VA Work Study student since Spring 2020 and recently transitioned to the Veterans Services Coordinator role at the start of Fall 2021. Dymeah is a recent graduate of American University receiving her bachelors degree in International Studies and is currently pursuing a masters degree in Justice, Law and Criminology. Dymeah previously served in the Army National Guard for 9 years before pursuing her education at American University. Dymeah brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Veterans Services team. She is the talent behind the newsletter you are currently reading and has already implemented great ideas to expand our office’s communication and outreach efforts. Thank you Dymeah!”
-Alicia Marsh Associate Director-Veterans Services

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