Veteran Students

Dona Ana Community College (DACC) is a military and veteran-friendly college that strives to provide the best possible service for our military, veteran, and their dependents as they pursue their educational goals. DACC Veterans Programs promotes lifelong learning and professional development by offering:

In-state tuition rates for active-duty military and their dependents stationed at regional military installations (including Ft. Bliss); or those eligible for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Tuition Assistance (TA) or U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) education benefits
Easily transferable military credits that count toward degrees at DACC
Facilitation of MyCAA military spouse benefits and DoD TA
Advocacy from admission to graduation
Student Veteran Housing for student veterans and their families
Priority registration for military and veteran students
Connection with the Student Veterans Organization (SVO) of NMSU
Scholarships and Internship opportunities
Veteran Mentorship Program, helping first-year student veterans’ transition to an academic setting successfully
Processing of TA and VA education benefits
Student Computer Lab and Lounge

Most DACC degree and certificate programs are approved by the New Mexico Department of Veterans' Services, State Approving Agency, for enrollment of persons eligible to receive VA education benefits. Eligible students may receive education benefits from the U.S. Department of Defense or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

For further information contact:

DACC Veterans Programs
2800 Sonoma Ranch Blvd, Student Resources

Las Cruces, NM 88011
(575) 528-7080
vetprog@dacc.nmsu.edu

Costs

Active-Duty

Active-duty military personnel (U.S. Armed Forces) stationed in New Mexico or at Fort Bliss, Texas may complete a "Resident Tuition Application for Active Military, Veterans and Dependents of the U.S. Armed Forces" waiver to qualify for in-state tuition. Spouses and children of active-duty personnel who are stationed in New Mexico and Fort Bliss, Texas who are not otherwise entitled to claim in-state residency, may apply for in-state tuition by submitting a "Resident Tuition Application for Active Military, Veterans and Dependents of the U.S. Armed Forces" waiver to the Military and Veterans Programs. Applications are available at the DACC Veterans Programs Office, or through the University Student Records Office. Please contact the office on required documents needed to complete the waiver application.

Dependents Receiving VA Educational Benefits

Per NM 2015 HB 427:

A spouse or child of a veteran of the armed forces is entitled to pay tuition and fees at the rate provided for New Mexico residents; provided that the spouse or child is eligible for benefits pursuant to the federal Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 or any other federal law authorizing educational benefits for a veteran and the dependents of a veteran. Applications are available at the DACC Veterans Programs Office, or through the University Student Records Office. Please contact DACC Veterans Programs Office on the required documents needed to complete the waiver application.

Veterans

Veterans receiving U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs education benefits are eligible for in-state tuition through the Veterans In-State Tuition Act by submitting a "Resident Tuition Application for Active Military, Veterans and Dependents of the U.S. Armed Forces" waiver. For further information concerning approved programs and application process, eligible persons should contact Military and Veterans Programs.

Veteran students enrolled under the following programs are responsible for their tuition and fees in the same manner as a nonveteran student:

Montgomery GI Bill®-Active Duty (CH 30)
Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (CH 35)
Montgomery GI Bill®-Selected Reserve (CH 1606)

GI Bill^® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Allowing Veterans to Attend or Participate in Courses Pending VA Payment

Background

Section 103 of Public Law (PL) 115-407, ‘Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018,’ amends Title 38 US Code 3679 by adding a new subsection (e) that requires disapproval of courses of education, beginning August 1, 2019, at any educational institution that does not have a policy in place that will allow an individual to attend or participate in a course of education, pending VA payment, providing the individual submits a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance under Chapter 31 or 33.

Pending Payment Compliance

In accordance with Title 38 US Code 3679(e), New Mexico State University/Dona Ana Community College adopts the following additional provisions for any students using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post-9/11 G.I. Bill^® (Ch. 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from VA. Dona Ana Community College will not:

Prevent the student’s enrollment;
Assess a late penalty fee to the student;
Require the student to secure alternative or additional funding;
Deny the student access to any resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution.

However, to qualify for this provision, such students may be required to:

Produce the VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) by the first day of class;
Provide a written request to be certified;
Provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies

Responsibility of Students Receiving VA Education Benefits

Students must pursue a degree in a specific program in order to be eligible for VA education benefits. Students must submit their degree plans or Student Academic Requirements (STAR) Degree Audit Report and Concise Student Schedule to Military and Veterans Programs in order to be certified. For continued certification, students must submit their degree plans or STAR Degree Audit Report and Concise Student Schedule to MVP every semester they plan to use VA education benefits.

Students using VA Education Benefits must notify the DACC Veteran’s Program Office when any of the following occur:

Dropping or adding course(s)
Withdrawing from course(s)
Withdrawing from the University
Discontinuing regular class attendance
Changing programs (academic majors/minors)

VA education benefits are payable for regular attendance in courses that are part of the student's program (major/minor) curriculum. VA education benefits are not payable for:

Classes not attended regularly
Repeating a course for which a passing grade meets degree requirements
Classes for which credit is received through successful completion of a proficiency test or grade by examination
Classes are taken on an audit basis
Classes that are dropped or withdrawn from
Classes are taken that are not part of the student's program (major/minor) curriculum

Military Withdrawal

Dona Ana Community College understands that our military students may be called to active duty, specialized training, or disaster relief efforts with little notice. U.S. active duty military students wishing to withdraw from all their classes must present their orders and their request for full withdrawal, as indicated below. However, the below policy does not pertain to a student’s basic and/or annual training. A student who has an order for training is encouraged to formally request, through the proper military chain of command, a postponement of their orders until the summer or the end of the semester they are currently enrolled in. If a student’s request for postponement is denied, the student may then follow the steps below but must provide documentation that their postponement request was formally denied.

All NMSU students that have been called for active duty must take the following steps to withdraw from all their classes:

Military and Veterans Programs (MVP): TA/VA students ordered to Active Duty must provide a copy of orders to the MVP office, in Corbett Center Student Union, Room 244, or by email vetprog@dacc.nmsu.edu. To assist in reporting accurate information to their military service or the VA Regional Office, the student should also provide, in writing, the last day of class attendance.
NMSU University Student Records: All students presenting their orders to the University Student Records Office, (575) 646-3411, or records@nmsu.edu, will receive a military withdrawal from classes and full tuition and fees refund for that semester.
Bookstore: Students who still have their receipts for textbooks purchased the semester in which they are called to active duty will be given a full refund for these textbook purchases when they present their orders. Please contact the bookstore for assistance at (575) 646-4431 or nmsu@bkstr.com.

Veterans’ Attendance and Satisfactory Progress

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs requires all veterans receiving VA education benefits to make satisfactory progress and systematic advancement toward an educational objective or be liable for over-payments. Satisfactory progress and regular class attendance are expected of such students.

If a veteran receiving benefits is suspended for academic reasons, benefits are terminated and will be restored only after readmission to NMSU.

If the university has liability claims filed against it as a result of a veteran failing to meet compliance requirements of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the university will not release any academic records on the veteran until the veteran has reimbursed the federal government for funds drawn in violation of those requirements.

A student receiving VA education benefits who is pursuing a degree program offered by Dona Ana Community College should adhere to the curriculum of that program. Failure to do so will result in the student being certified for less than full-time status or becoming liable for an over payment.

Regulations

Note: These regulations apply to all campuses of NMSU and are effective with the publication of this catalog. Tuition amounts, fees, and similar items subject to annual review and change are all effective with the current catalog.

Credit for Military Service

Dona Ana Community College will award academic credit to United States military personnel for courses and Military Occupational Specialties (MOS), based on the American Council of Education Guide (ACE) as well as through national standardized tests, such as CLEP, AP, PEP, and DANTES. Credit for military-training is in accordance with NMSU Faculty Senate Legislation Proposition 24-07/08, which was passed in May 2008. Military Training and Military Occupational Specialties (MOS) must have a recommendation evaluation by ACE (in the ACE Guide) for credit to be awarded. Courses accepted for transfer credit become part of the student’s official NMSU transcript and academic record. If a student wishes to appeal a decision regarding the acceptance of military training/education and/or MOS for academic credit, the student must submit a written statement of appeal to the Dean of the College to which the student has applied. The Dean will review the merits of the appeal and render a decision. The decision of the Dean is final.

Only Primary MOS (s) are eligible for academic credit in the initial review and evaluation. Credit for Duty and/or Secondary MOS may be eligible for academic credit if the student petitions the college’s Associate Dean. Primary MOS is the primary specialty of a soldier and reflects the broadest and most in-depth scope of military experience. Veterans, active-duty personnel, National Guard, and Reservists who are current students or students applying for admission to New Mexico State University may be granted academic credit on a case-by-case basis upon evaluation of military transcripts - the Joint Service Transcript (https://jst.doded.mil/jst) and the Community College of the Air Force transcripts. Course equivalencies and credit hours awarded for a particular DACC degree are determined by colleges and/or academic departments. Credit hours may be awarded for specific courses toward degree requirement, or as elective credit. The number of credit hours awarded will be determined by the college and/or academic department.

Note: Students submitting military transcripts for credit evaluation must keep in mind the Maximum Time Frame policy, see the Financial Aid Section for more information.