SUNY Refund Policy

Please refer to Stony Brook Policies and Procedures
057.1 Refunds - Tuition and Fees Administrative Policies
Section I.B. (1&5), C., D. & E. (Exceptions)
SUNY Policies

I. The following policies shall apply to tuition liability and refunds for students canceling their registration at State-operated units of State University.

Note: The first day of classes as scheduled by the campus shall be deemed to be the first day that any classes are offered, as scheduled by the campus' academic calendar committee.

B. Exceptions

1. There shall be no tuition or fee liability established for a student who withdraws to enter military service prior to the end of an academic term for those courses in which the student does not receive academic credit.

Note: The term "Military Service" as provided above in Section B. 1., means full-time duty in the Army, Navy (including Marine Corps), Air Force, Army National Guard or Coast Guard of the United States.

A student may enter the "Military Service", as defined above, either as an enlistee or draftee.

A student who is a member of a National Guard or Army, Navy or Air Force Reserve Unit is entitled to a refund, only, if in the judgment of the appropriate college officer, the student is unable to attend classes due to hardship beyond the student's control and the student has made bona fide efforts to permit continued college attendance.

Documentation (i.e. Military Orders, Official Government Letter, etc) of membership on active duty in the Military Service shall be provided to the Office of Veteran Affairs at Stony Brook University and retained by the University. In the event that a refund is granted to a student in National Guard or Reserve status, documentation of the reasons for such action shall be in writing and retained by the campus.

5. Notwithstanding any other provisions for refund, when a student has withdrawn through circumstances beyond the student's control, under conditions in which the denial of refund would cause undue hardship, the Campus President or a designated vice president (See Item 057) may, in his/her discretion, determine that no liability for tuition has been incurred by the student, provided the student has not completed more than one-half of the term and has not received or will not receive academic credit for the term. Such action, including the reason therefore shall be in writing.

Note: It is interpreted that a conscientious objector who is called to "alternate service" and as a result is required to withdraw from courses during a term is considered as withdrawn due to circumstances beyond his/her control.

C. Military personnel withdrawing from any program or term because of changes of assignment beyond their control and upon proper certification of such change from a base education service officer or other appropriate military official shall be deemed to have incurred no liability for tuition and fees due from him/her, as opposed to tuition and fees paid by the Federal Government in the student's behalf.

D. Effective date - June 1, 1978.

E. Authority: Board of Trustees Resolution No. 63-108.

Memorandum from Raymond Kettler to Charles Foster, Dated December 31, 1970.

Procedure clearance dated December 13, 1977, signed by Harry K. Spindler, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Business.

* Board of Trustees Resolution No. 86-__, Dated September 10, 1986.

* Revised Material
TR 86-3 9/25/86

US Department of Education

GEN-01-13: Recent Terrorist Attacks - Persons Affected by
Military Mobilization

September 2001

GEN-01-13

Subject: Recent Terrorist Attacks - Persons Affected by Military Mobilization

As a result of the recent terrorist attacks on the United States President Bush authorized, on September 14, 2001, the call-up of members of the National Guard and the Ready Reserves to active duty. Regular active duty members of the Armed Forces may also be reassigned to other duty stations. It is likely that there will be students and Title IV loan borrowers who will be ordered to military duty as part of this military mobilization. We are providing the following guidance to schools, including in their role as Federal Perkins Loan lenders, and to lenders and guaranty agencies in the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program on the treatment of military personnel who are activated or reassigned for a period of more than 30 days. The Secretary will treat borrowers who are ordered to active duty and who have Direct Loans or other loans held by the Department in accordance with this guidance.

  Loan Issues

• Borrowers whose Title IV loans are in an in-school, in-school deferment, or grace period status.
  If a borrower's loans are in an in-school status, an in-school deferment status, or in a grace period status when the borrower is ordered to active duty or reassigned, the lender must maintain the loans in that status during the period of the borrower's active duty service or reassignment, plus the time necessary for the borrower to resume enrollment in the next regular enrollment period that is reasonably available to the borrower, if the borrower wishes to go back to school. However, this maintenance of loan status may not exceed a total of three years including the period of time necessary for the borrower to resume enrollment. Additionally, if the loan was in a grace period status at the time the borrower was ordered to active duty, the period of time during which the borrower was serving on active duty is excluded and the borrower would receive their full grace period in the future.
• Borrowers whose Title IV loans are in repayment (other than in an in-school deferment status)

  For borrowers whose loans are in repayment (other than those in an in-school deferment status) lenders or Perkins schools must grant a forbearance for the expected period of the borrower's active duty service, beginning on the first day of active duty, not to exceed one year. The forbearance must be granted based upon the request of the borrower, the borrower's family or another reliable source. The request need not be in writing and the forbearance can be granted without supporting documentation and without a written forbearance agreement. The reasons for granting the forbearance must be documented in the borrower's loan records. Forbearance beyond the initial period will require supporting documentation and a written agreement with the borrower, unless we provide guidance extending the one-year limitation. During the initial forbearance process, lenders are encouraged to examine the borrower's eligibility for a military or other deferment.

• Borrowers whose Title IV loans are in repayment (other than in an in-school deferment status)

  For borrowers whose loans are in repayment (other than those in an in-school deferment status) lenders or Perkins schools must grant a forbearance for the expected period of the borrower's active duty service, beginning on the first day of active duty, not to exceed one year. The forbearance must be granted based upon the request of the borrower, the borrower's family or another reliable source. The request need not be in writing and the forbearance can be granted without supporting documentation and without a written forbearance agreement. The reasons for granting the forbearance must be documented in the borrower's loan records. Forbearance beyond the initial period will require supporting documentation and a written agreement with the borrower, unless we provide guidance extending the one-year limitation. During the initial forbearance process, lenders are encouraged to examine the borrower's eligibility for a military or other deferment.

• Borrowers whose loans are in default status
  If a borrower is in default on a loan, the guaranty agency or Perkins school must, upon being notified that the borrower has been called to active duty, cease all collection activities for the expected period of the borrower's military service, through September 14, 2002, unless we provide guidance extending this period. Collection activities must resume no later than 30 days after the end of the borrower's military service or September 14, 2002, whichever is earlier. We will treat borrowers with defaulted loans held by the Department
• Applicability of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940
  The Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940 only applies if a FFEL lender or guaranty agency is suing a borrower who is covered by the Act. The Act prevents a creditor from obtaining a default judgment in court. It does not prohibit other collection efforts. A borrower's interest rate is not affected by the provision of the Act restricting interest charged to certain borrowers in military service. Section 428(d) of the Higher Education Act states that no provision of any law which limits the interest rate on a loan shall apply to the FFEL Program.