Academic Catalog

Military and Veterans Programs (MVP)

SENMC is a veteran and military friendly college which strives to provide the best possible service to our current and former service members as they pursue their educational goals. The SENMC Military and Veterans Affairs Office promotes lifelong learning and professional development for veterans, active-duty military and their families, assisting them in their higher education goals by offering:

  • Affordable, Carlsbad-resident tuition rates for active-duty military personnel and dependents living at regional military installations
  • Affordable, Carlsbad-resident tuition rates for veterans receiving U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs education benefits
  • Easily transferable credits that count toward certificates and degrees at SENMC
  • Facilitation of all Department of Defense Tuition Assistance (TA) Benefits
  • Courses taught in-person and online with innovative technology and course delivery methods
  • Student advocacy at every level, from admissions to graduation
  • Resource materials from a variety of veteran and military service organizations
  • Priority registration for all military and veteran students
  • Connect with student organizations.
  • A tradition of quality education.

SENMC certificate and degree programs are approved for VA certification by the State Approving Agency Director at the New Mexico Department of Veteran Services. Military and Veteran students may be eligible to receive education benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA), and may contact the VA at 1 (888) 442-4551 or visit https://www.va.gov/education/ to apply. For further information, contact the SENMC VA Office, located in the Main building in the Financial Aid Office.

Tuition Rates and Waivers

Active-Duty

Active-duty military personnel (Armed Forces) stationed in New Mexico or at Fort Bliss, Texas may complete a Military Carlsbad Resident Tuition Waiver to qualify for Carlsbad resident tuition. Spouses and minor 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 Carlsbad resident tuition by submitting a Military Carlsbad Resident Tuition Waiver to the SENMC VA Office. Waiver forms are available through the VA Office.

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 Carlsbad 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. To apply, students who are eligible must complete the Military Carlsbad Resident Tuition Waiver and submit to the SENMC VA Office. Waiver forms are available through the SENMC VA Office.

Veterans

Veterans receiving U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs education benefits are eligible for Carlsbad resident tuition through the Veterans In-State Tuition Act by submitting a Military Carlsbad Resident Tuition Waiver. For further information concerning approved programs and application process, eligible persons should contact the SENMC VA Office.

Veteran students enrolled under the following programs are responsible for their tuition and fees in the same manner as a non-veteran student.

  • Montgomery GI Bill® Active Duty (CH30)
  • Dependents (CH35)
  • Montgomery GI Bill® Selected Reserve (CH1606)

Regulations

Note: These regulations apply to SENMC 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.

The New Mexico Department of Veteran Services and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have approved SENMC courses for study by veterans and others who qualify for veteran’s educational assistance. Processing of applications and certifications takes from 4 to 6 weeks and should, therefore, be initiated well in advance of course registration. Veterans must bring their course schedule to the SENMC VA Office each semester for continued certification. 

Veterans must maintain satisfactory attendance, conduct and progress. If the veteran does not meet the standards set by SENMC, the certifying official must notify the VA, at which time the VA will discontinue benefits.

If the college has liability claims filed against it as a result of a veteran failing to meet compliance requirements of the VA, the college will not release any academic records on the veterans until such time as the veteran has reimbursed SENMC for funds drawn in violation of those requirements.

Credit for Military Service

Southeast New Mexico 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. One of the criteria for approval of any school for Veterans' training is that it reviews prior credit and grant credit as appropriate to a VA student's current program. This is found in Title 38, Code of Federal Regulations, Sections 21.4253(d)(3) and 21.4254(C)(4). In essence, this requires every approved school to have and enforce a policy with regard to transfer courses, credits, and previous experience.  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 SENMC 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 may begin the appeal process by submitting a written statement of appeal to the Registrar’s Office. The complete appeal process policy can be obtained by contacting the Registrar’s Office.

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 Registrar’s Office. 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 Southeast New Mexico College may be granted academic credit on a case-by-case basis upon evaluation of military transcripts – the Joint Service Transcript (jst.doded.mil) and the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) transcripts. Course equivalencies and credit hours awarded for a particular SENMC degree are determined by college 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 Financial Aid Section for clarification.

Tuition Assistance

Tuition Assistance (TA) is a benefit paid to eligible active duty members of the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines and Navy. The Department of Defense (DoD) has given each service the ability to pay up to $250 per semester credit hour of the actual cost of tuition (no fees) during the fiscal year (Oct. 1 - Sept. 30). TA must be requested and approved prior to the start date of the course.

Service members must first be admitted to SENMC before they may enroll in any classes at SENMC.

Please be aware of our admission and registration process:

  1. Service members must apply online to be admitted,
  2. login to my.SENMC.edu to register for classes, and
  3. create an account and Request TA through their service online portal. Each service has its own criteria for eligibility, application process and restrictions. Links to the individual service’s online portals can be obtained by contacting the SENMC VA Office.

It is important to request TA for the same class and section number as enrolled in SENMC for tuition and grading purposes. Only enrollments requested and approved through their service online portal will be eligible for TA. Contact the SENMC VA Office for additional assistance at (575) 234-9226.

Military Drop (Withdrawal)

The following steps must be taken by all Southeast New Mexico College students called up for active duty who wish to drop (withdraw) from their classes:

  1. SENMC VA Office: VA student ordered to Active Duty must provide a copy of orders to the SENMC VA Office and the Office of Student Services. To assist in reporting accurate information to the VA Regional Office, student should also provide, in writing, the last day of class attendance.
  2. Office of Student Services: All students presenting their orders to the Office of Student Services will receive a military drop (withdrawal) from classes and a full tuition and fees refund for that semester.
  3. 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.

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 SENMC. Suspension will be reported to the VA.

If the college 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 college will not release any academic records on the veteran until such time as the veteran has reimbursed SENMC for funds drawn in violation of those requirements.

A student receiving VA education benefits who is pursuing a degree program offered by Southeast New Mexico 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 to the college for an over-payment.

Resources for Students

Responsibility of Veteran Students

Students must be pursuing a certificate or degree in a specific program to be eligible for benefits. Admission procedures for veterans and other eligible persons are the same as for all students. Students must meet with their academic advisor for registration each semester prior to certification. For continued certification, students must submit a Student Course Schedule to the VA Office every semester.

Veterans must notify the VA Office when any of the following occurs:

  • Unregistering or adding course(s)
  • Dropping (Withdrawing) from course(s)
  • Discontinuing regular class attendance
  • Changing programs (academic majors)

VA education benefits are payable for regular attendance in courses that are part of the veteran’s program (major) curriculum. VA educational benefits are not payable for:

  • Classes not attended regularly
  • Repeating a course for which a passing grade was received
  • Classes for which credit is received through successful completion of a proficiency test or grade by examination
  • Classes taken on an audit basis
  • Classes that are unregistered or dropped (withdrawn) from
  • Classes that are not part of the veteran’s program (major) curriculum

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), Southeast New Mexico 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. Southeast New Mexico 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

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.

SENMC Military & Veterans Contact Information

Financial Aid Office, Room 107
1500 University Drive
Carlsbad, NM, 88220
Phone: (575) 234-9226
financialaid@senmc.edu