Issue 74 | 8/1/25

Welcome back, Flames!

Hello, I’m Dr. Mia Garcia-Hills Director of UIC’s Office of Student Veterans Affairs. Student Veterans Affairs provides a welcoming and supportive environment for our military-connected community via the Císar Student Veterans Center. We provide resources, assistance, and programming to ease the transition to academic life and promote academic success.

Stars and Stripes will help you stay up to date with Federal policies, 

UIC Student Veterans Affairs news, events, and announcements. We thank you for being part of our community and hope you enjoy reading our newsletter. Archived newsletter editions are available on our website.

Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Education Service
The VBA Education Service is completing its payment system integration. All VBA benefits can now be paid to only one account. The purpose of this bank account consolidation effort is to modernize the G.I. Bill® system, reduce fraud and improper payments, and ensure we pay beneficiaries on time, every time, and without error.

All Montgomery G.I. Bill® (Chapter 30 or Chapter 1606) and Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (Chapter 35) beneficiaries have been notified of this system update. Payments will continue to be made to the account originally associated with their VA education benefit until August 4, 2025.

If a beneficiary has multiple bank accounts on file and takes no action, VBA will make the change on their behalf; in most cases, choosing the non-education benefit payment account for all future payments. Most importantly, no beneficiary will miss a benefits payment of any type.

VBA continues to encourage and remind beneficiaries they can change their VBA direct deposit information or see where these monies will be deposited by contacting the Education Call Center at 888-442-4551.

Chapter 33 Dual Certification Requirement
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs mandated a policy effective August 2021 that impacts Chapter 33 enrollment certification processing. The procedure requires what is called a dual enrollment certification. The 2nd certification must occur within 30 days after the add/drop deadline and will include tuition and fees.

Veterans Affairs Pending Payments

Effective August 1, 2019, and despite any policy to the contrary, UIC will not take any of the following actions toward any student using the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® (Chapter 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Chapter 31) benefits, while their payment from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs is pending to the educational institution.

• Prevent their enrollment
• Assess a late penalty fee
• Require they secure alternative or additional funding
• Deny their 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.

To qualify for this provision, students may be required to produce the VA's Certificate of Eligibility by the first day of class, provide a written request to be certified, and any additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies.

Enrollment Certification – SVA is certifying for Fall 2025!

UIC Student Veteran Affairs processes certifications on a first-come, first-serve basis, so the sooner you get your certification documents in, the sooner they can be processed. Students who submit applications by the priority processing deadline, Friday, August 22 will be dual certified within the 30-day period required by the VA. Students who submit after the priority processing deadline run the risk of delayed payments.

Undeclared Majors

Undeclared
Students pursuing a bachelor’s degree may not have to declare a major before their junior year at some schools. The student cannot be certified beyond his or her sophomore year unless a major is declared. Only “General Education” courses can be certified prior to the declaration of a major. 

Non-matriculated Students (38 CFR 21.4252 (L) (2) and (3))
VA defines matriculation as being formally admitted to a college or university as a degree-seeking student. VA educational benefits cannot be paid to non-matriculated college or university students unless they are pending admission to your school. In that case, they can be certified for two quarters or semesters. The student can be certified beyond this two-term limit only if the student is admitted to your school as a degree-seeking student, irrespective of the number of credits taken.

Drop Deadlines

Familiarize yourself with the drop deadlines for the summer session. If schedule adjustments are made after an enrollment certification was submitted, notify the Student Veterans Affairs by submitting a benefit appeal form. We will make an amendment in VA-Once. Dropping a course does not require a new advisor form. However, student veterans are still required to report enrollment changes. Students with mitigating circumstances may use the benefits appeal form to provide supporting documentation.

In School and Received Orders?
If you are a Reservist or in the National Guard, inform your instructors immediately when you will be deployed or need to report for training. Fill out a benefit appeal form to update our office.

The SVA Team

Student Veterans Affairs is comprised of Veteran and military affiliated full-time staff and Department of Veterans Affairs work study allowance program students. Our team reflects the population the office is intended to serve which currently includes military dependents, Army, Navy, and Marine 

Veterans, ROTC cadets, and National Guard members. If you don’t see your branch or status represented in this list, consider submitting a work study application to help us continue to grow our staff. We strive to provide a welcoming environment where team members learn and lead in a variety of ways to advance academic and career goals.

Vet the Vote

Every election, thousands of counties and towns across America recruit and train hundreds of thousands of poll workers. Vet the Vote is a national campaign to recruit veterans and military family members to be the next generation of poll workers.

In 2022, more than 63,500 Americans raised their hands to serve through Vet the Vote. The organization is now looking to add to that growth for future elections. SIGN UP

National Veterans Art Museum (NVAM)

The NVAM was created by several emerging Veteran artists and volunteers of the Vietnam Veterans Art Group (VVAG) that had been exhibiting Veteran artwork. The museum offers free admission. Learn more about exhibitions, events and hours of operation.

Empowering Veterans on the Path to Homeownership

VetMentors, LLC is a veteran-led organization dedicated to supporting homeless and at-risk veterans in their journey to stable housing and homeownership. Founded by Yvette Jones-Swanson, an Army veteran and Military Relocation Professional, the organization offers a range of services to help veterans transition from homelessness to homeownership. 

Veterans interested in learning more or participating in workshops can visit their website for more information and to register for upcoming events.

Upcoming Events
Join the Student Veterans Affairs Group to stay up to date on all our events and programs. We look forward to seeing you!

Scholarship Opportunity

Navigating college costs can be tough but the Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship, offered by the VFW in partnership with Student Veterans of America and Sport Clips Haircuts, is here to help. This scholarship supports eligible student Veterans with up to $5,000 toward tuition and fees at accredited institutions. If you’ve served and are continuing your education, this could be the boost you need to stay on track. Applications for the spring semester will be accepted August 1 through November 15.

The Císar Student Veterans Center (CSVC) is located on the second floor of Student Center East (SCE) room 248. Go through the Inner Circle food court, turn right (west) at the entrance to the Wellness Center, go past the Wellness Center front desk down the hall through the Commuter Student Resource Center, and you will see the CSVC entrance on the back wall.

Check out this step-by-step guide to the center: VIDEO

Summer hours (End August 22):
Monday through Friday (by appointment only), 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Call 312-413-5112 to schedule an appointment

Fall hours (Begin August 25):
Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM

Labor Day (September 1): 
Closed


Contributing Editor: Nicolle Velasquez