Issue 81 | 3/6/26

Welcome back, Flames!

Hello, I’m Dr. Mia Garcia-Hills, Director of UIC 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.

House Passes Major GI Bill® & VR&E Reform Bills

On February 2, 2026, the U.S. House of Representatives passed two significant bipartisan bills that would expand and modernize VA education and workforce programs:

• H.R. 980 – Veterans Readiness and Employment Improvement Act
  • Would strengthen the VR&E program by putting more counselors on the ground
  • Would establish a direct support hotline for Veterans
  • Would expand training opportunities to help Veterans transition faster
• H.R. 1458 – VETS Opportunity Act
  • Would modernize the GI Bill® to expand access to high-quality certificates and technical training programs
  • Would allow for hybrid-format programs
  • Specifically targets high-demand fields like trades, health care, and technology
  • Recognizes that not every Veteran wants or needs a traditional four-year degree 

Important Note: These bills have passed the House and need to pass the Senate and be signed by the President to become law. Be aware that you may be impacted.

New Bill Would Expand VET TEC

On January 15, 2026, Congressman Abe Hamadeh introduced the Improving Emerging Tech Opportunities for Veterans Act, which would:

• Add "emerging technologies" such as artificial intelligence and semiconductor manufacturing to be eligible for the VET TEC program.
• Allow the VA to identify emerging technology career fields that expand education benefits.
• Create an expedited process for approving emerging technology programs.
• Help address workforce gaps while ensuring veterans are qualified for high-tech jobs.
  

Major VA Disability Rating Policy Change (Effective Immediately)

On February 17, 2026, the VA published an interim final rule that immediately changes how disability ratings are evaluated:

What changed
Previously, courts held that VA could not reduce ratings based on the effects of medication, requiring evaluation of a veteran's true functional impairment without medication. The new rule reverses that standard, directing examiners to rate disabilities as they present, including the impact of medication. Examiners will now disregard unmedicated baseline severity. 

Why this matters for students
Veterans whose conditions are made more tolerable by medication may now appear less disabled and receive lower ratings on new or future claims. This particularly affects those with musculoskeletal injuries, chronic pain, and mental health conditions who rely on medication to function.

Current status
VFW has raised serious concerns and sent a letter to VA Secretary Doug Collins. The rule was issued as an "interim final rule" under emergency authority, bypassing the normal public comment process. The VFW is working with Congress to seek clarification.

Current Post-9/11 GI Bill® Tuition Caps (Through July 2026)

For reference, the 2025–2026 academic year tuition and fee cap (effective through July 31, 2026) is based on in-state/resident tuition rates at public universities like UIC.

• Licensing/Certification Tests: Maximum $2,000 reimbursement; entitlement charged at rate of $2,496.26 per month
• National Tests: No maximum; entitlement charged at same rate
• Preparatory Courses: No maximum; entitlement charged at rate of $2,428.20 per month
  

March 23-27 - Closed To The Public

Student Veterans Affairs will continue administrative services, but will be closed to the public March 23-27. For general information, contact us at 312-413-5112, studentveteransaff@uic.edu, or veterans.uic.edu. Standard operating hours (7:30 AM to 5:00 PM) will resume on Monday, March 30.

Key UIC Academic Deadlines

• Friday, March 20: Last day to withdraw from a 16-week course with a "W" grade (No tuition adjustment)
• Monday, March 23: Intent to Graduate submission opens for Summer/Fall 2026
• Monday, March 30: Summer/Fall 2026 registration opens

For a full list of deadlines, visit the UIC Academic Calendar.

Dropping a Class? Read This First.

Withdrawing after the deadline has passed (resulting in a "W" on your transcript) can impact your VA housing allowance and tuition payments.

How the VA Handles Withdrawals
You (or the VA) might see a debt if you withdraw. However, the VA offers a one-time protection called the 6-Credit-Hour Exclusion to prevent debt for your first withdrawal.

How it works: The first time you withdraw from up to 6 credits, the VA automatically grants "mitigating circumstances" (meaning you won't owe money for those credits)

• Example: If you drop a 3-credit class, the exclusion covers all 3 credits. If you drop 12 credits, the exclusion covers 6, but you must provide proof of "mitigating circumstances" to the VA for the other 6 credits to avoid a debt.

What are Mitigating Circumstances?
If you need to drop more than 6 credits, or if this isn't your first withdrawal, the VA requires proof that something outside your control caused it. Examples include:

• Illness or injury (yours or immediate family)
• A death in the family
• An unavoidable change in employment
• Unanticipated active military service

If you withdraw and the VA determines you don't have valid mitigating circumstances, they will not pay for the course, and you may have to pay back funds already received.

Called to Active Duty? We're Here to Help

If you receive military active-duty orders, UIC has policies to support you. We partner with the Registrar's Office to manage your leave. Next Steps:

1. Review the policy on the Policy Notes page
2. Complete the Benefit Appeal Form
   

VA Office Updates & Processing Schedule

Upcoming Processing Dates

• Week of April 1: Summer 2026 certifications begin
• Week of June 15: Fall 2026 certifications begin
• June 1: New Annual Benefit Form (2026-27) available

Processing Time
We aim to process complete applications within 4 to 6 weeks. If your file is missing documents, our work-study team will contact you. Allow extra time around university holidays (Winter Break, Memorial Day, July 4th, etc.).

Important: In-State Tuition

Federal law guarantees in-state tuition rates for beneficiaries of Ch. 30, 31, 33, and 35.

• If you are Ch. 33, your rate is automatically checked during our certification process.
• If you are Ch. 30, 31, or 35 and see out-of-state tuition on your account, email us at studentveteransaff@uic.edu so we can adjust it.

How Your Tuition is Certified (Ch. 33)

If you are using the Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Ch. 33), your enrollment is certified twice per term.

• The "Dual Certification" Process: We certify your enrollment twice. The second certification happens after the add/drop deadline and reports your exact tuition and fees to the VA.
• What this means for you: We deduct things like the U-Pass or parking fees from the amount reported to the VA, as these are not covered by your benefits. We also work with Financial Aid to apply any scholarships first.
• Using the Illinois Veterans Grant (IVG) with Ch. 33: We apply your federal Ch. 33 benefits first. If there is still a balance, we then use the IVG to cover the gap. You should not have a credit balance left over.

Questions? Contact SVA for Ch. 33 questions, and the Financial Aid Office for IVG questions. Find your financial aid counselor

Mandy Moberg

Mandy joined the SVA team after transferring to UIC in 2025 from the College of DuPage, where she earned her Associate in Arts. Since then, she has been pursuing her Bachelor’s in Sociology with a minor in Psychology, with hopes of working in the non-profit sector after her military service.

Beyond her work in the office, Mandy has served as an E-5

Military Police officer (31B) in the Army National Guard since 2019. Her service includes a deployment to Djibouti, Africa, in 2022 in support of AFRICOM. Upon graduation, she will be deploying to Alaska with the 233rd.

A lifelong Illinois resident, Mandy cherishes any chance to travel abroad and meet new people. A passion she brought with her to the SVA office, where she helped students navigate their benefits and fostered community on campus.

As she prepares to graduate from UIC this semester and transition to her next chapter with the Army National Guard, we want to thank Mandy for everything she has contributed. We wish her all the best in Alaska and beyond!

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!

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

Spring hours: 

Monday – Friday, 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM


Contributing Editor: Nicolle Velasquez