Board of Visitors Policy: 1418

Virginia Code § 23.1-904 C states:

The governing board of each public institution of higher education shall, in accordance with guidelines developed by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, implement policies that recognize the scheduling difficulties and obligations encountered by active-duty members of the United States armed forces.

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia in consultation with the Military Education Advisory Committee (MEAC) has issued guidelines that require state colleges and universities to establish course registration policies that provide reasonable accommodation to students who are active-duty military members, veterans, reservists and Virginia National Guard members.

Old Dominion University wishes to facilitate priority preregistration for currently enrolled, degree-seeking military students according to the following procedures:

• Priority preregistration will begin no sooner than Monday of the first week of preregistration provided documentation has been received and approved in the Office of the University Registrar.
• Preregistration will be based on the student’s class standing (senior, junior, sophomore, freshman) and will permit the student to participate during the earliest registration time slot for his or her class. Time tickets will be assigned using rules to assign the appropriate time slot. All graduate students are invited to register on the first day of preregistration.

To qualify for priority preregistration:

• Active Duty, Reservist and National Guard students must provide proof of current active-duty status to the Office of the University Registrar prior to preregistration each semester. With valid Military ID, students will be granted a priority registration time slot.
• Veterans receiving federal VA educational benefits to include but not limited to Chapter 30, Chapter 31, Chapter 32, Chapter 33, Chapter 1606 and Chapter 1607 will automatically receive priority preregistration if benefits have been received at Old Dominion University during the current semester (for example, priority preregistration will be granted if the student has submitted the benefits certification form for the spring semester and wishes to preregister for the fall semester).
  • GI Bill® benefits recipients who have submitted the Veterans Clearance form to the Office of the University Registrar by the deadline will be granted a priority window registration time slot. The VA Clearance Form is available at: https://www.odu.edu/registrar/forms.
• Veterans who do not use federal VA educational benefits must provide a copy of the DD214, retired military identification card or the DMV issued veteran card.
• In order to participate in priority preregistration, students who are qualified must self-identify as indicated and provide requested documentation by the following deadlines:
  • Fall preregistration: March 15 Generally, fall preregistration will begin no later than the second week of April for currently enrolled degree seeking students.
  • Spring/Summer preregistration: October 15 Generally, spring preregistration will begin no later than the second week of November for currently enrolled degree seeking students. Summer preregistration is ongoing and concurrent with spring preregistration.

All students must have been advised, have no restrictive holds on the student account and be otherwise eligible to register in order to participate in preregistration. First semester students may register during their orientation date.

Documents should be mailed or delivered to the Veterans Affairs Certification Team, Office of the University Registrar, 1009 Rollins Hall, Norfolk, VA 23529 or faxed to 757-683-5357. They can also be mailed to vaservices@odu.edu. The VA Certification Team is responsible for all requests regarding priority preregistration.

Communication about the priority preregistration process will be published in the University Catalogs, available online on the Veterans Services website and through direct communication via email to the ODU email address to all currently qualified and enrolled students.

Staff in the Office of the University Registrar, Military Connections Center and the Office of Admissions will be trained to communicate the policy to students who may be qualified for this benefit.