Proposal Date:   September 10, 2007

Office of the Registrar
Proposal to Revise an Academic Policy
(Action Item)

Contact Person:  Freida Eggleton    freida.eggleton@wku.edu    745-5432

1.	Identification of proposed policy revision:  Military Service Credit

2.	Catalog statement of existing policy:

Individuals who have served on active duty in a branch of the military for 181 days or more and earned an honorable discharge may receive three (3) semester hours of credit applicable to category F of the general education requirements. In order to receive such credit, students should submit a copy of their DD214 to the Office of the Registrar.
Individuals who have attended military service schools, and who are currently enrolled at Western, may receive academic credit applicable toward a degree providing each of the following conditions are met: 
•	The course is recommended for credit by the American Council on Education. 
•	A course of equivalent content is offered at Western Kentucky University. 
•	The department head of the academic division offering the equivalent course at Western Kentucky University recommends that credit be awarded. 
The number of credit hours granted will be the number granted for the equivalent course at Western. In order to receive such credit the student should submit a copy of the diploma or other official documentation confirming satisfactory completion of the course to the Office of the Registrar.	

3.	Catalog statement of proposed policy:

Individuals who have served on active duty in a branch of the military for 181 days or more and earned an honorable discharge may receive three semester hours of credit applicable to category F of the general education requirements.  In order to receive such credit, students should submit a copy of their DD214 to the Office of Admissions.

Individuals who have attended military schools, and who are currently enrolled at WKU, may receive academic credit applicable toward a degree providing the training is recommended for academic credit by the American Council on Education.

4.	Rationale for proposed policy revision:

It is proposed that credit for military service school courses be based solely upon the recommendations by the American Council on Education published in the ACE Guide, and that appropriate credit be awarded regardless of whether WKU offers a course of equivalent content.  However, academic departments will be asked to determine equivalency if a military service school appears to be similar to a WKU course.

Serviceman’s Opportunity College (SOC) is a consortium of national higher education associations and functions in cooperation with the Department of Defense, the National Guard and the Coast Guard to help meet the voluntary higher education needs of service members.  WKU is a SOC member, and as a condition of membership, WKU is accountable for adhering to specific expectations and standards, including criteria regarding crediting of learning from military training and experience. A SOC institution is expected to recognize and use the ACE Guide to the Evaluation and Educational Experiences in the Armed Services to determine academic credit to be awarded for learning acquired in military service.  In addition, SOC institutions are expected to award credit based upon nationally recognized testing programs provided for service members, including the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), DANTES* Subject Standardized Tests (DSST) and Excelsior College Examinations (ECE).  Further, a SOC institution is expected to award appropriate credit for Military Occupational Specialties (MOS) as recommended by the ACE Guide.

*Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Educational Support

5.	Impact of proposed policy revision on existing academic or non-academic policies:

Under this proposal, military service credit will be accepted in a manner similar to the 
acceptance of transfer credit from other collegiate institutions.

6.	Proposed term for implementation: 2008 spring

7.	Dates of prior committee approvals:

	Office of the Registrar		            September 10, 2007

	University Curriculum Committee
	(Academic Policy Subcommittee)		November 8, 2007___

	University Curriculum Committee		___________________

	University Senate				___________________