Postsecondary education: students called to active military duty during an academic term.

Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, the California State University, the University of California, independent institutions of higher education, and private postsecondary educational institutions as the 5 segments of postsecondary education in this state. Existing law requires public and private postsecondary educational institutions to refund 100% of the tuition and fees paid by a student to the institution for the academic term in which the student was required to report for military service, regardless of whether the student was called to military service before the academic term had commenced or after the academic term had commenced. This bill would provide that, subject to applicable federal, state, and institutional refund and withdrawal policies, when a student, as defined, is called to active military duty during an academic term, the student may: choose to withdraw from the institution, retroactive to the beginning of the academic term; if at least 75% of the term has been completed, choose to request that the faculty member assign a grade for the course based on the work the student has completed, as specified; or, if the faculty member assigns a grade of Incomplete for the student's coursework, the student has a minimum of 4 weeks after returning to the institution to complete the course requirements, as prescribed. Under the bill, a student would be defined as a person enrolled, or previously enrolled, at a campus of any of the 5 segments of postsecondary education listed above.