WMU Home > About WMU > WMU News WMU gives military families in-state tuitionMarch 19, 2008 KALAMAZOO--Active-duty military personnel and their dependents will be eligible for in-state tuition thanks to a motion approved by the Western Michigan University Board of Trustees at its March 18 meeting. Military personnel who are Michigan residents and haven't established residency elsewhere, as well as those who are stationed in Michigan, will be eligible for the in-state rates. Their spouses and dependents also will be eligible for the benefit. Once the active-duty military person or dependent qualifies for the benefit, eligibility will continue for as long as they are continually enrolled and there is no change to the military or dependent status. "WMU and its sister universities in Michigan, have recognized the difficulty active-duty military families have in meeting residency requirements," said Lowell P. Rinker, WMU vice president for business and finance, in describing the rationale behind the proposal. "We're doing this because we think it's important to recognize the valuable contributions our military personnel make to our country." Rinker says the move dovetails nicely with a program adopted by WMU last year at this time. The Returning Veterans Assistance Program, which has been called a "mini-G.I. Bill," is designed to help returning veterans make the transition from military to student life easier by offering a first semester of free tuition while they complete the transition and in-state tuition for their remaining time at WMU. According to Rinker, some implementation details need to be worked out, but more information will be available from WMU's Advocacy Office for Transfer Students and Military Affairs at (269) 387-0740. Media contact: Cheryl Roland, (269) 387-8400, cheryl.roland@wmich.edu WMU News |