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MADISON, Wis. — Sen. Leah Vukmir, R–Brookfield, and Rep. Mike Kuglitsch, R–New Berlin, unveiled a bill Tuesday to ensure veterans will be reimbursed the full cost of tuition under the Wisconsin National Guard Tuition Grant Program.
“Those who serve our country deserve the certainty that we will keep our promises to them,” said Vukmir, whose son serves as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army. “When the state agrees to pay for undergraduate tuition for these brave men and women, under no circumstances should administrative glitches prevent that from happening.”
“This bill allows government to adapt as technology advances and make sure our veterans get reimbursed on time in order to avoid taking out additional costly loans,” Kuglitsch said.
State statutes currently are unclear whether differential tuition, which can be charged for some programs, is covered under the tuition grant. On occasion, this has resulted in a failure to reimburse military service members for the additional cost.
At University of Wisconsin System schools, differential tuition may be required to help support the costs of some programs, such as business or engineering. The new bill ensures that differential tuition will be covered under the grant program.
Additionally, the bill also ensures service members are reimbursed in a timely manner. This provides the financial flexibility to use reimbursements towards the subsequent semester, avoiding the probable need for student loans.
