CIAT 2022 Campus Announcement – Military Resident Students

Many of you have reached out to our CIAT Management team with questions about how our decision not to reopen our physical campuses in the January term will affect your tuition coverage and your MHA (Monthly Housing Allowance) personal financial benefits.

We are in the process of reaching out to each of you with personal phone call and email outreach. This personalized outreach effort is designed to ensure that we are addressing your unique needs with recommendations that meet your specific career and education goals. As a small college, we pride ourselves in providing a high-touch, service-oriented approach through your entire educational journey. We believe you deserve more than a blanket announcement, which is why we remain committed to working with every student through this transition. If you haven’t received a phone call yet, please book an appointment here for a time that works best for your schedule: Book Your Appointment

Many of you have requested more insight and transparency into our decision-making process and how we are supporting our veterans. We are listening and we are available to provide you additional feedback and insight:

• Please know that we weighed the pros of cons of reopening our campus in January heavily. As concerns with the COVID-19 pandemic continue to provide uncertainty with new variants, travel restrictions, changing county and state regulations, and more, we are not equipped to safely reopen our campuses without risk of disrupting your learning experience. At this time, we will not be reopening our physical campuses.
• We are not comfortable mixing vaccinated and unvaccinated students, faculty, and staff on campus and remain committed to prioritizing the health and safety concerns of our community.
• The majority of our employees have made the personal decision not to return to a physical workplace. They are no longer comfortable working in person, do not wish to commute, or have other reasons leading to this decision. This is a common theme, part of which has led to the “great resign” phenomenon that is making headlines today. It would be a challenge to adequately staff to ensure the quality of education our students deserve.
• Our primary goal is to ensure a 100% continuity of your academic experience to avoid delays in your program, or months where you would have no course available. If we were to partially open our campus, we could not guarantee 100% availability for all classes each term, leaving you subject to terms with zero MHA.
• We support your rights as veterans and have been strongly communicating your needs for an extension to the COVID relief package that has helped you attend school consistently, without breaks, during the pandemic. The pandemic is not over, and we are actively communicating with our VA support staff and local congress with requests on your behalf.
• We are strong believers that your MHA rate should be based on your residency in San Diego. This benefit is provided to you to help you financially support yourself while pursuing your education. You spend equivalent time and energy attending your live, virtual classes as you do an on-ground class, there should be no difference in your MHA rates.

How to stay committed to your IT degree plan and maximize your MHA benefits:  

CIAT is working with our local San Diego Community College partners to identify paths for you to maximize your MHA benefits with an on-ground class at a local community college, while continuing your focus on your technical degree, industry certifications, and career building efforts at CIAT. We suggest that you evaluate whether a concurrent enrollment option is right for you.

The following is an outline of guidance we have received from our partners at San Diego City College, Miramar College, Mesa College, and Palomar College. We encourage you to connect with these colleges directly and complete your own inquiry on anticipated MHA estimate calculation for the course you select. According to this guidance:

• Veteran students can take a single general education class while concurrently enrolled in another school and receive full MHA housing rates.
• Veteran must be taking a class that is transferable to the degree program at the parent school (CIAT).
• CIAT VA and Student Services team will do our best to guide you through the process and help you identify which classes you would need to take to support your transfer plan. However, CIAT cannot control or predict the final VA certification rates or timing of disbursement.
• Students attending in-person classes may be required to show proof of vaccination.
• Spring 2022 Semester starts January 31. Schedules may not 100% align with CIAT 5-week term schedules.

*Although we believe this information to be accurate, CIAT makes no promises or guarantees. It is up to the student to verify with the VA and School VA office of their choosing.

For our VRRAP students:

• The intent behind the VA’s newest program, VRRAP, is designed to support veterans with rapid retraining and career support for those who suffered unemployment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are standing by to support you with accelerated job placement support. As a technical vocational college, our primary mission is to provide an education experience that is designed to support your career objectives. VRRAP students are eligible to gain employment after qualifying for VRRAP.

Career support resources for all veterans:

• We are prioritizing our personalized career support appointments for our veterans. Our most successful students (veterans and non-veterans) are those that transition into the IT field early in their program. Employers expect to see a resume of work experience, in additional to industry certifications, and technical skills. Give yourself every advantage and ROI of your time you are investing. Book Your Career Services Appointment to get started.
• CIAT has partnered with ACP, American Corporate Partners, to provide all veterans the opportunity to join a one-year IT career mentorship program. With a satisfaction rate of 98%, an overwhelming majority of veterans participating in this mentorship program would recommend their service to a fellow veteran. Nearly 2,000 veterans obtained meaningful employment during their mentorships in 2020. Email Us to get started.

We stand committed to supporting you and helping you achieve your education and career goals. Let us do what we do best and help you to gain employment, which delivers you a longer, more stable approach towards the financial stability you are looking for.

If none of the recommendations listed above meet your personal needs, we would be happy to help refer you to our trusted college partner, Devry, or another school of your choosing. Email Us for a personal referral to the team knowledgeable and familiar with supporting CIAT students so that we can help ensure the most seamless transfer experience possible.

We understand that the VA returning to Pre-Covid MHA rules may cause a hardship for many of you. We also understand that CIAT’s decision not to return to the on-ground modality can potentially worsen the situation. The best that any of us can do is navigate through this pandemic and all the challenges it brings. This New Normal doesn’t feel normal at all, but it is the reality we all face. I encourage you to find the opportunities that exist rather than focus on what has been taken away. All the faculty and staff at CIAT stand ready to help you in any way can.

Thank you for your understanding and thank you for serving our county.

With respect,

Jamie Doyle, President & Founder