Oakland University
Servicemembers Opportunities Colleges (SOC) www.soc.aascu.org
Introduction
SOC is a consortium of more than1800 colleges and universities that provide educational opportunities
for service members and their families. SOC is cosponsored by the American Association of State
Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), in
cooperation with 13 other educational associations, the Military Services, the National Guard, and the
Coast Guard. SOC is funded by the Department of Defense (DoD) through a contract with AASCU. The
contract is managed for DoD by the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES).
Michigan 4-year public institutions that belong to SOC (2009-2011):
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
v)
vi)
vii)
Central Michigan University - Off-Campus Programs
Eastern Michigan University
Ferris State University
Michigan Technological University
Northern Michigan University
University of Michigan – Flint
Western Michigan University
Oakland University (OU) must meet four SOC Criteria in order to become a member. OU meets three of
the four criteria. The one criterion that needs language added to the catalog is the academic residency
requirement.
SOC Criterion 2. Academic Residency Requirements.
A SOC Consortium institution limits academic residency requirements for active-duty service members to
no more than 25 percent of the undergraduate degree program; recognizes all credit course work offered
by the institution as applicable in satisfying academic residency requirements; and allows service
members to satisfy academic residency requirements with courses taken from the institution at any time
during their program of study, specifically avoiding any “final year” or “final semester” residency
requirement, subject to stated requirements in specific course areas such as majors. If a SOC Consortium
institution offers one hundred percent of an undergraduate degree online, that institution may require
active-duty service members to take thirty percent of that degree program to obtain residency.
(Institutions joining SOC for the purpose of participating in the Concurrent Admissions Program (ConAP)
are exempted from this criterion.)
Response: The recommended language to be added to the 2012-13 catalog under Undergraduate
degree requirements and under 5. Residence requirement is in red:
Students must successfully complete a minimum of 32 credits at Oakland University. They must
also complete at Oakland University the last 8 (4 for Bachelor of Integrative Studies designation)
credits needed to fulfill the requirements for a baccalaureate. Oakland University limits academic
residency to no more than twenty- five percent of the degree requirements for all undergraduate degrees
for active-duty service members. Academic residency can be completed at any time while active-duty
service members are enrolled. Reservists and National Guardsmen on active-duty are covered in the
same manner."
University Committee on Undergraduate Instruction (UCUI) approved on Friday, November 4,
2011.
Office of the Registrar
1
5/5/2009