Brian Ellspermann has had trouble focusing on school since Sept. 11, the day of the terrorist attacks, knowing he might not be able to finish the semester.
Ellspermann is in the Arizona Air National Guard and at any moment could be called to duty for his country.
“It is hard to concentrate on school when you know that you could be yanked at any second; they don’t give much of a warning,” Ellspermann, a biology senior, said. “I had an anatomy test on Wednesday, the day after the attacks, and I don’t think I did too well because I was glued to the TV instead of studying.”
Because the threat of leaving ASU is real, the University released a policy that protects students against negative academic impacts if they are called to serve the country.
Vice President for Student Affairs Christine Wilkinson sent copies of an internal policy to the president’s cabinet, the vice provost, deans and directors on Friday, urging them to share the policy with staff members and affected students.
The policy states that student absences due to military activation will not hurt his or her catalog year. If a student is called to action and has to miss school there are two options available: The student can either have an administrative unrestricted withdrawal with a full refund and no penalties or incomplete grades can be given with one year to finish the classes.
Army Reservists member and electrical engineering sophomore Paul Tucker’s attitude is more matter-of-fact about leaving on a moment’s notice.
“If it happens, it happens. Until then I’ll go on with my life,” he said.
Tucker said he would take the incomplete and hope for the best.
“If I get far enough in the semester and my professors let me get incompletes, I would do that and cross my fingers that I won’t be called for more than a year. If I am, I’ll just have to take care of it when I get back,” he said.
Ellspermann said that if he were called to duty he would take the refund over the incomplete grades.
“I wouldn’t take the withdrawal because I would only have one year to complete those grades and who knows how long I’ll be away from school if that happens,” he said.
The policy is based on the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act, which gives job security to reservists in the work force who must leave their jobs.
Maj. George Rolling, senior business manager of the School of Military Sciences, thinks that, although a good policy, it will not change anything.
“In the grand scheme of things it is not that big of a deal because it doesn’t affect that many people at ASU. Even without this policy, most professors would bend over backwards for students who were called for duty,” he said.
Ellspermann said he believes that if he is called he will not go into action but will be sent to cover a base. Tucker said he didn’t know where he would be sent.
Reach Sandy Almendarez salmend@imap2.asu.edu.
