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Show Benefits salvaged WASHINGTON, D.C. Responding to concerns from Senators Jake Garn and Orrin Hatch (both R-Utah), R-Utah), the Veterans Administration has changed a controversial regulation which was depriving thousands of Utah college students of educational benefits. Prior to the change, the regulation had stipulated that if students were not enrolled in school for more than 30 days at a time, they would not be eligible to receive VA benefits during that time. Both Utah senators complained that the requirement was "illogical and inequitable for Utah" because most universities and colleges in the state have breaks between academic quarters exceeding 30 days. In a letter to the senators, Rufus H. Wilson, acting VA administrator, ad-ministrator, said the regulation would be modified to provide that "payments may be made where the interval between bet-ween terms does not exceed one full calendar month." This means that a full calendar month does not intervene between the end of one term and the beginning of another. If a school's summer term ends on Aug. 15, for example, and the fall term commences on Sept. 28, the interval would exceed 30 days, but would not exceed the full calendar month criterion. The senators said Utah officials have told them the regulation change will solve the benefits problem. |