ENC 1102 THIS PAPER SPELLED OUT THE POSITION / TUTORIALOUTLET DOT COMalbert0055
ENC 1102 Author Note
This paper was prepared for English Composition 1, taught by Professor Heredia.
Are the High Prices of Attending to College in The United States Worth It? PAYING FOR COLLEGE 2
Abstract This paper spelled out the position of the millions of students that nowadays are struggling
because of the higher prices of attending to college in United Stated.
The Red Balloon Project Re-Imagining Undergraduate Educationleadchangeagent
“ The Red Balloon contest serves as a metaphor for the newly-networked world. This new way of generating, aggregating and disseminating information has profound implications for higher education. It challenges long-held practices of teaching and learning, institutional organization and structure, and the very notion of expertise. The Red Balloon contest also serves as an analogy for how a community of higher education institutions and their national association can work together to promote and support change in higher education.” http://www.aascu.org/programs/redballoon/
The Knowledge Review presents, this issue titled as, ‘The 20 Most Valuable Online Colleges in America 2019’, we have selected few colleges in U.S that are offering online education that are flexible and industry oriented.
ENC 1102 THIS PAPER SPELLED OUT THE POSITION / TUTORIALOUTLET DOT COMalbert0055
ENC 1102 Author Note
This paper was prepared for English Composition 1, taught by Professor Heredia.
Are the High Prices of Attending to College in The United States Worth It? PAYING FOR COLLEGE 2
Abstract This paper spelled out the position of the millions of students that nowadays are struggling
because of the higher prices of attending to college in United Stated.
The Red Balloon Project Re-Imagining Undergraduate Educationleadchangeagent
“ The Red Balloon contest serves as a metaphor for the newly-networked world. This new way of generating, aggregating and disseminating information has profound implications for higher education. It challenges long-held practices of teaching and learning, institutional organization and structure, and the very notion of expertise. The Red Balloon contest also serves as an analogy for how a community of higher education institutions and their national association can work together to promote and support change in higher education.” http://www.aascu.org/programs/redballoon/
The Knowledge Review presents, this issue titled as, ‘The 20 Most Valuable Online Colleges in America 2019’, we have selected few colleges in U.S that are offering online education that are flexible and industry oriented.
Financing the Dream: Securing College Affordability for the Middle ClassObama White House
This is a report from the White House Task Force on Middle Class Working Families: The Task Force is a major initiative targeted at raising the living standards of middle-class, working families in America. It is comprised of top-level administration policy makers, and in addition to regular meetings, it will conduct outreach sessions with representatives of labor, business, and the advocacy communities. More information is available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/strongmiddleclass/
The Employability Gap: Five Ways to Improve Employability Outcomes in Higher EdMichael Bettersworth
Colleges are rewarded for enrollment numbers and there is increasing attention on graduation rates, yet very little if any attention is paid to student placement and earnings. Considering the massive investment required for higher education, aren't these valuable measures as well? In this session, Michael Bettersworth makes the case why degrees increasingly matter less, competencies are the real currency, and student success is about much more than enrollment numbers or graduation rates. It's also about getting a job.
Michael Bettersworth is the associate vice chancellor for technology advancement at the Texas State Technical College System. Shortly after joining TSTC in 2002, Michael founded TSTC Forecasting to identify and analyze new technical competencies needed by employers. The core purpose of this work is to improve student employability through curriculum alignment with market demand. TSTC Forecasting has published over 28 studies on emerging technologies and occupations leading to new college curriculum in nanotechnology, biotechnology, energy, video games, manufacturing, healthcare among other topics. New studies are currently underway in big data, unmanned aerial systems, and social media. Michael's current work focuses on the development of a new higher education funding model based on exiter earnings, the use of real-time labor market data for curriculum alignment, college program evaluations using placement and earnings data, and curriculum development through a common skills language in partnership with the Texas Workforce Commission. Michael is an unconventional thinker, an informed speaker, and a staunch advocate for the important role of education in our nation's shared prosperity.
Visit www.forecasting.tstc.edu for Forecasts and follow Michael @bettersworth
Imagining Collective Impact: Improving Education Opportunities for our Milita...Thomas Sweatman
In 2013, Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Community Services at Easter Seals identified the need for a change and developed a plan to convene key players in the military education social and civic sectors. On September 13, 2013, over 25 organizations came together to discuss one critical component of success for our active duty Service members, veterans and their families: Education.
This whitepaper outlines the vision for how military education organizations will accomplish their mission and deliver services in the future by creating programmatic partnerships that deliver measurable benefits for not only our military families, but also the organizations supporting this effort.
What Next ? - The future of higher EducationMahavir Pati
This presentation explores the future trends in Education, The skills that will be important in Future and some revolutionary and cutting edge developments in the Domain of Higher Education
6 facts you must know about student loans and college debtpauldylan06
Currently, there is a call for a more affordable college education, which makes sense. It comes on the heels of a recession that undercut the value of a college education. Even those with a college degree were not immune to the financial hit that the economy took and those still paying off their student loans were often left without the very job they had always assumed would pay off their educational debts. To know more facts about college loans visit http://www.theedadvocate.org/6-facts-you-must-know-about-student-loans-and-college-debt/
THE GREAT COLLEGE HOAX ON THE CURRENT GENERATIONSteven Rhyner
{Going to|Mosting likely to} {college|university} is the {key|essential|crucial|vital} {to getting|to obtaining} {a good|a great|an excellent} {job|task|work} {and|as well as|and also} living the American {dream|desire} for the {rest|remainder} of your life. That%u2019s the {common|typical|usual} {wisdom|knowledge}. That%u2019s {what|exactly what|just what} {teachers|instructors|educators} {and|as well as|and also} {guidance|assistance|support|advice} {counselors|therapists} {tell|inform} {students|trainees|pupils}. That what {millions of|countless|numerous} {parents|moms and dads} {and|as well as|and also} their college-age {children|kids|youngsters} {believe|think}. {But|However|Yet} is it {really|truly|actually} {true|real}?
No One Team Should Have All That PowerMonet Spells
In the product development process, we understand that design is important. The next question becomes, who owns design in the product development process?
Financing the Dream: Securing College Affordability for the Middle ClassObama White House
This is a report from the White House Task Force on Middle Class Working Families: The Task Force is a major initiative targeted at raising the living standards of middle-class, working families in America. It is comprised of top-level administration policy makers, and in addition to regular meetings, it will conduct outreach sessions with representatives of labor, business, and the advocacy communities. More information is available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/strongmiddleclass/
The Employability Gap: Five Ways to Improve Employability Outcomes in Higher EdMichael Bettersworth
Colleges are rewarded for enrollment numbers and there is increasing attention on graduation rates, yet very little if any attention is paid to student placement and earnings. Considering the massive investment required for higher education, aren't these valuable measures as well? In this session, Michael Bettersworth makes the case why degrees increasingly matter less, competencies are the real currency, and student success is about much more than enrollment numbers or graduation rates. It's also about getting a job.
Michael Bettersworth is the associate vice chancellor for technology advancement at the Texas State Technical College System. Shortly after joining TSTC in 2002, Michael founded TSTC Forecasting to identify and analyze new technical competencies needed by employers. The core purpose of this work is to improve student employability through curriculum alignment with market demand. TSTC Forecasting has published over 28 studies on emerging technologies and occupations leading to new college curriculum in nanotechnology, biotechnology, energy, video games, manufacturing, healthcare among other topics. New studies are currently underway in big data, unmanned aerial systems, and social media. Michael's current work focuses on the development of a new higher education funding model based on exiter earnings, the use of real-time labor market data for curriculum alignment, college program evaluations using placement and earnings data, and curriculum development through a common skills language in partnership with the Texas Workforce Commission. Michael is an unconventional thinker, an informed speaker, and a staunch advocate for the important role of education in our nation's shared prosperity.
Visit www.forecasting.tstc.edu for Forecasts and follow Michael @bettersworth
Imagining Collective Impact: Improving Education Opportunities for our Milita...Thomas Sweatman
In 2013, Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Community Services at Easter Seals identified the need for a change and developed a plan to convene key players in the military education social and civic sectors. On September 13, 2013, over 25 organizations came together to discuss one critical component of success for our active duty Service members, veterans and their families: Education.
This whitepaper outlines the vision for how military education organizations will accomplish their mission and deliver services in the future by creating programmatic partnerships that deliver measurable benefits for not only our military families, but also the organizations supporting this effort.
What Next ? - The future of higher EducationMahavir Pati
This presentation explores the future trends in Education, The skills that will be important in Future and some revolutionary and cutting edge developments in the Domain of Higher Education
6 facts you must know about student loans and college debtpauldylan06
Currently, there is a call for a more affordable college education, which makes sense. It comes on the heels of a recession that undercut the value of a college education. Even those with a college degree were not immune to the financial hit that the economy took and those still paying off their student loans were often left without the very job they had always assumed would pay off their educational debts. To know more facts about college loans visit http://www.theedadvocate.org/6-facts-you-must-know-about-student-loans-and-college-debt/
THE GREAT COLLEGE HOAX ON THE CURRENT GENERATIONSteven Rhyner
{Going to|Mosting likely to} {college|university} is the {key|essential|crucial|vital} {to getting|to obtaining} {a good|a great|an excellent} {job|task|work} {and|as well as|and also} living the American {dream|desire} for the {rest|remainder} of your life. That%u2019s the {common|typical|usual} {wisdom|knowledge}. That%u2019s {what|exactly what|just what} {teachers|instructors|educators} {and|as well as|and also} {guidance|assistance|support|advice} {counselors|therapists} {tell|inform} {students|trainees|pupils}. That what {millions of|countless|numerous} {parents|moms and dads} {and|as well as|and also} their college-age {children|kids|youngsters} {believe|think}. {But|However|Yet} is it {really|truly|actually} {true|real}?
No One Team Should Have All That PowerMonet Spells
In the product development process, we understand that design is important. The next question becomes, who owns design in the product development process?
A College Education Has Become An Essential Part Of The American Dreamnoblex1
A college education has become an essential part of the American Dream for millions of families. Indeed, extensive polling and focus group research conducted by our coalition of higher education associations in the last year clearly demonstrates that the public overwhelmingly believes higher education is vitally important for personal success. Furthermore, they believe that all children should have the chance to attend postsecondary education and, despite the high price, that college is a "good value" for the money.
On the other hand, the public also is greatly concerned about the affordability of higher education, believes it is too expensive, and thinks that the price can be brought down without affecting academic quality. The public vastly overestimates the price of higher education at all types of colleges and dramatically underestimates the amount of financial aid that is available to help meet college bills. They don't know where student aid comes from or how to apply for it. Nor does the public understand why college prices increase. Most worrisome, perhaps, they think college leaders are indifferent to their concerns about the price of attending college. Our research also demonstrates that Americans worry about financing a college education. The lack of knowledge about paying for college is most acute among at-risk populations — first-generation college students, low-income families, and members of minority groups.
The great divergence between the value that the public places on having access to higher education and the lack of information they have about what it costs and how to afford it — what we call "the knowledge gap" — is deeply troubling. No one with a commitment to higher education can be satisfied with the news that the public is so poorly informed about issues of choice and access. It is surely a danger signal that the public believes college officials are indifferent to their fears about being able to afford a postsecondary education for their children.
THE NEED FOR A NATIONAL COALITION
What can be done? We believe that two related steps are absolutely essential. First, colleges and universities must redouble their efforts to explain college costs, the prices that students are charged, the amount and sources of financial aid that are available, and the options for financing a college education. We must reach out to a broad range of business, community, and religious organizations and solicit their support in improving public understanding.
Second, and no less important, colleges and universities must take strong steps to manage and contain costs, share innovative and successful cost management strategies, expand efforts to explain why costs increase on campuses, and talk candidly about the steps that have been taken to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/a-college-education-has-become-an-essential-part-of-the-american-dream/
EDITORIAL College Free for AllAs the Democratic and Republi.docxSALU18
EDITORIAL College Free for All?
A
s the Democratic and Republican conventions loom on the horizon, higher education has not been a widely or deeply discussed issue. This is unfortunate. The economic security of the American people requires that each generation be educated to confront the social, environmental and technological challenges of our time and to appreciate the arts and literature, which nourish the personal and national soul.
This calls for greater access to a college or university education. U.S. leaders once hoped that by 2025, 60 percent of the population would be college-educated. So far it is closer to 30 percent. The curse of inequality continues to isolate the ruling elite from the common public. The average male high school dropout might earn $24,000 a year. One with a fouryear college degree might make $52,000, while an advanced degree could merit $67,000. On a salary of $62,000 a family might enjoy a comfortable lifestyle; but the average college graduate moves into public life overburdened by college debts.
A college education today is not a luxury; for many careers it is a personal necessity as well as a social good. Senator Bernie Sanders has proposed that the government should guarantee tuition for every student in a public university, which is 75 percent of the student population. This would be paid for by a tax on Wall Street. Hillary Clinton’s plan would spend $350 million in states that increase their funding, tighten rules on for-profit colleges, have students work for 10 hours a week and allow families to pay according to their income. Her plan would also offer some help to private colleges with high numbers of needy students. Jeb Bush offered the student a $50,000 line of credit to be repaid through federal income taxes over 25 years. Marco Rubio would “fundamentally overhaul higher ed” and supports night school and online degree programs.
A variety of theories explain the rising college costs at public institutions as a recent phenomenon. Critics blame luxurious dormitories and athletic centers and high-salaried administrators and professors. In many cases state legislators have lowered funding year by year, forcing public universities to raise tuition. High tuition can also be falsely perceived as a sign of quality, leading wealthier students to enroll and middle-class strivers to sacrifice and follow.
Proponents of free tuition, at least for the lower middle class, point to Germany, Finland, Norway and Sweden, all of which offer a free college education. It is “free” because fewer students attend college in these countries than in the United States and because citizens are willing to pay much higher income taxes. In the United States, with 50 different state educational systems, California’s public colleges were free until 50 years ago; and Tennessee, Oregon and the city of Chicago have recently provided or will soon provide free tuition for two-year colleges.
Whatever its limitations, the Sanders prog ...
This presentation focuses less on the "nitty gritty" aspects of applying to college, and instead focuses on how to give advice regarding major decisions. It addresses various misconceptions about college to ensure students can make informed decisions.
"Community as a Retention Tool" was presented by Jamie Kidder and Dr. Kevin Kirk of Community Care College and builds on the concepts of community discussed in the series’ first session, "Integrating New Students Into the Community." During "Community as a Retention Tool," Jamie and Kevin discuss:
Creating a community that creates a well-rounded and balanced scholar
Maintaining the community
The impact of OUR community on THE community
Conversation About Educational Opportunity in The United Statesnoblex1
It's no secret that a debate rages across the United States about access, diversity, and affirmative action. Part of this debate involves anxiety about college costs and price. Part revolves around the nation's need to retool itself and upgrade the skills of its human resources to meet the demands of a globally competitive economy. But a major part of the debate has made university admissions policies a kind of academic, ideological, and cultural battleground in which we are asked to perform a sorting function for the larger society.
All of these are troubling and difficult issues. Before taking them up, we want to make several general observations about the nature of the access problem:
1. Access to our institutions will become one of the defining domestic policy issues in coming years. It is already on the public agenda; it will become even more urgent as we move on.
We must understand that the nature of the access discussion will change dramatically. For our institutions, the issues are profound. It is not simply a problem of fairness or even the distribution of limited resources. What is at stake is our very role as public universities: our institutions will find it harder to sustain themselves as a public enterprise, dependent on public support, if all elements of our society do not believe they benefit from them. Broadening access is the right thing to do in the name of fairness, and it is the right thing to do for the good of the United States.
2. We are among world leaders in providing postsecondary access, but we do not hold the top spot.
3. Some of our flagship institutions are trapped in a zero-sum game in which they are unable to offer admission to all qualified students. Public officials and our institutions must somehow find the will to provide all students with the educational opportunities for which they have prepared themselves.
In most states, the problem is not access to the system, it is access to the most prominent and desirable institutions. Public funds virtually everywhere support the opportunity to pursue an academic degree. Students enjoy many options. But access to a community college, a technical institute, or even to some baccalaureate institutions, does not always ensure access to all the possibilities available at a great public research university.
4. Our traditional concepts of access need to be rethought for the future.
A new form of teaching and learning enterprise is already being created, one that emphasizes distributed learning centers, the use of technology for distance learning, and new methods of assessing and demonstrating competency. If we don't define and shape these enterprises, they may well overwhelm us.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/conversation-about-educational-opportunity-in-the-united-states/
The Path to Lower Tuition: Breaking the Status QuoDominic Lynch
The Path to an affordable education begins here. Dominic Lynch and Danish Murtaza take an in-depth look at the machinery of the University and offer solutions for the rising cost of education at Loyola University Chicago. The major cost drivers of tuition- administration, faculty, athletics, and financial aid- are examined, their problems identified, and solutions provided. The issues discussed in this report are real- but so are the solutions. The status quo of the “high tuition, high discount” model is worked around while plausible answers are laid out for every issue within the University machine. The Path is an innovative new look at the cost of education from the one perspective that is never consulted: the students.
The Path to Lower Tuition: Breaking the Status Quo
Article
1. Journal of Higher Learning for Today’s Servicemember
March 2012
Volume 7, Issue 2
www.MAE-kmi.com
Academic Resource Centers E-Books Career Fairs
Security Studies Obama’s College Blueprint
Warfighter
Educator
Col. Paul A.
Ott
Commander
Special Warfare
Education Group
(Airborne)
U.S. Army JFK
Special Warfare
Center and School
2. We’re here to help your servicemembers shine.
Attention ESOs:
Visit bakercollegeonline.com or call (800) 469-4062
for information about our programs or to schedule
a face-to-face meeting on your base.
Follow us on:
To help your servicemembers
see how online classes work,
watch our multimedia demo at
bakercollegeonline.com.
Whether the plan is to continue in the military or transition to civilian life, Baker College®
Online can help your military personnel receive a regionally accredited college degree.
Our programs are available 100% online with 24/7 access from anywhere in the world.
100 YEARS of successfully
preparing people for new careers.
An Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Institution.
Baker College is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association /
30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602-2504 / 800-621-7440 /www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org.
Baker Center for Graduate Studies’ MBA program is also accredited by the International Assembly of Collegiate Business Education (IACBE).
WHAT “MILITARY FRIENDLY” MEANS TO US.
Free and honest evaluations of your military experience, testing, and training credits.
Regionally accredited, founded in 1911.
All Baker graduates receive Lifetime Employment Assistance—free and forever.
U6381BCO
Baker College is a long-time partner
of the GoArmyEd programs as well
as DANTES, SOC, and VA approved.
3. MILITARY ADVANCED EDUCATION
MARCH 2012
VOLUME 7 • ISSUE 2
FEATURES
Editor’s Perspective
People/Program Notes
Class Notes
CCME Grapevine
Money Talks
Calendar, Directory
Lisa Rich
Director of Military Relations
EDMC Online Higher Education
28
Colonel Paul A. Ott
Commander, Special Warfare
Education Group (Airborne)
U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special
Warfare Center and School
16
WWW.MAE-KMI.COM
DEPARTMENTS
UNIVERSITY CORNER
COVER / Q&A
2
3
14
25
26
27
8
Fair Game
Amidst big changes to not only the job market in general,
but also how jobs are filled, on-campus career fairs still rank
among the best ways for students to meet potential employers.
Students transitioning into the civilian workforce would be wise
to make career fairs a top priority, marking their calendars with
as many of these occasions as possible.
By J.B. Bissell
4
E-Books: Rewriting the Way University Libraries Work
The landscape of the university library is changing—and rapidly
so. If you graduated from college even just 10 years ago, you
probably remember spending many a late night hunched over
textbooks in the university library. Today’s students, however, may
not harbor memories of such an experience due to the rising
popularity and usage of e-books.
By Kelly Fodel
11
Securing Your Future
An instinct to serve, a desire to know that your work has
meaning and a call to belong to something bigger than you
are often motivators that drive the decision to join the military.
When the time comes for you to separate from the service, you
most likely haven’t lost those motivations, but you may wonder
how to find fulfillment in a civilian career. A degree in security
studies may be the answer you’re looking for.
By Maura McCarthy
22
Obama’s College Blueprint
In his State of the Union address, President Obama laid out
a blueprint for an economy that’s built to last—an economy
built on American manufacturing, American energy, skills for
American workers and a renewal of American values. As an
important part of keeping the American promise alive, the
president called for a comprehensive approach to tackling rising
college costs.
Special Section: Academic Resource Centers
19
Getting Centered
Regardless of how you define non-traditional—working part or
full time, single parent or veteran—those who are returning to
school after a long absence may have needs that are distinct
from the traditional 18-year old college freshman. Colleges and
universities that want to remain competitive strive to assist
these students and help them meet their academic goals.
By Celeste Altus
4. In mid-February, over 150 exhibitors and about 1,000 representa-
tives from the military, government and higher education convened in
Orlando, Fla., for the 2012 CCME Symposium. Offering an invaluable
opportunity to discuss the pressing topics in military education, the
symposium also provided the time to network with new colleagues and
reconnect with former ones. From the MOU to TA to state authorization
to the term “military-friendly,” all topics were on the table. Based on
the conversations, it was clear that military educators are nothing if not
passionate. The presentations by the service chiefs, panel discussions and
concurrent sessions provided me with an amazing amount of editorial
fodderandIlookforwardtoincorporatingitintoupcomingissuesofMAE.
Ahottopic,ofcourse,wastheMOU.Attimeofprint,1,931institutions
had signed the MOU; those who have not have until March 30 to do so.During her presentation,Carolyn Baker,
chief of DoD Continuing Education Programs for OUSD (P&R) Military Community and Family Policy, noted
the key shareholders’ major concerns and said that in light of these, revisions have been submitted. The ques-
tion on many military educators’ minds remains: “What will happen to students—possibly part-way through
their degree—who are enrolled in a school that does not sign the MOU?”As of now, there is no answer.
There was also time to remember deployed servicemembers. CCME partnered with Operation Gratitude
and through the project CCME Cares they were able to purchase, build and send 1,000 care packages to
Operation Gratitude and raised over $14,000 for the organization.During the event,CCME received donations
from 18 schools and organizations totaling over $22,000 and over $2,000 from individual donors.
My takeaways from the week: Community colleges are perhaps the unsung heroes of our higher educa-
tion system and there is incredible work being done facilitating not only the attainment of associate degrees,
but bachelor’s and master’s as well.Additionally, although the budget is shrinking and everyone is competing
for a slice of an ever smaller pie, cuts in TA are unacceptable. The most innovative institutions are finding
ways to keep their tuition affordable and in turn, keep degrees within reach of servicemembers. Others must
follow suit.
The next issue of MAE will feature a more in-depth look at the symposium, including scholarship and
awardrecipients,ESOreviewsandhighlightsfromthepanel
discussions and sessions.
KMI MEDIA GROUP MAGAZINES AND WEBSITES
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Maura McCarthy mauram@kmimediagroup.com
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MILITARY ADVANCED
EDUCATION
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 2 MARCH 2012
A PROUD MEMBER OF
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
Military Advanced Education
Military Advanced Education
Corporate Offices
Journal of Higher Learning for Today’s
Servicemember
Maura McCarthy
EDITOR
EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE
5. John Blackburn, chief executive
officer of Country Financial,
in Illinois, has been chosen as
president of Lincoln College, also
in Illinois.
Debra Daniels, president of San
Bernardino Valley College, in
California, has been chosen as
president of Joliet Junior College,
in Illinois.
Peter J. Fos, professor and
program director of health policy
and systems management at
Louisiana State University Health
Sciences Center in New Orleans,
has been appointed as president of
the University of New Orleans.
Mary A. Papazian, provost and
senior vice president of academic
affairs at Lehman College of the
City University of New York, has
been named president of Southern
Connecticut State University.
Rodney Rogers, interim senior
vice president for academic affairs
at Bowling Green State University,
in Ohio, has been named to the job
on a permanent basis.
William E. Durgin,provost and
vice president for academic affairs at
California Polytechnic State University
at San Luis Obispo,has been named
provost at the State University of New
York Institute of Technology.
Michael D. Shonrock, senior vice
president and associate professor
of educational psychology and
leadership at Texas Tech University,
has been selected as president of
Emporia State University, in Kansas.
Departments of Defense and Treasury Team
to Strengthen Military Families
On January 24, 2011, President Obama,
First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden
presented Strengthening Our Military Families:
Meeting America’s Commitment, a document
that responded to the Presidential Study Directive
calling on all cabinet secretaries and other agency
heads to find better ways to provide our military
families with the support they deserve. The direc-
tive was initiated to establish a coordinated and
comprehensive federal approach to supporting
military families, and it contains nearly 50
commitments by federal agencies in pursuit of
this goal.
State licensing and certification requirements
are intended to ensure that practitioners meet
a minimum level of competency. Each state sets
its own licensing requirements, so these require-
ments often vary across state lines. Consequently,
the lack of license portability—the ability to
transfer an existing license to a new state with
minimal application requirements—can impose
significant administrative and financial burdens
on licensed professionals when they move across
state lines. Because military spouses often hold
occupational licenses and often move across state
lines, the patchwork set of variable and frequently
time-consuming licensing requirements across
states disproportionately affect these families. The
result is that too many military spouses looking
for jobs that require licenses are stymied in their
efforts. A spouse’s employment plays a key role in
the financial and personal well-being of military
families, and their job satisfaction is an important
component of the retention of servicemembers.
Without adequate support for military spouses
and their career objectives, the military could
have trouble retaining servicemembers.
The Department of the Treasury and the
Department of Defense have conducted an
analysis to highlight the importance of state
occupational licensing requirements in the lives
of licensed military spouses. The report demon-
strates that military spouses often work in occu-
pations that require a license or certification and
that they have a relatively high rate of interstate
mobility compared to the general population.
The report also examines a case study of nursing
licensing requirements to illustrate the admin-
istrative and financial burdens that licensed
military spouses face when they move across state
lines, and highlights current DoD initiatives that
address these licensing issues. Finally, the report
identifies best practices that states and licensing
bodies can adopt to help reduce barriers for mili-
tary spouses moving across state lines. This report
finds that nearly 35 percent of military spouses in
the labor force require licenses or certification for
their profession and that military spouses were
10 times more likely to have moved across state
lines in the last year compared to their civilian
counterparts.
In a 2008 Defense Manpower Data Center
survey of military spouses, participants were
asked what would have helped them with their
employment search after their last military move.
Nearly 40 percent of those respondents who
had moved indicated that “easier state-to-state
transfer of certification” would have helped them.
This report highlights best practices that states
can pursue to help licensed military spouses.
These best practices to help make licenses more
portable come at little cost to states, but could
make a meaningful difference in the lives of many
military families. These best practices include
facilitating endorsement of a current license
from another jurisdiction; providing a tempo-
rary or provisional license allowing the military
spouse to practice while fulfilling requirements
needed to qualify for endorsement in the licensing
state, or awaiting verification of documentation
supporting an endorsement; and expediting appli-
cation procedures so that the director overseeing
licensing within the state has authority to approve
license applications for the boards.
DoD, through the DoD-State Liaison Office
(DSLO), has an on-going program to address key
issues with state policymakers. This program,
USA4 Military Families, covers 10 key issues,
including occupational licensing and eligibility
for unemployment compensation benefits. As of
February 2012, 13 states have introduced bills
addressing the aforementioned best practices,
and DSLO is working with these legislators.
Although DoD continues to work on these issues
on behalf of military spouses, more work remains
to be done.
Compiled by KMI Media Group staffPEOPLE
Compiled by KMI Media Group staffPROGRAM NOTES
www.MAE-kmi.com MAE 7.2 | 3
6. The landscape of the university library is changing—and rapidly so. If you graduated from
college even just 10 years ago, you probably remember spending many a late night hunched
over textbooks in the university library. Today’s students, however, may not harbor memories
of such an experience due to the rising popularity and usage of e-books.
According to the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES), there was a dramatic change in academic libraries between 2004 and 2010 regard-
ing the number of e-books in their collections. In the 2010 Academic Libraries Survey (ALS)
released in December 2011, the NCES says libraries’ e-book collections jumped from 32.8 mil-
lion e-books in 2004 to 158.7 million in 2010. In contrast, the ALS report says that spending
on print books fell significantly during this time frame. When accounting for inflation, the
spending on print books dropped by 20 percent during the 2004 to 2010 time frame.
BY KELLY FODEL
MAE CORRESPONDENT
Rewriting the Way
University Libraries Work
www.MAE-kmi.com4 | MAE 7.2
7. “The use of e-books in the library makes sense on
multiple levels,” said Stacey Ludwig, associate provost of
Academic Services at Western Governors University. “For
online universities like WGU, with students all over the
country and to some extent the world, providing access
to e-books housed in a central location allows students
who might otherwise not be able to perform research in a
university library to do so from their home.”
For online universities as well as traditional universi-
ties, e-books free up more resources for bolstering the
digital collection without incurring the large overhead
of building and operating a structure to house the
increasing collection. “Since the collection is available
24/7, it enables students to determine when and where
they access their learning resources, which aligns with
WGU’s mission of increasing accessibility of education. At
WGU, we also provide access to hard-copy texts and other
resources through our cooperation with the University
of Michigan’s MITS inter-library loan service,” Ludwig
explained.
For schools that cater to the military student, e-books
are especially appealing. “We’ve had a bias toward buying
e-books whenever we could for a couple years now as their availability
has grown,” said Brent Short, director of Library Services at Saint
Leo University. “With our particular student population consisting
of a large number of students, both military and civilian, who take
classes with us off-campus—online and through our
continuing education centers—we are much better off
with e-books than print books.”
Short continued, “The fact is that it is difficult for us
to get a print book to our off-campus students in time for
it to be useful for them. If students planned their research
and writing months or even weeks ahead of time it might
be different, but typically they don’t. This becomes even
more difficult and complicated when it comes to many
of our military students, as there is a good chance they’re
in even more far-flung, remote areas of the world. Not
to mention that many of our students are on eight-week
terms now, which makes a short delivery time even more
critical.”
While some libraries are still adapting to the e-book
trend, other schools have jumped in with both feet. The
American Public University System’s library is already
fully digital. According to Fred Stielow, vice president,
dean of Libraries, Electronic Course Materials, and APUS
ePress, “We are also among those leading a drive to
redefine the library into a dynamic classroom/research
information system [CRIS]. Past separations from course
materials make no sense in an information age. In our CRIS model,
librarians engage in direct support of the faculty through advanced
electronic course portals of open and deep web resources. To further
ensure classroom quality and currency, these are updated on variable
Brent Short
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Fred Stielow
www.MAE-kmi.com MAE 7.2 | 5
8. schedules, but never longer than five years
apart.”
WGU offers digital learning resources to
students as part of their nominal resource fee:
$145 per term, compared to the $400 or $500
they would have to spend per term if purchasing
resources through typical public retail means.
“Over the past year, we have moved a majority
of our hard-copy textbooks to a digital platform
and made them accessible through the resource
fee,” Ludwig said. “At this point, more than 80
percent of our learning resources are in digital
format. As an online university, WGU is com-
mitted to offering students high-quality digital
learning resources that are accessible regardless
of time and place. At this time, a majority of
the digital learning resources require an Inter-
net connection, but some can be used offline
as well, including CourseSmart e-texts and
TestOut LabSim.”
How have students and faculty dealt with the transition? Most of
the research Short has read lately indicates that both students and
faculty are split more or less down the middle when it comes to their
personal preferences regarding e-books versus print books. A good
number—roughly half—of students still prefer print, even though
they’re part of a generation that has grown up with the Internet.
“I think most people would agree e-books offer much quicker and
convenient searchability than a print book,” Short said. “I would
also say, speaking for most libraries that are pressed for space, that
e-books offer up the double benefit of providing patrons access to
a book without taking up more physical space on your shelves.
As far as how academics are likely to see the benefit beyond that,
it probably comes down to how much time, effort and focus they
see the individual reader or student putting into it. In that sense, I
personally see no difference between an e-book and a print book. What
the student gets out of it is directly related to the investment they
make in the reading experience. There is no ‘deep learning’ without
a significant investment on the student’s part, be it e-book or print.”
Ludwig noted that a majority of students and mentors at WGU
love the new e-texts and have always loved the digital resources. Their
learning resource team occasionally hears from students experiencing
accessibility problems, but for the most part the response is very posi-
tive. Among the feedback they commonly receive is the suggestion to
make more resources available for offline use. However, they also have
some students tell them that they would rather have a physical copy of
a textbook, something they can hold in their hands. “There will always
be students who prefer hard-copy texts, and if a course contains a
textbook learning resource, it will always be an option for students to
purchase a hard copy if they prefer,” Ludwig said.
Basically, everything new that is published comes with an e-book
option. The difficulty arises when dealing with older textbooks. Some
of the challenges Ludwig said WGU has faced up to this point with
e-books are typically tied to older versions, or ones that contain addi-
tional content such as CDs. Older textbooks might pose copyright
issues when it comes to reproducing some of their content in a digital
environment. If a publisher has not obtained such permission, a chart
or article may be missing from an e-text. Ludwig explained, “We man-
age these on a case-by-case basis and find solutions or replacements
for the specific content. As time continues, newer editions of books
will not present such issues because digital versions are integrated into
the creation of the book from the beginning. For a while, many books
have contained CDs or additional content access codes, and we’ve run
into some instances where a book we placed in digital format obviously
would not contain a physical CD or code. We have also managed these
on a case-by-case basis and determined how to offer the students these
additional materials, if needed at all.” Additionally, while “the e-book
A Saint Leo student accesses an e-book from the Daniel A. Cannon Memorial Library, at University Campus in Saint Leo, Fla.
[Photo courtesy of Saint Leo University/by Benjamin Watters]
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www.MAE-kmi.com6 | MAE 7.2
9. movement is inevitable as it is driven by economic and popular forces
beyond the control of academia, it is also retarded to a large degree
by publisher uncertainties and backward-looking financial concerns,”
Stielow observed.
As for citations, Ludwig said they have found it to be just as easy for
a student to cite digital material as it is to cite a hard-copy book. When
it comes to ownership, they work closely with publishers to ensure
that book offerings and delivery methods are consistent with copyright
laws and regulations. At times, this has limited students’ ability to use
certain e-readers or tablets for some resources. Short added, “If you
happen to have single-user access only on some particular titles, that
can become problematic for other patrons who are trying to access
those same titles. We still have some titles that are single-user access
only, but we’re in the process of trying to remedy that. Downloading,
I think, will scare libraries off from single-user access arrangements.”
It’s a forward-thinking approach that has led us into the e-book
age. So what do our experts hope to see as institutions take this tech-
nology to the next level? “I’d love to see the day when publishers would
consider changing their licensing agreements to allow us to enter into
e-book lending with other universities,” said Short. “This obviously
would be a huge revolution in terms of book lending as it would pro-
vide nearly immediate access for our students everywhere, but I have
my doubts that will happen anytime soon, at least, I’m not holding my
breath over it. Hoping, but not necessarily counting on it.”
Ludwig envisions more interactive learning. “Institutions all over
the world are embracing technology as a way to deliver educational
materials. E-books are fantastic, but in many cases they are just that:
a digital version of a traditional book. The next wave that’s already
being implemented by some institutions and providers is the interac-
tive e-book. It’s not simply a matter of offering the reading experience
in a different fashion, but of enriching the entire learning experience.
The new generation of e-books can bring the text to life by offering
embedded videos, flashcards and questions. The e-book is evolving and
will continue to do so, and as it does, WGU will endeavor to integrate
the innovations into our coursework. Placing our hard-copy texts
into a digital platform was one small step in the direction of these
goals. We’ve now learned that not only should we make our resources
device-agnostic and available offline, but we must also move toward
the next level of interactive books—not just a reading experience, but
a learning experience.”
Stielow concluded, “In the future, we will be revamping from our
WWII-era instruction into distinct Web pedagogies with points of dif-
ferentiation based on the field of study. For example, history must be
taught differently than political science and, of course, STEM [science,
technology, engineering and mathematics]. Add to that incorporation
of such currently available apps as touch screens, voice recognition,
and 3-D, sprinkle in Born-Web students and we have the recipe for
something truly astounding.”
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www.MAE-kmi.com MAE 7.2 | 7
10. As senior projects are polished and final
exams come and go, the reality of finding a
job starts to set in. Admittedly, it can be a
formidable task, and most graduates under-
stand that they’re entering a rather difficult
world of work, where purse strings are kept
pretty tight and companies take their sweet
time to fill open positions. Yet there’s a big
difference between a formidable task and an
impossible one.
“We have experience with
students who have become so
discouraged with the job mar-
ket, more specifically with the
news media constantly playing
the ‘no jobs’ message, that they
quit looking before they begin,”
said Addie Habstritt Turkowski,
director of the Career Services
Center at Minnesota’s St. Cloud
State University. “We actually
have had to work harder than ever to
motivate students to engage in job search-
ing.” One of the best ways to initiate—and
expedite—that engagement process is to
host on-campus career fairs so potential
employers and soon-to-be-graduates can
meet face to face. Even if you’ve never
attended one, you’ve certainly heard about
them. If you happened to hear about career
fairs from a college graduate who was
actively seeking employment
any time during the mid- to
late-1990s or so, they prob-
ably made the experience
sound like a big job smorgas-
bord where candidates couldn’t
hand out enough résumés or
grab enough business cards,
and where handshakes and on-
the-spot interviews produced
an answering machine full of
competing offers before he or she could
even get home.
True, it’s hard to imagine that sort
of scene in today’s market, and “job fair
participation by employers over the past
few years had declined quite rapidly,” said
Turkowski, but things are looking up. “In
2010 and 2011, we began to see a slow
increase,” she continued. “Last fall, our
science and engineering event had a 32
percent increase over the previous year’s.”
So men and women who are ready to tran-
sition into the civilian workforce would
be wise to make career fairs a top priority,
marking their calendars with as many of
these occasions as possible.
Emma O’Neill, the assistant director
for employer relations at the University
of Washington’s Career Center, agrees.
“They’re definitely still taking place,”
she said, “and employers are still actively
AMIDST BIG CHANGES TO NOT ONLY THE JOB MARKET IN GENERAL, BUT ALSO HOW JOBS ARE FILLED, ON-CAMPUS CAREER
FAIRS STILL RANK AMONG THE BEST WAYS FOR STUDENTS TO MEET POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS.
BY J.B. BISSELL
MAE CORRESPONDENT
Addie Habstritt
Turkowski
www.MAE-kmi.com8 | MAE 7.2
11. participating. While some
events have certainly seen
lower numbers, many of our
annual career fairs still sell out
and have full waitlists. Even in
the current economy, the Uni-
versity of Washington campus
hosts more than a dozen career
fairs annually, and the major-
ity of the employers attending
are actively seeking candidates
for job or internship positions.
Soon-to-be-graduates can abso-
lutely discover realistic career
opportunities at these events.”
THE INTANGIBLES
Realistic career opportuni-
ties, of course, are the ultimate
goal, but job fairs provide stu-
dents with a number of intan-
gible—and highly beneficial—experiences
that make attendance worthwhile even if
they don’t lead to immediate salary nego-
tiations. “Career fairs are a great time for
students to practice their ‘elevator speech,’”
explained O’Neill. “To get comfortable com-
municating with people from the business
world, as well as familiarizing themselves
with a wide variety of employers who are
interested in hiring the college population
for entry-level roles or internships. It’s also
a great benefit to have a face-to-face inter-
action with a potential employer since the
application process has become an increas-
ingly online undertaking.”
Two decades ago, nobody
applied for work via the
Internet; it was all done with
hard-copy curriculum viteas
and cover letters. Technol-
ogy has now advanced to the
point where the majority of
preliminary corporate con-
necting does happen elec-
tronically. Unfortunately,
some job hunters interpret
this as a sign that they don’t
need to attend personalized
campus events. “Fewer and
fewer companies are accept-
ing paper résumés; they want
seekers to go to their websites
and upload them,” explained
John Rindy, the director of
the Office of Career Services
at Slippery Rock University in
Pennsylvania. “This does not
mean that the job fair is unimportant.
It’s a place where you can make a lasting,
professional impression on the recruiter
… and a chance to bolster your network-
ing and other professional skills while
visiting with employers.” However, just
because fewer businesses are demanding
printed documents that highlight your
skills and achievements, it’s still crucial to
make them available. “It is important to
have a professional résumé that has been
reviewed by a career specialist,” Rindy
added. “Bring along a few copies, but don’t
get discouraged if you return home with
some still in your portfolio.”
21ST-CENTURY APPROACH
Just as Rindy and his team have helped
students navigate the latest networking
trends and protocol at 21st-century career
fairs, they’ve also played an important
role in promoting new ways to make the
events more successful. “A consortium
job fair is a collective effort of several
colleges and universities to pool certain
resources,” he explained. “The result is a
much larger job fair than any one of our
schools could have managed on their own.
We are one of 44 institutions that make up
the Western Pennsylvania Career Services
Association. Twice each academic year, the
consortium supports job fairs that attract
well over 100 companies and agencies.”
For students, this is a wonderful situation
during which they can introduce them-
selves, learn about different corporations,
and hopefully make a solid, personal first
impression to some 100 organizations—
all in one stop. Don’t discount the ben-
efit to employers, either. “With shrinking
human resources and recruiting staffs
and budgets, companies have to pick and
choose which job fairs they attend,” Rindy
said. “This gives them a large captive
audience of job seekers all on one day. It’s
certainly an efficient way to bring students
and employers together.”
While the consortium approach
is designed to increase attendance by
including a wide range of businesses,
another route to job fair success is to pare
them down. The University of Arkansas in
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www.MAE-kmi.com MAE 7.2 | 9
12. Fayetteville hosts two major career fairs
each semester. One caters to students
from every academic discipline; the other
is reserved for engineering majors. Both
have been successful, but employer atten-
dance grew by 31 percent at the fall 2011
Engineering Expo compared to the one
held in fall 2010. Part of this is based on
the simple fact that engineering is rela-
tively popular and in demand right now,
but this model could work for certain
other lines of work, too. “The advantages
of having a specialized career fair are
that students meet employers specific to
their field and employers have the con-
venience of choosing their top candidates
from a large pool of students,” said Dr.
Rickey Booker Jr., the associate director
for career programs at Arkansas’ Univer-
sity Career Development Center.
Obviously, this approach isn’t perfect
for everybody—or every occupation—
nor should graduates wait around for
a focused-on-their-skills career fair. As
Booker’s colleague, Erica Estes-Beard,
associate director for career counseling,
pointed out, “Some companies are look-
ing to employ students from a variety
of majors. For example, one company
that attended this past fall was interested
in candidates from the following fields:
business, engineering, accounting, agri-
culture education, communication, tech-
nology and economics.”
THE MORE THE MERRIER
It’s not surprising that Arkansas and
other institutions routinely host corpo-
rations such as these that are seeking
men and women from all across the aca-
demic board. Career centers make a point
of reaching out to the community and
beyond to enhance their on-campus job
fairs. “Locally, we market very diligently
through two chambers of commerce,
email blasts to past attendees, flyers,
Arkansas job sites and our own website,”
explained Booker. “We’re also members of
the National Association of Colleges and
Employers, where we market all of our
events as well as network with employers
via web blogs and conferences.”
This sort of continued emphasis on
career fairs is consistent with what’s hap-
pening at the majority of colleges and uni-
versities across the country. Washington’s
O’Neill reported that they’ve “developed
a position in our office that’s dedicated
to outreach and building relationships
with employers to connect them with
our career fairs and other opportunities
to recruit our students and alumni.” She
and her colleagues also keep track of
companies that are new to the Seattle
area that might be actively hiring, follow
up with businesses that haven’t recently
participated in Career Center activities,
and “work with academic departments on
campus to identify companies they are
involved with or whom their students are
interested in,” O’Neill added.
At Slippery Rock, Rindy has sought
input from the student veteran orga-
nization in order to better serve the
unique needs of former soldiers who are
now ready to tackle the career fair cir-
cuit. “We’ve talked about doing a profes-
sional development event with four or five
employers that could talk to military stu-
dents about what it takes to get a job after
college,” he said. “We’ve also discussed
working with members of our military
students group to identify recruiters on
the list of the top 100 military friendly
companies to see if we could have them
attend our fall job fair.”
READY, SET, GO
Attend the job fair. It’s a simple direc-
tive, and that’s where it can all start. Yes,
things have changed since the ’90s, and
no, a satisfying career probably won’t
just fall in your lap. St. Cloud State’s
Turkowski was refreshingly frank: “It does
take longer to find positions, and it may
be more work to gain employment than
a number of years ago,” she said. Career
fairs, however, remain a positive experi-
ence. “Employers continue to tell us that
these events are the most effective recruit-
ing methods when hiring new college
graduates,” Turkowski added. Addition-
ally, according to O’Neill, “over 90 percent
of responding employers polled after each
career fair indicate that they will be pur-
suing further one or more candidates that
they met at the fair. We still absolutely see
career fairs as a viable means for students
to find employment.”
For more information, contact MAE Editor
Maura McCarthy at mauram@kmimediagroup.com
or search our online archives for related stories
at www.mae-kmi.com.
John Rindy, the director of the Of-
fice of Career Services at Slippery
Rock University, is adamant that
job seekers take advantage of the
services his staff offers. “We do
this stuff all day, every day,” he
said. “We are experts in helping put
the ‘spit and polish’ on a college
education, but we need students
to take the next step and come
in and visit with us.” When you’re
ready to take your first step into
a career fair, Rindy believes there
are a few things you can do to help
make the experience as productive
as possible. Here are some of his
suggestions:
Research the attending
companies so you know ahead
of time who you’ll want to
approach.
Consider your personal
“brand;” what do you do, what
do you stand for? “Saying ‘I
just want a job’ doesn’t set you
apart at a career fair.”
Imagine what you will say to
recruiters before you meet
them.
Be open to all opportunities.
Dress sharp and
conservatively—cover tattoos
and remove piercings (single
earrings for women are okay).
“It is a shame that people
would judge based on things
like this, but the fact is that
some do, and if they happen
to be the gatekeeper to a
superb opportunity, it might
not make sense to pass it up.”
Listen to what employers
are saying, learn about the
companies and their needs so
you know how you might best
fit in.
Avoid becoming a collector:
“I see too many students
collecting cards, pens, stress
balls and other company
trinkets; use your time
wisely and if you have a
good conversation, ask for a
business card so that you can
follow up properly.”
Career
Fair
Basics
www.MAE-kmi.com10 | MAE 7.2
13. An instinct to serve, a desire to know that your work has meaning
and a call to belong to something bigger than you are often motivators
that drive the decision to join the military. Perhaps you have an innate
sense of adventure as well. When the time comes for you to separate
from the service, you most likely haven’t lost those motivations, but
you may wonder how to find fulfillment in a civilian career. In addition
to wanting a career that meets your personal needs, you of course also
aim to parlay your professional military skills into a civilian position.
Given the variety of degree programs offered and the positive outlook
for employment, a degree in security studies may be the
answer you’re looking for.
AN INTELLIGENT CHOICE
Under the general security studies umbrella multiple
programs are offered, including undergraduate minors
and certificates as well as masters and graduate certifi-
cates. This breadth of offerings means not only that active
duty or veteran servicemembers can find the right fit
based on their own academic résumé and professional
pursuits, but also that there is room to advance academically, and
eventually professionally. From intelligence analysis to cybersecurity,
graduates from security studies programs find employment through-
out the federal government—in DHS, FBI, ICE, Departments of State
and Defense, NCIS or the CIA—as well as in the private security
sector. In response to the increased demand for qualified intelligence
professionals, in 2005, the Office of the Director of National Intel-
ligence (ODNI) established the Intelligence Community Centers of
Academic Excellence (IC CAE) in order to “enhance recruitment of
a more ethnically and culturally diverse workforce and
devise a strategy to capitalize upon the unique cultural
and linguistic capabilities of first generation Americans”
in order to meet the increasing demand for trained and
educated intelligence professionals.
The University of Texas at El Paso’s Intelligence and
National Security Studies (INSS) program was among
the first 10 institutions selected at IC CAE’s incep-
tion. “In addition to faculty and staff hires, the grant
money provided opportunities for an extensive summer
high school program and foreign travel to ensure lan-
BY MAURA MCCARTHY
MAE EDITOR
Mark Gorman
OPENING DOORS FOR CAREERS IN INTELLIGENCE AND CYBERSECURITY, A DEGREE IN SECURITY STUDIES CAN BE THE
PERFECT COMPLEMENT TO YOUR MILITARY EXPERIENCE.
www.MAE-kmi.com MAE 7.2 | 11
14. guage and cultural immersion. We now have approxi-
mately 280 students enrolled (175 undergraduate and
105 graduate),” explained Mark Gorman, INSS program
coordinator. Students can choose from both undergradu-
ate and graduate courses: an undergraduate minor or
certificate program and a Master of Science degree or
graduate certificate, which can be completed online or
through resident classes that are offered mostly at night
and on Saturdays. In addition to knowledge of interna-
tional security issues, “With only a few exceptions, most
servicemembers also receive security clearances and are
exposed to information that involves diverse, sensitive
data on a regular basis. These characteristics are particu-
larly well suited to understanding matters with a regional
or global scope that involve multiple players and factors
that require consideration or analysis,” Gorman added.
In 2006, California State University, San Bernardino
received a five-year, $3.75 million grant from the ODNI
to establish an IC CAE; the grant was administered by
the National Security Studies program at CSUSB and
included undergraduate programs at six CSU campuses.
Although the grant from the ODNI officially ended in fall 2011, the
university will retain its status as an IC CAE. The master’s in security
studies affords students the opportunity cover a range of topics, from
theory and history of strategy to nuclear proliferation, as well as the
opportunity to acquire a regional or functional expertise. To enhance
the program and add value to the degree, the university brings sub-
ject matter experts to campus to complement traditional classroom
learning with experiential skills needed in the field. “We have a unique
relationship with two senior Directorate of Intelligence analysts from
the CIA who make a couple of trips to our campus each year to conduct
workshops on preparing for careers in intelligence or to conduct ‘crisis
simulations’ … We also have a good working relationship with the
NSA and have conducted open-source research with its Institute for
Analysis, and we have an ongoing ‘continuity of operations’ relation-
ship with an office of the Defense Intelligence Agency,” explained Dr.
Mark Clark, director of the university’s National Security Program.
East Carolina University’s security studies program is offered at
three different levels: an interdisciplinary minor in security studies for
undergraduate students, a graduate certificate in security studies, and
a Master of Science in security studies—all of which are designed to
prepare students for careers in national and international security, sci-
ence and technology security, or occupational safety and health. While
the master’s program is young and still growing, the university’s certif-
icate program has been offered since 2004. Regardless of the program
in which they enroll, “Servicemembers and veterans bring a wealth
of experience with them to the program that cannot be compared to
anything else in educational environment. Their firsthand experience
enriches the discussions and dialogue among the students,” noted Dr.
Jalil Roshandel, director of the university’s Security Studies program.
Students in the Master of Science in security studies program at
Sam Houston State University pursue coursework in topics related
to both national and homeland security as well as private security. To
complete the 36-credit-hour program, students pursue a variety of
courses including global terrorism, security and management, crisis
management, or intelligence and counterintelligence. “The empha-
sis on SHSU’s M.S. in security studies is on practical application of
principles, not on relying on theory as a total instruction method,”
said Steve Young, coordinator for the M.S. in security studies at the
university This emphasis on practical application is well suited to
military members as “they have a practical knowledge and intuitive
appreciation for security issues in general. This, of course, helps them
relate to the more practical types of instruction provided at SHSU,”
Young explained. “Moreover, they have life experience from serving in
the armed forces that is usually unique to the rest of the SHSU student
body. The desire to learn is also very high among military or former
military personnel because they know their future careers depend
upon successful completion of the educational process.”
For servicemembers who have experience in cyber warfare or IT
in general, Virginia Tech’s cybersecurity program offers two attractive
options and a campus culture steeped in military tradition. Due to the
high demand for cybersecurity professionals in the capital region, a
few years ago VT launched a strategic growth plan for cybersecurity.
As a result, VT will launch an undergraduate minor in August to add
to the master’s degree with a certificate in cybersecurity that the
university currently offers. Both of these programs prepare students
for a career supporting the general IT security field, which is growing
in importance. “It is interesting that as the counterterrorism mission
winds down for the military, we’re seeing a major increase in hacking
activity from foreign countries. There is a whole industry that is grow-
ing to support the defensive needs; it’s a fundamentally new threat as
it is not only against government systems, but it’s against companies
as well,” noted Dr. Charles Clancy, director of the Hume Center for
National Security and Technology and associate professor of electrical
and computer engineering at VT.
SECURING EXPERIENCE
Gaining practical experience while still in school is important for
every student regardless of the degree they pursue; for security studies
students it is invaluable as it provides them with the opportunity to
learn the trade hands on and make powerful professional connections.
Moreover, schools that have strong relationships with intelligence or
security agencies help their students get a leg up on the competition
following graduation.
UTEP considers internships an extremely valuable complement
to the academic program and offers credit for internships with IC
Students at CSUSB attend a security studies colloquium [Photo courtesy of CSUSB]
www.MAE-kmi.com12 | MAE 7.2
15. agencies and other security related organizations. “Agen-
cies such as the U.S. Department of State, CIA, National
Drug Intelligence, ICE, DHS and the FBI have coordi-
nated with us to acquire students suitable for intern-
ships within their organizations. They realize that our
preparation offers an ideal group of students from which
to select,” noted Gorman. At SHSU an internship is a
requirement for graduation, and students have worked
with national security agencies such as the FBI, DEA and
NCIS as well with organizations in private security.
As an IC CAE, VT receives funding to hire a full-time
staffer to help students find internships and full-time jobs. “We work
with federal agencies and companies to make sure that students
are aware of opportunities and that they understand that these jobs
require security clearances. If you want to apply for a summer intern-
ship you can’t do it in April, you have to do it in October because it
takes six months to get a clearance.” Already possessing a security
clearance strategically positions students for success after graduation
as it makes them ideal candidates for employment.
East Carolina State University includes an internship in their
curriculum. Roshandel believes that “having a record of intern-
ships puts the students at a relatively preferential category through
firsthand experience from a real work environment.” For students
who are already working, the university does waive the requirement.
Roshandel noted that the job market for students with a security stud-
ies degree is expanding. “Every day there are new opportunities that
did not exist before. For instance, this summer for the first time the
National Center for Border Security and Immigration is offering sti-
pend summer internships and trainings. Most probably this is just the
first step toward employment opportunities in the future.”
OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND
Even though federal spending projections are down, the fields of
intelligence and security are still hot, with a variety of federal agen-
cies looking to fill positions with qualified candidates. “The intel-
ligence community and associated security organizations expanded
tremendously after 9/11, and they needed qualified personnel, which
explained ODNI’s motivation to fund the start up of the IC CAE initia-
tive. The INSS program has been well received among the agencies
aware of our program. They regularly send recruiters to UTEP and
specifically want to speak with our students,” noted Gorman. In the
past, INSS has taken their program on the road, visiting agencies’
headquarters in Washington, D.C. Agencies like the FBI, CIA, NSA
and DIA “realize that our graduates don’t have to be taught from the
ground up. Although we don’t teach specific tradecraft, our students
have a solid foundation in current security issues, intelligence and
analysis that is not generally found in traditional political science or
international affairs programs.”
Young from SHSU agrees with the promise a degree in security
studies holds. “As with our internship choices, the range of employ-
ment opportunities is limited only by the students’ capabilities and
imagination. We have placed students in private industry and within
the national security and homeland security structure. Examples
include G4S Security Solutions, JC Penney, CIA, FBI, NCIS, DIA, ICE
and USBP.”
In the Washington, D.C., region alone there are currently 7,500
job vacancies, ranging from positions in IT administration to advanced
engineering, according to Clancy, and military students are uniquely
well positioned to find employment in the booming field
of security studies. Most former or active duty military
members already possess a security clearance, a creden-
tial that renders the transition to a defense contractor
job, for example, much easier. Given the sensitive nature
of security work, veteran status and the experience
acquired through service make veterans attractive job
candidates. “Particularly in an area where there are a
significant number of foreign nationals obtaining the
degree, military members getting the advanced degrees
in security studies are one of the biggest sources of fed-
eral citizens who go on to support the federal government in govern-
ment or contractor jobs,” Clancy explained. When it comes to field
experience, “Many times, depending on their career field, they’ve had
operational experience in cyber battlefield,” he added. “We’re seeing
more people who either have experience doing IT for the military or
were more involved in cyber warfare hands-on who are bringing a
significant amount of practical experience to the program that actu-
ally make them better job candidates than those who haven’t had that
operational experience.”
For more information, contact MAE Editor Maura McCarthy
at mauram@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives
for related stories at www.mae-kmi.com.
YOU HAVE THE POWER
... to Advance Your Career
Jalil Roshandel
www.MAE-kmi.com MAE 7.2 | 13
16. Bloomsburg University
Partners with
Community Colleges for
New B.A. in Technical
Leadership
The Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania State
System of Higher Education approved a new major for
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania: the Bachelor
of Applied Science in technical leadership. The program
is the first of its kind in the 14 PASSHE institutions and
only the second in the commonwealth. Approved last
fall by BU’s Council of Trustees, the Bachelor of Applied
Science in technical leadership addresses the growing
demand for technical skills combined with professional
skills, according to Tim Phillips, chair of instructional
technology at BU. A student who has earned an associate
degree in applied science from a community college will
build upon that degree with courses in information tech-
nology, communications studies, accounting, business
education, information and technology management
and general education. The program also will be open to
those already in the workforce.
The new BU program is a partnership with Lehigh
Carbon Community College (LCCC) and the Lehigh
Career and Technical Institute (LCTI), both located in
Schnecksville, Pa. All bachelor’s degree requirements
may be completed at LCCC and students enrolled at
LCTI can enter the program at the high school level.
The first class will enroll in fall 2012.
The Bachelor of Applied Science in technical lead-
ership program requires a total of 120 course credits.
BU faculty will offer the final 60 credits of bachelor’s
degree program at the Schnecksville campus of Lehigh
Carbon Community College, building on an associate
of applied science from LCCC. Students at Lehigh
Career and Technical Institute can enter the program
at the high school level. The program also is open to
those currently in the workforce who want to advance
in their careers. Courses will be offered in information
technology, communications studies, accounting, busi-
ness education, information and technology manage-
ment and general education. Students will pay LCCC
tuition for the first 60 credits and BU tuition for the
last 60 credits.
The Bachelor of Science in technical leader-
ship project began with an Advanced Technological
Education grant, “Innovative 2+2+2 Model for the
B.A.T. Degree with Service Management Certification,”
awarded to LCCC by the National Science Foundation.
LCCC approached BU to provide the final two years of
the bachelor’s degree program.
Sacred Heart to Launch M.S. in
Health Care Information
Sacred Heart University will intro-
duce a new graduate program in Health
Care Information Systems during the
2012-2013 academic year. The program
will target health professionals with a
bachelor’s degree from an accredited
college or university and at least two
years of practical experience in the
health care or information technology
fields. Applicants will include indi-
viduals seeking to complement their
clinical expertise with technology skills
in order to pursue a career change or
career advancement in ambulatory and
acute care settings. Applicants may also
include information technology profes-
sionals without a background in health
care who seek employment and/or
advancement in a health care setting.
The Master of Science in health
care information systems will prepare
graduates to work in a variety of health
care settings and will provide knowl-
edge of emerging health care infor-
mation technologies and policies,
administrative and clinical software
applications, electronic health records,
research methods, communication and
financial skills.
Alexis Haakonsen, executive director
of Graduate Admissions, said the
program will include two different intro-
ductory paths, depending on whether
the applicant comes from the health
care or technology industry. Admission
requirements for the new program
include a bachelor’s degree from an
accredited institution, a cumulative
undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above and
a course in statistics. Applicants will
also demonstrate a level of technical
proficiency required for success in core
and elective courses. A total of 36 credits
is required for the program.
NY State Approves New
Environmental Science
Associate Degree
The New York State Department of
Education has approved the offering of
an associate degree in environmental
science at Jamestown Community
College’s Jamestown Campus.
The 60-credit hour degree
program prepares students
to comprehend, evaluate
and analyze contemporary
environmental problems
at the interface of nature,
human institutions and
scientific study. Interdisciplinary
explorations and scientific tools and
technologies essential for addressing
emerging environmental challenges and
opportunities are featured. Students will
explore the ethical dimensions of deci-
sions and actions associated with being
responsible local and global citizens and
gain a better understanding that a more
sustainable world will nurture healthier
ecosystems, vibrant human communi-
ties and stronger economies.
The program prepares students
for transfer into numerous
baccalaureate programs
such as environmental
science, environmental
biology, natural resource
management, conser-
vation science, forest
ecosystem science, fisheries
and wildlife biology, natural
history, ecology and others. JCC’s environ-
mental science degree provides critical
foundations for well-trained environ-
mental scientists and citizen scientists
to meet the urgent and growing environ-
mental challenges of the 21st century and
beyond, noted JCC biology professor Becky
Nystrom.
CLASS NOTES
www.MAE-kmi.com14 | MAE 7.2
17. Valley City State University Expands
Health Care Offerings
Valley City State University announced two
new major programs of study that increase the
university’s offerings in health-related fields. “Like
many states, North Dakota is facing a shortage
of health care professionals, particularly in rural
areas,” said Dr. Steve Shirley, president of VCSU.
“This is one reason we have been investing in
our health-related programs for some time now.
In the last 10 years, the number of VCSU students
expressing interest and majoring in health-related
fields has increased considerably.”
The new Medical Laboratory Science major
is designed for students who are interested in any
of several careers in clinical laboratory science.
The program is offered through collaboration
with the University of North Dakota; students
pursuing this course of study will complete their
first three years on the VCSU campus in a curric-
ulum aligned with the UND Clinical Laboratory
Science program. A summer program at the
UND campus and one year of clinical experi-
ence at a medical laboratory in North Dakota
complete the program. The program is accredited
by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical
Laboratory Sciences.
VCSU’s Bachelor of Science in athletic training
is designed for students interested in pursuing a
career in athletic training or related fields. The
program is unique in that it involves five semesters
of clinical experiences to give students substantial
on-field experience prior to graduation. Upon
graduation, students will be prepared to become a
certified athletic trainer by completing the Board
of Certification Exam (in addition to meeting
national, district and state requirements). VCSU
is currently in the process of seeking accredita-
tion through the Commission on Accreditation of
Athletic Training Education.
Both programs are offered through VCSU’s
Division of Mathematics, Science and Health &
Physical Education and are well-suited to students
who intend to pursue additional study in grad-
uate or professional programs. Currently, the
University’s Rhoades Science Center is undergoing
a major $10.3 million expansion and renovation
that will be complete by the fall semester of 2013.
Compiled by KMI Media Group staff
Bard Creates M.B.A.
in Sustainability
Bard College announced the creation of a
Master of Business Administration in sustain-
ability. Based in New York City, the new M.B.A.
in sustainability responds to the surge in
demand for training in sustainable business
practices being created by green start-up busi-
nesses and major corporate efforts. The two-
year program, which will start in fall 2012,
is being developed as a partnership between
the Bard Center for Environmental Policy
(Bard CEP), which grants M.S. degrees in
environmental policy and in climate science
and policy, and the Levy Economics Institute of
Bard College, a leading nonpartisan economic
policy research organization.
The Bard M.B.A. in sustainability provides
a rigorous education in core business prin-
ciples as well as sustainable business practices,
with a focus throughout on economics, envi-
ronment and social equity. Green companies
must achieve quality production and perfor-
mance, efficient operations, sound financial
management, deep employee engagement,
responsible and effective marketing, creative
responses to changing economic conditions,
flexible strategies and continuous innova-
tion. In courses on leadership, operations,
marketing, finance, economics and strategy,
students will be constantly challenged to inte-
grate three goals: profit, continuous reduction
in ecological impact and stakeholder engage-
ment.
The Bard M.B.A. is structured around five
weekend intensives every term, with additional
instruction between intensives. The program’s
innovative residency structure—with classes
held over long weekends once a month—will
enable students and professionals from across
the East Coast to attend and will allow regional
and national leaders in business sustain-
ability to engage students in the classroom.
The New York City campus will become a
laboratory for first-year students, who will
participate in yearlong consultancies with New
York-area businesses, government agencies,
and nonprofits. Bard M.B.A. faculty and guest
lecturers will include leading scholars in busi-
ness, economics and environmental policy
from Bard’s full-time faculty as well as cutting-
edge practitioners in business sustainability,
corporate and nonprofit leaders, journalists
and consultants.
Health Information Technology Programs
Supplement IT & Health Care Professions
Adelphi University is pleased to announce
that it will begin offering a Master of Science
and an Advanced Certificate in health infor-
mation technology (HIT) in the spring 2012
semester designed for IT professionals pursuing
health information management and/or health
care professionals seeking information tech-
nology certification. In 2004, President Bush
called for the implementation of completely
paperless, electronic health records nationwide
by 2014. Adelphi’s HIT degrees seek to fulfill
the need for related education programming
created by this federal mandate as well as the
developing trend of rapidly-expanding data and
the need for systems to effectively manage it.
Both degrees will prepare graduates for careers
in health and medical informatics in academic,
health care, or industrial settings, where a
working knowledge of both the technological
and practical applications of health care data
is required.
The master’s program
is a total of 42 credits
and combines classes in
nursing, management,
technology and business
culminating in a capstone
research course.The advanced
certificate is 21 credits and centers on the
technology-related classes only. Credits earned
in the advanced certificate program can be used
towards the master’s degree. The programs are
offered through Adelphi’s University College and
have been created with working professionals in
mind. An HIT master’s degree can be completed
in three years and the advanced certificate in
two years by taking two evening courses per
semester and one course each summer. HIT falls
under the auspices of Adelphi’s recently created
Center for Health Innovation, which provides a
single reference point for all health care-related
programs of study.
www.MAE-kmi.com MAE 7.2 | 15
18. Colonel Paul A. Ott
Commander, Special Warfare
Education Group (Airborne)
U.S. Army John F. Kennedy
Special Warfare Center and School
Colonel Paul A. Ott was commissioned as an infantry officer in
May 1987 at the University of Nebraska (Lincoln). Following the
Infantry Officer Basic Course, he was assigned to the 25th Infantry
Division (Light) at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, where he served as a
rifle platoon leader, scout platoon leader, company executive officer
and assistant S3. He then transitioned to military intelligence in
1992 and served as the Battalion S2 in 1st Battalion, 509th Infantry
(Airborne) at Fort Chaffee, Ark., and Fort Polk, La.
Following completion of the Special Forces Qualification
Course and language training in 1995, he was assigned to 3rd Bat-
talion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), where he served as the
detachment commander of SFODA 571 and the battalion adjutant.
He was then reassigned to the Joint Readiness Training Center,
where he served as an observer/controller and a plans officer.
After attending the Command and General Staff College (CGSC)
and the School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) at Fort Leav-
enworth, Kan., Ott returned to 5th Special Forces Group in June
2002. He served as the company commander of C Company, 1st
Battalion in Western Iraq during OIF I, and then served as the 1st
Battalion XO for an OIF rotation in Baghdad, Iraq and the Group
S3/CJSOTF J3 during two subsequent OIF rotations in Balad, Iraq.
Ott commanded 1st Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training
Group (Airborne) from June 2006 to June 2008, followed by a year
as the USASOC G35 (Chief of Plans). In April 2009, Ott deployed
to Iraq as the CJSOTF LNO to MNC-I and later the MNC-I LNO to
the Kurdistan Regional Government. In September 2009, Ott was
assigned as the deputy commander, 1st Special Warfare Training
Group (Airborne). In August 2010, Ott served as deputy director,
Directorate of Regional Studies and Education, and in April 2011
he assumed his current duties as the commander of the Special
Warfare Education Group (Airborne).
Ott’s professional schooling includes the Infantry Officer’s Basic
Course, Military Intelligence Officer’s Advanced Course, Combined
Arms Staff and Services School, Command and General Staff Offi-
cer’s Course, and the Advanced Military Studies Program at Fort
Leavenworth, Kan. He holds a master’s degree in human resources
development from Webster University and a Master of Military Arts
and Sciences from SAMS.
Ott’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal
with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Defense Meritorious Service Medal,
Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army
Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army
Achievement Medal, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Expert
Infantryman’s Badge, Master Parachutists Badge, Air Assault
Badge, Special Forces Tab and Ranger Tab. He is also authorized to
wear the Jordanian and Kenyan parachutist badges.
Q: Could you please describe your primary responsibilities as com-
mander, Special Warfare Education Group?
A: The Special Warfare Education Group’s mission is to educate
Army Special Operations soldiers to enable them to work through,
with and by indigenous populations in any region of the world. The
majority of our effort is in support of our qualification courses,
where we provide our soldiers with their initial language, regional
studies, culture and human dynamics instruction. We lay the educa-
tional foundation and set our soldiers on a pathway to lifelong learn-
ing and development in these areas that are absolutely fundamental
to Army Special Operations. One of my primary responsibilities is
to provide professional instructors and relevant, regionally-focused
curriculum. One of the most important things we do in addition to
education is to run the ARSOF Assessment and Selection program,
which assesses and selects soldiers before they enter training in any
of our qualification courses. Selecting the right soldiers for Army
Special Operations is a critical first step; after that we go to work to
train, educate and develop these soldiers to maximize their potential
during their career in SOF.
www.MAE-kmi.com16 | MAE 7.2
Warfighter Educator Q&ADeveloping ARSOF Scholar-Practitioners
Q&A
19. Q: How does your background help inform the decisions you make
in your current position?
A: As a Special Forces officer, I have served in a variety of operational
and institutional assignments that have shaped my views on training
and education. Nearly all of my non-operational assignments have
been in working in training and education, which has provided me
with a good balance to know what is important and how to imple-
ment strategies in our institutional environment. My experience at
Fort Leavenworth from 2000-2002 certainly shaped my thoughts on
education. In 2000, while at the Command and General Staff Col-
lege at Fort Leavenworth, getting a master’s degree was common,
but optional, and there were few specific programs established to
educate ARSOF officers. Like many officers, I recognized that get-
ting a master’s degree was important, but was basically left to my
own judgement to filter through the options. I decided to attend
night school and work on a master’s degree. During that year, I also
decided to apply to the School of Advanced Military Studies [SAMS]
and stay another year for the Advanced Military Studies Program.
SAMS was much more than a second master’s degree; it did more
to shape my views on education than anything prior to that. SAMS
focused on how to think—how to analyze a problem and develop
innovative solutions. In 2010, while serving as the deputy com-
mander, 1st Special Warfare Training Group, Major General Bennet
Sacolick, the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and
School commanding general, offered to assign me to the Director-
ate of Regional Studies and Education, and I immediately recog-
nized that this was something that I really wanted to do—a real
opportunity to do something that will benefit the force long term.
Q: What was the motivation behind the emphasis on a more
holistic development of ARSOF that included the opportunity for
higher education?
A: We have always assessed and selected our soldiers using a
whole man construct, meaning we look at many aspects of a can-
didate’s physical, mental and emotional strength, including their
intelligence. However, we did not have a systematic approach to
developing their intellectual capacity. Career professional devel-
opment schooling, such as the Senior Leader Course for NCOs
or ILE [intermediate level education] for officers, although very
important, just doesn’t do this completely. Career-long profes-
sional development must consist of the right balance of training,
operational experience and education. Quite frankly, we were
falling short on the education—as opposed to training—part,
which becomes even more important later in a career, when our
personnel may be working in operational and strategic positions.
Education is going to play an increasingly important role in pre-
paring our soldiers for the uncertain environments that they will
operate in the future—and you can’t wait until that time to start.
Another factor is the recognition that we have been at war in Iraq
and Afghanistan for over a decade and have a tremendously well-
trained and operationally experienced force. However, we haven’t
been operating in other regions of the world to the same level that
we once were, and will in the future. Education can help prepare
our soldiers to return to these regions.
Q: What were SWCS’s priorities when developing the plan to
address the education gap for ARSOF?
A: Our first priority was developing education programs for our
non-commissioned officers. The primary objective was to establish
the educational foundation of our NCO corps by developing a pro-
gram to enable every ARSOF NCO to earn an associate degree in
conjunction with the qualification course, then providing them a
pathway to continuing their civilian education throughout their
career. We have the most talented and well-trained NCOs in the
world, but they are incredibly busy with operational requirements.
We had to provide them with tailored educational opportunities
that allow them to continue their lifelong learning and develop-
ment, without taking them away from the fight for lengthy periods
of time. These opportunities are tailored to suit the lifestyle of a
special operations soldier and account for their previous training; at
the end of the day, however, these soldiers have met all of the same
criteria to earn their degrees as any civilian graduate.
Q: What role does education play in the professional development
of ARSOF? How does a degree enhance a soldier’s effectiveness?
A: You train for certainty, but educate for uncertainty. We expect
our officers and NCOs to operate independently across a broad spec-
trum of missions and environments. Developing creative, adaptive
problem solvers with the cognitive abilities to work in ambiguous
scenarios will enable our soldiers to operate more effectively in situ-
ations for which they were not specifically trained.
In many cases, their written and oral communications skills,
regional and cultural understanding, critical thinking and problem
solving skills may be as important to mission accomplishment as
their specific military occupational specialty skills—such as a Spe-
cial Forces weapons sergeant or civil affairs specialist. Additionally,
degree programs give our soldiers the knowledge and background to
sit at the table during operations with our civilian and interagency
partners, where education is also valuable. Bottom line: We are
developing scholar-practitioners, not just scholars.
Q: The partnership with the National Defense University seems
like a truly unique program; could you discuss it?
A: In 2010, SWCS partnered with the College of International Secu-
rity Affairs at NDU to establish a master’s degree open to all of our
ranks—officers, warrant officers and NCOs. The Master of Arts in
strategic security studies, or MASSS, is a 10-month program that
allows us to educate select personnel at the graduate level and fur-
ther enable them to serve in operational and strategic assignments.
This is the only program of its kind that allows us to educate our
NCOs at that level, as full-time students, while keeping them away
from the force for less than a year. We are currently in the second
academic year, with 16 NCOs and 23 officers in the class. The first
class graduated on June 3, 2011, with seven NCOs and 13 officers—
the top graduate was an NCO!
Q: Could you please discuss the nature and importance of the rela-
tionships and agreements SWCS has developed with other colleges
and universities?
A: SWCS recognizes that we can educate our soldiers better by
partnering with institutions that do that for a living, rather than
trying to become an accredited institution for areas outside of
our expertise. Although we have no formal agreements with any
www.MAE-kmi.com MAE 7.2 | 17
20. civilian colleges or universities, we have established some terrific
relationships in support of our undergraduate and graduate degree
programs. The foundation of our education program is the associate
degree. For this, we have partnered with the Fayetteville Technical
Community College [FTCC] to enable our soldiers to earn their AA
degree in conjunction with the qualification course. FTCC awards
our soldiers 48 credits for attending the Special Forces Qualification
Course, based on the course’s existing curriculum, and they have to
complete 17 credits to complete their degree, such as core math and
English classes. In support of their continued education in pursuit of a
bachelor’s degree, SWCS has developed relationships with numerous
colleges and universities. Ultimately, we are seeking degrees that are
appropriate for the professional development of our soldiers in their
specialty and ARSOF in general. Some baseline criteria that we use for
degree options are: regional accreditation, complete distance learning
program, and full articulation of the soldier’s associate degree. The
U.S. Army Special Operations Command has a memorandum of agree-
ment with the University of North Carolina system and we continue to
develop superb degree options with UNC schools. At the graduate level,
our programs are much more limited, but we have established a great
relationship with the University of Kansas for select officers to earn a
master’s degree while attending the Command and General Staff Col-
lege at Fort Leavenworth.
Q: How many ARSOF are currently pursuing their A.A., B.A., M.A.,
or Ph.D.? How is the command supporting and encouraging soldiers’
educational pursuits?
A: I don’t have a solid number, because there are a lot of personnel
pursuing degrees through existing Army options, using tuition assis-
tance [TA]. Based on our records, there are roughly 2,000 personnel in
programs that we control or facilitate, including over 1,700 enrolled in
FTCC. The entire chain of command has been supportive of education
opportunities. SWCS has made it a priority to enable cadre to earn
their associate degree during their tour here, and the operational force
has followed suit. We have made a concerted effort to communicate
education opportunities throughout the command, to include educa-
tion briefings at all newcomer briefs, the senior leader’s course and to
operational units.
Q: What initiatives or programs are you most encouraged by?
A: I am most encouraged by the momentum of the undergraduate
programs for our enlisted and warrant officers. More than 10 colleges
and universities have established articulation agreements with FTCC,
including more than 30 degree options for our soldiers.
Q: In your opinion, where is there room for improvement in military
education in general and in ARSOF specifically?
A: The Army clearly recognizes the value of education and is
implementing these very same strategies for all soldiers. I am
concerned about the potential reduction of TA. I think this would
be a significant setback, and believe there are other options to
consider in times of shrinking resources; for example, TA could
continue to cover 100 percent, but have the annual cap per sol-
dier reduced. For ARSOF specifically, we have work to do to codify
education requirements for all ranks, and then fully develop the sys-
tem to meet these requirements.
Q: Where do you see the education level of ARSOF in 10 years?
A: In 10 years, we will have a mature education system for all ranks. By
then, every ARSOF qualification course graduate will have an associate
degree, NCOs will have a bachelor’s degree before they make E-8, all
warrant officers will have an associate degree upon commissioning
and every officer will earn a master’s degree by the time he completes
intermediate level education. In addition to this, we will have an estab-
lished doctorate program to educate select personnel for assignments
that require the ability perform at the highest academic standards. I
am very optimistic that we are developing enduring programs that will
have a long-term impact on the capabilities within our force.
Q: What have been the most significant lessons you’ve learned in
your position?
A: First of all, I understand that training and education are not mutu-
ally exclusive—they both involve learning. The difference is mainly
at what level on Bloom’s taxonomy. I have reinforced my belief that
quality instructors and curriculum are imperative to effective learning.
Q: Do you have any closing thoughts?
A: Investment in education may be the most important investment in
human capital that we make. We must have confidence in the value
of education and understand the benefits may not be immediate or
easily measured. In a time of shrinking resources, education could
easily become a target. We must guard ourselves from this, and should
seriously consider placing even more emphasis on education. There
will always be competing demands for resources, but what we put
in a soldier’s head may better prepare him than what we put on his
back. It is important that we harness the intellectual capacity of our
force. Through continued education, we will develop the innovative,
creative problem solvers necessary to face complex problems in the
future. Fortunately, I have a chain of command that recognizes the
value of education and has been very supportive to establish enduring
programs.
Graduates of the National Defense University’s College of International Affairs stand and face
the audience at the college’s graduation ceremony on Fort Bragg, N.C. Each of the graduates are
assigned to an Army special operations unit. [Photo courtesy of SWCS]
www.MAE-kmi.com18 | MAE 7.2
21. Take a look around any typical college campus and the mix of
students is remarkable. Young, old, parents, grandparents, teenag-
ers, professionals: Anyone is likely to be your classmate in the 21st
century. With the Iraq war officially over, the number of veterans
returning home means an increase in non-traditional students on
college campuses. Regardless of how you define non-traditional—
working part or full time, single parent, or veteran—those who
are returning to school after a long absence may have needs that
are distinct from the traditional 18-year-old college freshman.
Colleges and universities that want to remain competitive strive
to assist these students and help them meet their academic goals.
RAISING AWARENESS
Although students learn of most on-campus resource center
services during registration and orientation, organized outreach
is critical as well. Glendale Community College (GCC) in Maricopa
County, Ariz., has a very high veteran and active duty student
population; in 2010, its veterans’ center served more than 1,400
veterans, their dependents and their spouses. The 2010 veteran
population represented an increase of 44 percent over fall 2009
enrollment, said Chuck Pierce, coordinator of Veterans Service
at Glendale. The numbers have risen for a variety of reasons, one
being that many veterans are now using the Post-9/11 GI Bill,
said Allen Hancock, a business major who is studying to transfer
to Arizona State University. “The increase was primarily due to
the closing down of operations overseas; a lot of our reserve and
guard are returning to school … and the dependents and spouses
of military members having their benefits transferred,” he said.
In order to raise awareness of the center, the staff at Glendale
engage in outreach, which is necessary to draw in military stu-
dents. “For me, I didn’t even expect to have the help that actually
was here,” said Glendale student Mitch Wheeler, an Air Force vet-
eran. “I had been looking around for a long time and was going to
Special Section: Academic Resource Centers
BY CELESTE ALTUS
MAE CORRESPONDENT
ACADEMIC RESOURCE CENTERS ARE STAFFED WITH DEDICATED PROFESSIONALS WHO STRIVE TO HELP STUDENTS
ACHIEVE ACADEMIC SUCCESS.
www.MAE-kmi.com MAE 7.2 | 19
22. school here. I didn’t know the center existed until I was enrolling
and gave my military ID, and the woman in enrollment sent me
over here.” Wheeler said he had gone through the usual channels
such as the VA but continued to struggle to get the information
he wanted. “When I came here it was such a relief. I thought, ‘Oh
my God, I’ve been searching for years.’ It’s an invaluable resource.”
Charity Torres, who has been an academic adviser and recruiter
for two years on the Glendale campus, reflected that there is no
one way to advise a veteran student. “Every veteran is unique.
Every veteran is different, depending on what kind of benefits
they have to use and from what chapter they are under. We are
able to take the time necessary—not just speed them up to get in
and out. We’re able to take an hour, two, or whatever is needed to
help that veteran from start to finish.” Just as each veteran is dif-
ferent, so too are the programs they may choose to pursue; while
some enroll in occupational degrees, others are working toward
transferring to universities. “Everyone is diverse in what they are
choosing, from education to engineering,” Torres said.
Academic adviser Stephen Zubia alluded to a certain level of
job satisfaction. “Being able to help veterans as soon as they come
in, it’s an honor. For what they have done it is the least we can do
to help them achieve their goals and also develop an understand-
ing of how to get there.” Moreover, as an adviser, Zubia finds it
highly rewarding to be able to explain the process: to empower vet-
erans to understand the system rather than just telling them what
to do. From a student’s perspective, one should not undervalue
the benefit of advising, said Larry Knauf, a Marine special operator
in Afghanistan and Iraq, who graduated from GCC. “One thing is
that it is a little difficult to adjust. I was in the Marine Corps for 10
years and everything was very structured. When I got to school, it
was a very much more relaxed environment. There was a transi-
tion there. Coming in to the veterans’ center and talking with
other veterans, seeing that they had similar issues and discussing
with them how they coped with things like that really helped out.
I think it was the facility itself that afforded that opportunity.”
The staff at a resource center can make a world of differ-
ence. Dr. Maria Sanchez heads the Office of Veterans Services at
University of Northern Colorado, a school of more than 12,000
undergraduate and graduate students in Greeley, and that has
a number of services offered to servicemen and women to get
and stay enrolled in its programs. In 2010, the university opened
a veterans’ center as a “one-stop shop” with a student lounge,
study space, computers and wireless Internet. There, the veteran
and military-related benefit processing is conducted. The goal at
Northern Colorado was the same as many others: to create a com-
munity for veteran students by having regular social events, study
groups, counseling and recreation opportunities. The center was
created with the goal of bridging the gap between these students
and the traditional student body.
An additional component of advising is leading by example.
Military students need to see they can succeed. Daniel Gross is
a military student at Northern Colorado who works with other
veteran students. “For us on campus, what we usually end up
doing is just helping the veteran kind of make that transition
from the military to the academic lifestyle,” Gross said. “In the
military, when you start you are told what to do on a 24-hour
basis, but in the academic field it’s your own motivation.” Gross
said sometimes veterans don’t know the direction to go for
different information or how to get their
GI Bill or other benefits. “We are here
to point them in the right direction to
get their benefits as well as help them
throughout the academic year. Our main
priority here is to help veterans get their
benefits and graduate,” Gross said. “The
transition from military to civilian life is
difficult, and we want to make that go as
smoothly as possible … We try to build
camaraderie, because on campus, we are
a minority.”
ONLINE BUT NOT ALONE
With the exponential increase in dis-
tance learning, many active duty service-
members, veterans and military spouses
have chosen to enroll online. However,
this doesn’t mean that academic advis-
ing services are limited. Since online
students can’t simply drop into a campus
student resource center, what resources are available to them? At
Kent State, there is a specific program to assist disabled students
who are working toward studying alongside their classmates.
“These are post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain
injured students who are transitioning from a comfortable online
environment to an increasingly comfortable classroom environ-
ment,” said Joshua Rider of the university’s communications
office. Kent provides benefits processing and academic advising
for the first 30 credit hours.
Kaplan University has a wide variety of support services for its
online students, ranging from an orientation class to an online
student portal to academic advisers in the Military Student Sup-
port Center. During orientation, a student is informed of general
policies and practices as well as the resources available to them,
including how to navigate the student portal. “The portal really
acts as their control center where everything is organized for
them. It tracks all their assignments, provides an online syllabus,
and monitors all the activities within the various classrooms. It
also allows them to explore student groups, including our Kaplan
University Student Military Association, and other clubs, honor
societies and professional organizations. They also have access
to financial aid, student accounts and career services,” explained
Betty Vandenbosh, Ph.D., the dean of students at Kaplan. Stu-
dents also benefit from the services and advisers provided through
the university’s Military Student Support Center. These academic
advisers foster a relationship with their advisee throughout the
student’s academic career at Kaplan. “In essence, they are ‘bud-
dies’ to the student, making sure that any issues students have
are addressed quickly, reaching out to students if they see they’ve
missed assignments or classes, and counseling them to ensure
that their course load fits their current life circumstances so that
they do not become overwhelmed by their educational obliga-
tions,” Vandenbosh noted.
Students who know that a degree should be in their future
but who are reticent to make the jump back into learning can
have their concerns assuaged thanks to the Kaplan Commitment.
Allen Hancock
Joshua Rider
Special Section: Academic Resource Centers
www.MAE-kmi.com20 | MAE 7.2
24. In his State of the Union address, President Obama laid out
a blueprint for an economy that’s built to last—an economy
built on American manufacturing, American energy, skills
for American workers and a renewal of American values. As
an important part of keeping the American promise alive, the
president called for a comprehensive approach to tackling
rising college costs. In today’s global economy, a college edu-
cation is no longer just a privilege for some, but rather a pre-
requisite for all. To reach a national goal of leading the world
with the highest share of college graduates by 2020, we must
make college more affordable.
President Obama has emphasized the responsibility shared
by the federal government, states, colleges and universities to
promote access and affordability in higher education, by rein-
ing in college costs, providing value for American families, and
preparing students with a solid education to succeed in their
careers. Over the past three years, the Obama administration
has taken historic steps to help students afford college, includ-
ing reforming our student aid system to become more efficient
and reliable and by expanding grant aid and college tax credits.
This year, President Obama is calling on Congress to
advance new reforms that will promote shared responsibility
to address the college affordability challenge. If these proposals
are passed, this will be the first time in history that the federal
government has tied federal campus aid to responsible campus
tuition policies.
President Obama began the third day of his post-State of
the Union travels with an event at the University of Michigan
campus in Ann Arbor, focusing on the importance of tackling
rising college costs to ensure America’s students and workers
can obtain the education and training they need so that we
have a workforce prepared for the jobs of the 21st century.
“OF COURSE, IT’S NOT ENOUGH FOR US TO INCREASE STUDENT AID …
STATES ALSO NEED TO DO THEIR PART, BY MAKING HIGHER EDUCATION A
HIGHER PRIORITY IN THEIR BUDGETS. AND COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
HAVE TO DO THEIR PART BY WORKING TO KEEP COSTS DOWN.”
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
STATE OF THE UNION, JANUARY 24, 2012
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