2. PRESENTERS
Melissa Vito: Senior Vice President for Student
Affairs and Enrollment Management and Senior Vice
Provost for Academic Initiatives and Student Success
Kendal Washington White: Assistant Vice President for
Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, Dean of Students,
Deputy Title IX Coordinator
Jen Meyers Pickard: Director of Strategic Initiatives and Communications
Cody Nicholls: Assistant Dean of Students, Military and Veteran Engagement
Jeremy Thompson: Student Director, Veterans Education and Transition Services
3.
4. Learning Objectives
• Recognize the broad characteristics and experiences of student veterans
• Debunk myths and preconceptions surrounding the this population
• Identify strategies and best practices for interacting with and responding to
the specific needs of student veterans to enhance persistence and graduation
• Learn from and construct collaborations and resources for student veterans
based on demonstrated successful practices from the University of Arizona
• Articulate future directions for student veteran services
5. • Your personal
definition?
• Similar
to your
institution’s?
Defining a Veteran Student
FEDERAL DEFINITION
• Subclassifications
• Certification
• Dates of service
• Length of service
• Honorable discharge
• Disabled status
6.
7. Beneficiaries of U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs Education Programs
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Percent Change
FY09 to FY13
Post 9/11
Benefits
34,393 365,640 555,329 646,302 754,229 2,093%
Total Educ.
Benefits
564,487 800,369 923,836 945,052 1,091,044 93%
Post 9/11
Percentage
of Total
6% 46% 60% 68% 69% 1,050%
Complete VA Education Program data
8. Snapshot of UA Student Veterans
1 in 4
are women
Almost half
married
1/3 primarily
funded by VA
benefits
63% employed
off campus
39% have
children
43% work 20+
hours/week
50% live 5+
miles from
campus
1 in 3 are active
military status
Complete 2014 UA Veteran Student Experience
and Engagement Survey results
9. Research and Assessment Based
Strategies for Student Veteran Success
Making connections with others
Navigating institutional policies, procedures,
resources
Balancing work, life, and academics
10. Student Veteran Success: Making Connections
Student Veteran Needs University of Arizona Response
Making direct connections to
fellow vets
Development and expansion of
two VETS Centers
Transition from military to
university life
SERV curriculum and
Resiliency Minor
Unique and profound military
experiences result in translation
pros and cons on college campus
Support for physical and mental
issues through cohort building
and community resource
partnerships
11. Veterans Education and Transition
Services (VETS) Centers
Goal: Create a USO environment on campus
• Two VETS Centers
• 4,240 total square feet of dedicated space
• 25 student veteran staff
• 5 student veteran tutors
• Centers usage has increased 31% since fall of 2012
• Almost 11,000 visits in Fall 2014
12. VIDEO TOUR
of VETS Center
in Student Union Memorial Center
http://youtu.be/zhEyvG6oI9s
13. Supportive Education for Returning Veterans
(SERV)
• Partnership with Southern Arizona VA Health Care System
(SAVAHCS)
• Cohort-based program of 3 core classes to help veterans transition
from military to higher education
• Recovery model approach to enhance student resiliency
• Retention rate of 90%
• Expansion to online certificate program
Outgrowth of SERV Professional Resiliency minor
14. Unique and Profound Military Experiences:
Bringing Positive Aspects and Challenges to College Campus
UA data context:
• Average
deployment of 2
years and 7
months
• 72% served in
combat
• 28% physically or
mentally wounded
Challenges:
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Traumatic Brain Injury and other physical
injuries
• Military/combat traits translation to
campus environment
Positives:
• Bring professional expertise and skills
learned and executed in the military
15. Post Traumatic Stress
“A normal reaction
to an abnormal
situation”
Dr. Michael Marks
Lead Psychologist (Ret)
Southern Arizona VA Health Care
System
http://youtu.be/dqCt5QOPxLc
16. Unique and Profound Military Experiences:
Bringing Positive Aspects and Challenges to College Campus
UA data context:
• Average
deployment of 2
years and 7
months
• 72% served in
combat
• 28% physically or
mentally wounded
Challenges:
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Traumatic Brain Injury and other physical
injuries
• Military/combat traits translation to
campus environment
Positives:
• Bring professional expertise and skills
learned and executed in the military
17. Military Environment Campus Environment
Aware, alert, scanning Hyper vigilant, watchful
Be careful who you trust
Suspicious, guarded,
stand-offish
No time to think, must act Reactivity, impulsivity
Discipline and obeying orders Inflexibility and demanding
Keeps strangers away Physically isolates, back to wall
Military vs. Campus: Perception of Traits
18. Student Veteran Success: Navigating the Institution
Student Veteran Needs University of Arizona Response
Streamlining
matriculation
• Online certification for students utilizing
VA educational benefits
• Credit for military service and training
• In-state residency classification for
honorably discharged student veterans
Policies and events
• Priority registration
• Welcome events/orientation
• Military absence policy
Communication
• Consistent outreach via email, listservs,
social media, websites
20. DISCUSSION
Strategies for Student Veteran Success
Making connections with others
Navigating institutional policies, procedures,
resources
Balancing work, life, and academics
21. Research and Assessment Based
Strategies for Institutional Success
with Student Veterans
Identification and monitoring via data
Building community understanding
22. Identification and Monitoring of Student Veterans
• Identification
• Recruitment
• Application
• Data integration
• Monitoring
• Usage of key campus resources
particularly related to
retention
• Summer Bridge Program
• Annual “snapshot” via survey
to anticipate new needs and
trends
25. On the UA Horizon…
• Online SERV program
• Career preparation
• Transition into higher ed is a vulnerable time for student vets –
enhancements to consideration/recruitment/enrollment pipeline
• Summer Bridge and other retention-focused programs
• Partnerships with regional military installations
• Certificate program for higher education professionals
26. Discussion & Questions
Contact Information
Melissa Vito: mmvito@email.arizona.edu
Kendal Washington White: kwashing@email.arizona.edu
Jen Pickard Meyers: meyers@email.arizona.edu
Cody Nicholls: rcn1@email.arizona.edu
Jeremy Thompson: jthom999@email.arizona.edu
27. References & Resources
Goodale, R., Abb, W.R. & Moyer, B.A. Military Culture 101: Not One Culture, But
Many Cultures. Citizen Soldier Support Program. Retrieved from http://www.
citizensoldiersupport.org/lib/resources/ORNC%20Military%20CultureUn%2010
1%20Workshop%2014%20Sep%2012.pdf
Livingston, W.G., & Bauman M.C. (2013). Activations, Deployments, and Returns. In
F. Hamrick, C. Rumann and Associates (Eds.), Called To Serve: A Handbook on
Student Veterans and Higher Education. (pp. 41-68). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
McBain, L., Kim, Y., Cook, B. & Snead, K., From Soldier to Student II: Assessing
Campus Programs for Veterans and Service Members. American Council on
Education. Retrieved from http://www.acenet.edu/news-
room/Documents/From-Soldier-to-Student-II- Assessing-Campus-Programs.pdf
28. References & Resources
Personnel Management Office. (2014, December 29). Veterans Preference. Federal
Register. Retrieved from https://
www.federalregister.gov/articles/2014/12/29/2014-30295/veteran-
preference#h-18
Ulrich S. (2012), Military Culture and Combat to Classroom: Responding to the Needs
of our Student Veterans. Invited Workshop, University of Arizona
University of Arizona Student Veteran Engagement Assessment. (2014, April)
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2014, September 29). Benefits for Veterans
Education. Retrieved from http://www.benefits.va.gov/REPORTS/abr/ABR-
Education- FY13-09262014.pdf
Editor's Notes
MV
Welcome and intro of presenters
MV
Veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan enrolling at the University of Arizona – UA has 41K students and 1,100 student vets – about 3% of student population
Fall 2009 = 698 total veterans enrolled; Fall 2014 = 1,100 total veterans enrolled (58% increase)
New Student Enrollment: Total new veteran student enrollment is at an all-time high of 337 students (35 freshmen, 176 transfers, and 126 graduate/professional students), up 25 percentage points from 2013
NATIONAL LEADER IN VETS SERVICES
ACE did a 2009 report followed up in 2012 with “From Soldier to Student II: Assessing Campus Programs for Veterans and Service Members" outlining areas institutions should be focusing on – even in 2009, we were well on the way to achieving all of these areas and more:
Increase counseling services
Establish new programs
Create a web page
Outreach
Rough timeline/overview of some of our key initiatives
2008 - DRC and Adaptive Athletics program
VETS Centers establishment
Oct 2008 – Old Main 400 sq feet
July 2009 – SUMC 1st location – 1500 sq feet
January 2013 – SUMC current space with 3,800 sq feet
November 2013 Arizona Health Sciences Campus Vets Center – Unique facility location to best of our knowledge!
Usage of VETS Centers – over 10,000 visits a year!
Supportive Education for Returning Veterans (SERV) initial cohort spring 2008
Sept 2009 - Disabled Veterans Reintegration and Education Project roundtable with leaders across US to discuss how best to serve vets
Professional Resiliency minor
Partnership with Southern Arizona VA – Dr. Michael Marks as lead psychologist, female counselors
Disabled Veterans of America
University partner with the Pat Tillman Foundation
Designated as a “Veteran Supportive Campus” by the AZ Department of Veteran Services
Melissa’s testimony in May 2014 to US House of Representatives Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs – Defining and Improving Success for Student Veterans
Overall, UA’s commitment - “To serve those who first served”
KWW
There are the stated learning objectives for our session (up but don’t need to read specifically) but want to spend time getting to know our audience so we can be sure to focus on what you are hoping to gain from our time together
Questions for audience:
How many are veterans yourselves? Dependents or spouses of veterans?
In professional work – newer to veteran services (3 years or less)? Seasoned in veteran services work?
Have established, physical veterans center/service area on your campus? If yes, how long?
Engaging in regular surveying of veteran students?
KWW
We just asked who here is a veteran or related to a veteran, but how does one capture and define what it means to be a veteran?
Federal government definition literally goes on for pages and includes all sorts of terms and stipulations and exceptions to what it means to be a veteran -> verging on unwieldy
DISCUSSION
So our task is more simple – in a sentence or two, how do you define what it means to be a veteran?
Does your definition change if you say student veteran?
Does your institution’s definition of a veteran student differ from your own?
[
CN
Transition from previous slide: Capture any comments from audience and definitions from slides. Attempt to capture “service related themes” if not use the element of service from this slide
How about this definition—
Serving those who first served us – foundation for how we think about how we meet the needs of veteran students
As veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan began to enroll UA recognized the necessity to provide services for those who first served us
This increase is evidenced by the many veterans who have utilized their educational benefits since 2009 (transition to next slide)
CN
Significant increase in Post 9/11 GI Bill usage from inception in 2009 to 2013
Explain chart – indicate missing benefits like Montgomery GI Bill benefits etc.
Highlight huge increases in just 5 years
Literature indicates numbers of veterans utilizing VA education benefits is expected to continue to increase as military personnel exit the military (Jones, 2013)
Transition
At the national level, 69% of overall VA educational benefits are now coming from those who have served since the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars began
Want to share our view of change at our local level at the University of Arizona
CN
Place high value on data driven decision making at UA.
Utilize annual survey to maintain a snapshot of student vet characteristics, experiences within military, and gauge how their UA experience is going so far – want to hear what’s working, what’s not, and how we as an institution can improve
Truly use this information to drive many decisions and actions that have been taken specifically for this population and we’ll continue to point out these data-driven actions throughout the presentation
Source: Veteran Student Experience and Engagement Survey
Spring 2014
11.5% response rate (N=127)
31% primarily funded by benefits followed by 19% funded by employment
45% own their home
267 females (24%) of 1100 total vets
JMP
Research by Livingston and Bauman (2013) maps directly on the key factors that UA students report as helping lead them to student success.
Research maps on to areas UA Vets tell us are critical to success and completion:
Want to touch on 3 of overarching strategy areas and talk about the actions UA has taken to meet these
JMP
JT
Serving need of facilitating direct connections with fellow vets
NOTE that environment is not staff to vet, it’s vet to vet!!!
SUMC VETS Center
Opened doors in 2009.
3800 square feet
2012: 86% of student veterans responded that one-stop shop for vets was very important -- led to expansion from previous to current Veterans Education and Transitions Services (VETS) Center in January 2013 -- more than doubled in size.
just under 10,713 visits in the fall of 2014
Staffed by trained student veterans who have transitioned into the university: Provide a variety of information and conduit to staff in departments across campus/
AHSC VETS Center
2013: 82% of Arizona Health Sciences Center (AHSC) student veterans responded that an AHSC VETS Satellite Office would be beneficial -- led to establishment of AHSC VETS Center in November 2013.
opened its doors November 2013 following Veterans Day.
440 square feet.
Designed to better engage our veterans in the colleges of medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and public health
We are a visual group so thought conference attendees would appreciate a visual “tour” of our VETS Center in SUMC
Point out:
-Located in SUMUC, hub of student life - building itself is a memorial to USS Arizona
-NOT staged!!! Randomly walked in and saw mix of men/women, traditional and non-traditionally aged students, etc.
-Student Veteran tutors
-Computers
-Printing/Copying/Scanning
-Quiet Room
-Kitchen
-Lockers
-Couches
-USO Area (Flat Screen/Game Consoles
-Wheelchair accessibility
JT
http://youtu.be/zhEyvG6oI9s
CN
Assisting with transition from military to university life
Supportive Education for Returning Veterans
Partnership between UA and Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS)
Three core classes at the University of Arizona designed specifically for veterans to transition them from the military into higher education. The courses include:
Resiliency and Human Potential
Learn to Teach to Learn
Leadership Principles and Practices
Additionally we have added the following:
Transitional Resiliency, which combines the three courses above into one course with a focus on the Resiliency course.
Resiliency Orientation (a one-day resiliency orientation course).
All courses satisfy graduation requirements and are for-credit.
These classes embody a recovery model approach to increase student resiliency while increasing retention and graduation rates.
Student veterans improve memory, strengthen their problem-solving skills, learn to succeed in academic settings, and build social networks for support.
SERV has resulted in overall retention rates of over 90% for those student veterans not enrolled in SERV classes versus 70-80% retention for those who have not taken SERV classes.
The SERV program has been recognized by the VA’s Office of Inspector General as a “best practice” and is one of the VA’s “Strong Practices Project”. It has been featured on “The American Veteran” and in conjunction with the VETS Center was featured in the Lumina Foundation magazine “Focus” in the Spring 2013 edition.
Resiliency minor:
Most recently for the SERV program, VETS is partnering with University of Arizona’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) to create a thematic minor entitled “Professional Resiliency”. This will be open to all University of Arizona students. Further, last month the University of Arizona hosted a “train the trainers” workshop conducted by SERV creators Dr. Michael Marks and Dr. Phil Callahan. Representatives from institutions in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Colorado attended. This is a program that we recommend be expanded to institutions nationwide.
CN
Military experience has positive and negative translations onto campus
Review deployment data
Positives
Story: Presentation to Provost and Dean’s Council and comment from Dean of our Business College about veterans being his best students: raise the level of discourse, challenge assumptions, and asked where does he find more?
We see and hear:
Combat-related issues such as Post Traumatic Stress and Traumatic Brain Injury; Both are still fundamentally new concepts to faculty and staff
Let’s not forget that anybody can experience PTS: victims of physical assault, victims of sexual assault, survivors of natural disasters all may experience PTS
Share a brief video we recorded in our SUMC VETS Center with Dr. Michael Marks, recently retired Lead Psychologist of the Southern AZ VA Health Care System who talks about how our work with students with PTSD and other combat related challenges dovetails into the other best practices we engage in to help these individuals find needed support and ultimately success at the university
http://youtu.be/dqCt5QOPxLc
JT & CN
Military experience has positive and negative translations onto campus
Some veterans arrive with unique challenges as a result of their military experience; When we talk about challenges what do you hear at your campus most?
Next slide for the research on traits
JT & CN
Don’t want to spend a lot of time on this but thought it was important to recognize that the translation of the military cultural traits as Dr Marks pointed out are required for survival when in the military and particularly for those who have been in combat may not be as smooth coming into university environment – Normal reaction in military can be perceived by non-military individuals VERY differently
Staff, faculty, non-veteran students AND student veterans themselves need to develop awareness of how military experience could manifest itself in actions/behaviors student vets exhibit when they come to campus
For those who have specifically been in COMBAT, these actions may be even more exaggerated
CN – matriculation
JT – policies and events; communication
Not all inclusive list but some efforts that took a great deal of time and institutional buy-in to enact
2014: 77% of student veterans responded that orientation for veterans is important -- led to partnership with Transfer Student Center
JMP
No matter what supports we put in place, all students struggle with balance of work/life/academics
Snapshot of these students shows that they are juggling a LOT and reality is that some will consider leaving
According to our survey 34% or 1 in 3 of our students have considered withdrawing from UA at least once (51 of 127 surveyed in Spring 2014)
Can’t say I am shocked by that considering all that is on these students’ plates BUT where we took it a little further was looking at reasons why AND reasons why chose to stay
Need to use this data to continue developing strategic and targeted ways to ease these stresses and help them forge ahead!
KWW
Pause for discussion - large or small group depending on time
Shared actions we have taken to enhance student success
Thoughts?
What unique actions has your institution taken?
What are we missing?
JMP
Research by Livingston and Bauman (2013) also maps onto actions that we have found are critical for institutions to engage in that student vets might not be aware of but are critical for us to do to ensure their success
JMP
Strategies for Institutional Success
Like any of our student populations, must know who they are and monitor the indicators showing they are persisting or catch the warning signs they are struggling
Identification
Recruitment - partnerships with Admissions
Application – check the box
Data integration with Institutional Research
Dashboards
Federal regulations
Divisional motto of recruit-retain-graduate-career
Retention efforts key part of this
Usage of resources we KNOW increase retention – Think Tank etc
Engagement in Career Services and now 100% engagement initiative
Specialized retention program
JT & CN
Strategies for Institutional Success
Building community understanding of student veteran population
-Faculty/staff training video with OIE
-what they need to know, how bet to connect, VA psychologists experience working with vets, etc
Wide variety of community partnerships to vets get support from inside campus and within greater Tucson/Southern AZ area
Responding to survey data
2014: 71% of student veterans responded that off campus veterans’ services referrals were important -- leading to creation of Southern Arizona Military/Veteran Coalition with presence in VETS Center, spring 2015
Discussion – what are strategies utilized at other institutions?
MV
Lead discussion: what are envisioning for the future? Emerging trends? What do you see in your institution as the next big thing?
