Guidance on Serving Returning Veterans in Higher Education

League members receive a 20 percent discount on registration fees for the online video seminar, “The Returning Veterans” on July 15, produced by Magna Publications. During the video seminar, W. Scott Lewis and Brett Sokolow of the National Center for Higher Education Risk Management will offer recommendations for preparing for and working with this student population.

Lewis and Sokolow will describe this increasingly large (more than 800,000, as of last summer) population of students and their physical and emotional roadblocks. A recent survey found that nearly half of recent veterans are un- or underemployed; another study found that about a third have head injuries, mental health issues, or both.

Legislation that is currently under discussion in Washington may increase education benefits for veterans, which currently cover about half of the national average cost for tuition, room, and board.

According to Lewis, “Historically, institutions of higher education have been reactive to these situations instead of proactive. This will not suffice in today’s fiscal and assessment-driven situation. Higher education should aim to be ahead of the curve.” In particular, the following questions need to be addressed:

• Do you have adequate Veterans Affairs staff?
• Are your Disability Support Services staff able to handle increased demands?
• Do you offer 24-hour Mental Health Support Services?
• Are your facilities and housing staff prepared to serve older, married students who may have children?
• Do you have a Behavior Intervention Team that can respond to important issues?

For registration information, go to http://www.magnapubs.com/partner_resources/league.html/.