The college shall establish a policy to
support the success of veterans and service members.
Background:
Division (B). f
Ohio Revised Code
section 3345.421 of the Revised
Code
(B)
is
designed to assure Ohio's colleges and universities support the success of
veterans and service members. As components of the bill it requires
institutions to designate at least one person employed by the institution to
serve as the contact person for veterans and service member affairs; allow for
the establishment of a student-led group on campus for student service members
and veterans; integrate and enhance career services for service members and
veterans; survey student service members and veterans to identify their needs
and challenges; establish an appeals procedure for students who are veterans or
service members for resolving disputes regarding the awarding of college credit
for military experience; provide veterans and service members with priority for
course registration; and ensure a student who is a veteran or a service member
is not charged any fee for the evaluation of, transcription of, or application
for college credit for military experience.
This procedure will continue to
reinforce Terra's enduring commitment to veterans and service members, as shown
by the completion of the veterans service center, its membership in the service
members opportunity colleges, and its support of Ohio's GI
promise.
Valuing our veterans policy
procedure
Terra state community college seeks to
assist service members and veterans as they pursue degrees and/or certificates.
The purpose of this procedure is to set forth the support and assistance Terra
state community college will provide to service members and
veterans.
(A)
Use standardized definitions for "service member" and
"veteran"
(1)
"Service member" means any person who is serving in the
armed forces of the United States of America.
(2)
"Veteran" means
any person who has completed service in the armed forces. including the
national guard of any state or a reserve component of the armed forces, and who
has been discharged under honorable conditions from the armed forces or who has
been transferred to the reserve with evidence of satisfactory
service.
(B)
Create "safe zones" for service members and
veterans
(1)
Maintain the Terra state veterans' center. established
November 2012, as a service member arid veteran student services
office
(2)
Provide a GEN 1000 first-year seminar course every term
specifically for service members and veterans
(3)
Work with the
Ohio board of-regents (OBR) to develop a veteran-friendly campus that increases
the opportunity for service members and veterans to succeed
academically
(4)
Recognize the service of service members and veterans
at various events such as graduation, community service awards, honors awards,
and an appreciation day
(5)
Empower those working directly with service members and
veterans to provide services designed to promote educational
achievement
(6)
Allow for the establishment of a student-led group on
campus for student service members and veterans, and encourage other service
member- and veteran-friendly organizations
(C)
Refer service
members and veterans to proper local, state and/or federal agencies in the
event Terra state community college believes that the service member or veteran
is eligible for services
(1)
Work with other Ohio institutions of higher education
to disseminate and share promising practices for serving service members and
veterans effectively
(2)
Promote veteran-friendly campuses by utilizing the
OBR's structure to disseminate and share promising practices statewide for
serving service members and veterans effectively
(3)
Continue to work
with the legislature, workforce, and higher education community to identify and
develop statewide policies to ensure the transition to higher education is
seamless for all students, including service members and veterans. (This may
include, but is not limited to, issues such as transfer, credit for prior
learning and/or experience, career ladders, support services,
etc.)
(4)
Develop a clear outreach strategy to communicate with
eligible persons about educational and training benefits to encourage the use
of GI Bill benefits, as well as services and assistance offered by the
institution
(5)
Ensure the campus community is aware of benefits
associated with the new post 9/11 GI bill and through our campus veterans'
office and veteran coordinator(s) to actively find ways to connect returning
service members and veterans with the services offered by the U.S. department
of veterans affairs
(6)
Provide training, in partnership with U.S. Department
of Veterans Affairs, in the proper certification methods for certifying
officials on each campus
(D)
Maintain access
and success for service members and veterans in postsecondary education and
training, while improving transition to civilian work
(1)
Provide a student
who is either a veteran or a service member with priority for course
registration
(2)
Provide an appeals procedure for students who are
veterans or service members for resolving disputes regarding the awarding of
college credit for military experience
(3)
Ensure that
appropriate equivalent credit is awarded for military training, experience, and
coursework that meet the standards developed by the chancellor. The college
shall not charge a student who is a veteran or a service member any fee for the
evaluation of, transcription of, or application for college credit for military
experience
(4)
Encourage use of an online tool for exploring careers,
searching programs in Ohio, and providing consumer reporting information on
earnings and employment outcomes for each program. This website should include
special information targeted to service members and veterans regarding
shortening the time to receive a credential or degree through:
(a)
Expanding credit
for prior learning
(b)
Articulation and transfer agreements
(d)
Applied baccalaureate degrees
(5)
Integrate existing career services to create and
encourage meaningful collaborative relationships between student service
members and veterans and alumni of the institution, which links student service
members and veterans with prospective employers, and that provides student
service members and veterans with social opportunities; and encourages the
responsible office to seek and promote partnership opportunities for
internships and employment of student service members and veterans with state,
local, national, and international employers.
(E)
Assure quality
services
(1)
Regularly evaluate institutional policies and procedures that create barriers
to service member and veteran success
(2)
Train appropriate
faculty and staff to increase awareness of the mindset and unique needs of
service members and veterans returning from deployment
(3)
Survey student
service members and veterans to identify their needs and challenges and make
the survey available to faculty and staff at the state institution of higher
education. Annually conduct follow-up surveys to gauge the institution's
progress toward meeting identified needs and challenges.
Contacts (subject to change without
resubmittal of procedure)
The following individual(s) have been
appointed by the president to handle inquiries regarding this
procedure:
|
Joyce Spencer, Student Success
Mentor-Veteran Students
|
Eric Steinberger,
Registrar
|
|
Certifying
Official
|
HB488 Designated Contact
Person
|
|
Office Location:
A100
|
Office Location:
A200
|
|
Phone: (419)
559-2348
|
Phone: (419)
559-2228
|
|
Email:
jspencer@terra.edu
|
Email:
esteinberger@terra.edu
|
Updated: 10/02/2014
Next Review: 06/30/2015
