NEW INITIATIVES FOR VETERANS AT THE U OF M
From the Director of One Stop Student Services
Greetings, Veterans!
This past year, One Stop Student Services at the University of Minnesota has been working on several new initiatives that aim to improve services for student veterans. I believe we’ve taken some positive steps, and I’m excited to share the work that’s been accomplished to date. Below I have highlighted three of our new veterans initiatives.
- We have created a training program for University faculty and staff on how to assist veterans in their transition from military to college life. We have hosted two training workshops, the first in November 2006 and the second in March 2007.
- We assembled a Veterans Advisory Committee on campus to obtain feedback from student veterans on issues critical to their academic success and well-being.
This new committee is charged with facilitating dialog between departments that directly affect the academic success and well-being of University of Minnesota veterans and their families. The committee will work to create awareness of the issues faced by veterans, to develop programs to support veterans and military families on campus, and to offer a forum for student veterans to provide feedback. This committee will help serve student veterans, increase retention of student veterans at the University, and help them obtain their degrees.
The committee has held two meetings, the first on March 7 and the second on April 19. You can find more information, including a list of committee members and their contact information, as well as recent meeting minutes, online.
- We surveyed currently-enrolled and former student veterans on their University experience.
The first annual One Stop Student Services Veterans’ Survey was completed in November 2006. The survey was sent to veterans that were enrolled during fall 2006 and veterans who were enrolled during spring 2006 but who didn’t return in the fall. Over 53% of student veterans enrolled during fall 2006 returned the survey, and 30% who were enrolled during spring 2006 completed the survey.
I am pleased to announce the responses were very positive in terms of your experiences transitioning from the military to the University of Minnesota, including experiences with the treatment and services, the resources that were utilized on and off campus, and the experience with the University of Minnesota Veterans Certification Office. In addition, you provided excellent feedback on what additional services you would like to see offered on campus, as well as how the University could improve your student experience.
“Overall, I was very pleased with my time at the U of M” and “Doing a great job – no recommendations” are just two of many comments received from veterans regarding their level of satisfaction. You also raised a number of concerns, and some themes and suggestions emerged throughout the survey, including:
- Create a specialized orientation for freshman and transfer veterans
- Learning assistance is needed for those returning from deployment
- Have veteran advisers available for academic counseling
- Create a guide, workshop or forum on what student veterans need to do in order to receive benefits
- Faculty members need to be flexible with deploying or deployed soldiers
- Accept college credits for military experience
- Decrease the delay in receiving benefits
- Need assistance with transitioning from soldier to student
- Create a One Stop veterans office handling all the needs of veterans
- Make University discounts available for veterans – parking, bus card, etc.
- Create a recognition or appreciation day for veterans
I’m currently working with the University of Minnesota Veterans Advisory Committee to address your concerns. I will provide the status of our progress in a future communication.
You can view the survey results online.
I hope this information has been helpful. We will continue to do our best to offer the veterans services the University community needs. If you have additional comments or suggestions for improvement, please send your ideas to us at veterans@umn.edu
Thank you from everyone at One Stop Student Services!
Mary Koskan
Director
One Stop Student Services
Academic Support Resources
612-625-0160
m-kosk@umn.edu
The Veterans Resource Center welcomes Duane Bauer, II
The Veterans Resource Center, located in room 212 Fraser Hall (One Stop) is the recipient of a recent staff addition from the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MNDVA).
The Veterans Resource Center welcomes Duane Bauer, II, a new MNDVA Veterans Higher Education Coordinator who will assist veterans on campus and provide one-on-one conversations about benefits and other issues for veterans. Duane is a veteran of the U.S. Army and Army Reserve who served during the Panama Conflict and the Gulf War. He has also served in various assignments including the Military District of Washington (Washington, D.C.), Seoul South Korea, and several others. Duane has a B.E.S. in Sociology and previously worked as a Life and Health insurance agent, as well as a labor organizer.
Feel free to stop into the Veterans Resource Office, room 212 Fraser Hall, or contact him at 612-625-7620 or bauer333@umn.edu for assistance in the development of your higher education plans.
Comfort for Courage (C4C), a student-led nonprofit veterans support group, exists to build awareness and a sense of community for all veterans on campus. C4C runs the Veterans Transition Center (VTC), which provides a place on campus for veterans to meet, relax, and have a good time. Whether you are about to graduate or are just starting your college experience, the VTC is a great place to relax, share stories, meet other veterans, play board games and card games, or watch a movie (there's a couch & TV/DVD player). There is FREE pizza and pop available every Friday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and breakfast on Mondays starting around 8am. If you are interested in becoming involved with C4C, would like additional information about the VTC, or just want to receive news about social events, e-mail C4C@umn.edu to be added to the e-mail list.
Veterans Transition Center
15 Eddy Hall
192 Pillsbury Drive SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
C4C@umn.edu
Comfort for Courage is launching a new Veterans Mentorship Program, which will match student veterans with veterans who are currently working in the civilian professional world. A relationship with a mentor provides a learning experience
for students outside the classroom where they can experience opportunities
in the "real world" (civilian style). Mentoring relationships are intended:
- to be professional in nature and to help students make the transition from
an academic environment to the civilian working world;
-
to help motivate students
to succeed in the transition from the military to college;
-
to offer an
opportunity for professional development, networking and an exchange of
ideas between experienced professionals and the next generation of leaders.
The Veterans Mentorship Program was created to provide these kinds of mentorship opportunities for student veterans.
The mentorship program also needs a network of veterans willing to mentor a
student veteran one-on-one. Mentors are preferably veterans who are currently
employed and who have transitioned from active duty military to college and
on to the professional world. Please contact Aaron Ledebuhr at lede0031@umn.edu to
learn more about this program and to get involved.
Effective April 23, 2007, the University of Minnesota has implemented a policy to waive or not charge an application fee to active duty military service members deployed overseas. The change includes all University of Minnesota campuses. The rationale for the change in policy is that active duty service members deployed overseas frequently have problems with sending an application fee because of difficulty in transmitting funds internationally, cash flow issues and/or unavailable educational benefits. Some service members have tried to work around this issue by having loved ones or other surrogates provide the funds, but this can delay the admissions process. The application fee can serve as an impediment to the application and subsequent timely admission and registration of the deployed active duty service members. The waiver will streamline the application fee process for this group of students.
To take advantage of the application fee waiver, students will need to identify themselves as active duty military service members to the Admissions Office and provide copies of their deployment papers. We will highlight this new change on the Admissions application, Office of Admissions website, and our One Stop Veterans Web page.
Billing and Payment Due
Dates for May/Summer 2007
Please note: If you have difficulty meeting these
billing due dates because you have not received your veterans benefits,
please contact the Veterans Certification Office at 612-625-8076 or
veterans@umn.edu.
You will not be charged late fees if your late
payment is caused by delays in your certification that exceed the
V.A.'s anticipated 10-12 week processing time.
|
Billing
date |
Minimum
due |
Due
date |
| May session and summer 2007 |
June 9 |
100% |
July 4 |
| Summer 2007 |
July 7 |
100% |
August 1 |
| Summer 2007 |
August 4 |
100% |
August 22 |
There is no installment plan in the summer. All bills are due in full.
Reminders
from the U of M
Veterans Certification Office
Report changes in credit load: If
you change your enrollment status (determined by the number of credits
you carry), you must notify the Veterans Certification Office at
612-625-8076 or veterans@umn.edu.
Enrollment changes must be reported to the Department of Veterans
Affairs (V.A.) to avoid
delays in your V.A. Educational Benefits.
When you e-mail: Please remember to include your full name and student
ID number when you e-mail veterans@umn.edu with questions or
concerns
regarding your certification. We can only respond to inquiries sent
from your University of Minnesota e-mail account.
Summer certification
If you will be taking classes for the May 2007 or summer 2007 term and would like to be certified for V.A. educational benefits, please send an email to veterans@umn.edu from your University assigned e-mail account.
In the email, please specify the term and the specific dates in which you will be enrolled in classes. Please include your name, student ID number, and a telephone number where you can be reached. The Veterans Certification Office will send you a confirmation e-mail when your certification has been submitted to the V.A.
Fall 2007 and Spring 2008 certification
If you are planning to attend the University of Minnesota in the fall 2007 and spring 2008 terms, and you would like to receive V.A. educational benefits, please complete a University of Minnesota Veterans Enrollment Certificate available online or at One Stop Student Services in 200 Fraser Hall.
The completed forms will be accepted at the Veterans Certification Office in 200 Fraser Hall after May 1st. The Veterans Certification Office will be processing the certifications and submitting them to the V.A. starting in July. Please turn this form in early to avoid delays in your benefits.
Veterans Certification Office location
The Veterans Certification Office will be moving just a few feet to a much more convenenient location. When you enter the One Stop in 200 Fraser Hall, look for the signs--the office will be directly to your left. With the new location, you won't have to wait in the One Stop line to speak with Carin; just go straight to the Veterans Certification Office.
Dates and Deadlines:
Summer 2007
April 17
—May/Summer 2007 registration began for non-admitted students
May 4
—Fall 2007 registration begins for non-admitted students
May 21
—May session begins
May 28
—Holiday; University closed
June 8
—May session ends
June 11
—Summer session begins
July 4
—Holiday; University closed
August 3
—Summer session ends (most classes)
