Veteran Orientation

1. Veteran Orientation E9(ret)Robert Cavan Coordinator, Veterans Services

2. Welcome to Estrella Mountain Community College • Thank you for your service. • Veteran students bring great diversity, knowledge, and experience to our campus. • EMCC is committed to providing our veterans with exceptional and timely service.

3. Learning Objectives • Request for VA Certification • Program of Study Check sheet • Official Transcripts • Changing Your Program of Study • Non-Punitive Grade “W” • Probation and Disqualification • Veteran Recourses • Getting Involved

4. Request for VA Certification • Certification is completed on a semester by semester basis. • Certification is determined by coursework and program of study. • Non-payment of tuition and fees • Promissory note Certification is not AUTOMATIC

5. Program of Study • All veterans must be enrolled in an approved Program of Study • Academic Advisors Program of Study Check Sheet

6. Official Transcripts • Request official transcripts from ALL former colleges/universities. • EMCC must receive ALL official transcripts prior to the end of a student’s second semester at EMCC. • Failure to request transcripts will result in loss of certification eligibility.

7. Changing Your Program of Study • Meet with “your” academic advisor • New program of study Checksheet • 22-1995 “Request of Change of Program or Place of Training

8. Withdrawals Non-Punitive Grade of “W” • “W”s are SUBJECT TO AN OVERPAYMENT • Overpayment can include tuition and fees and housing allowance. • Mitigating circumstances (accident, illness, relocation, military deployment etc.) • Submit supporting documentation to VA using the VA form 21-4138 “Statement of Support Claim”. • Veterans who also receive federal or state financial aid are subject to additional eligibility guidelines and regulations.

9. 6-Credit Hours Exclusion • VA automatically grants mitigating circumstances for up to 6 credit. • The exclusion is a one time grant made the first time mitigating circumstances occur. • If a student withdraws from 3-credit hours the one time exclusion applies.

10. Courses and Grades • Acceptable grades: A, B, C, D, and P (Pass) • Failed courses and /or courses requiring a “C” grade or better may be repeated a maximum of 3 times. • Incompletes must be made up within a time period of a year (speak to your instructor). • Audited courses are not authorized for pay. • “F”s will be reported to the Department of VA and may result in an overpayment.

11. Veteran/Dependent Resources • Career and Transfer Center • CPD 150 Cohort Class/Workshops • Disability Resource Center • Department of Veterans GI Bill: www.gibill.va.gov • www.newgibill.org/post_911_gi_bill • www.estrellamountain.edu/student/veterans-services • AZ Vet Center Readjustment Counseling Services: www.vetcenter.va.gov

12. Veteran Club • Veteran Club Faculty Advisor: Eugene Holloway, Co-Advisor, Robert Cavan • Veteran Club Events • Annual Veteran’s Day Celebration • Annual Scholarship Raffle • Toys for Tots • Tribute 10 year Anniversary Sept 11, 2001 • Feeding homeless veterans • Collaboration with PTK, MOCA, Asian, Native American Clubs

13. Advising Veteran Students Presented by Michael Burtch South Mountain Community College

14. Initial Meeting • Comfort • Small Talk • Ask What Branch • Ask about duty stations • Ask where they trained or places they have been

15. Veteran Checklist-Transcripts • Request military transcripts-DD214 (at SMCC, we have student fill out paper and request them ourselves) • Request transcripts from other schools attended

16. Veteran Checklist-Advisement • Student Information form, Prop 300, testing-if necessary • Talk about plan of study (transfer degree, Associate of Applied Science, Certificate of Completion) • Start to develop Education Plan

17. Checklist-Cont’d • Deferment Paperwork (tuition and books in most cases) (each campus does deferments different) • Go over Veteran Services on campus and off; Veteran Club on campus?

18. On Your Campus • Veterans Orientation? • College Success Course (CPD 150 or AAA 115) for Veterans? • Class Sections for Veterans?

19. Get to Know your Veteran Students • Listen to them-talk about service or life since service • Are there points of common ground such as: • You have relatives who served • You’re a military brat • You served • You lived where they were stationed

20. Develop Trust • Do what you say you will do for everyone, but especially with Veterans • Check up on them • Go the extra mile for them-do as much in Advisement as possible • Listen and share

21. Discussion • How can we better recruit Veteran Students?

22. Disability Resources and Services at EMCC Serving Veterans with Disabilities Ramona Santiesteban

23. Trends in DRS • Increase in number of Veterans with disabilities attending college EMCC has 602 veterans on campus and only 11 are getting services from DRS • Concern: Veterans not willing to disclose disability. • Concern: Veterans are not aware of their rights as individuals with disabilities and what services and accommodations are available to them which can help them be successful in college.

24. Solutions • 2009-2010- DRS Division Improvement Plan • Goal=Build a stronger partnership with Veteran Services by attending all new Veteran’s orientations. • Began collaboration with new Veteran’s Coordinator, Robert Cavan • Manager of DRS taught a CPD 150 course for Veterans only in Fall 2010. • DRS employed two veterans as front line service providers

25. Outcomes • Currently only 11 Veterans are receiving accommodations and services from DRS • 8 out of the 10 Veterans in CPD 150 course come for regular advisement and counseling from Manager of DRS one year later

26. Question for audience • Given the DRS efforts to increase awareness to Veterans regarding DRS services the number of Veterans receiving services are still significantly low. • Question: 1.What can be done to increase awareness and the number of Veterans receiving DRS services and accommodations on your campuses?

27. Counseling Veteran Students Gene Holloway, EMCC Counselor

28. Counseling Services *CPD Instruction *Personal Counseling *Career Assessment & Personal Development *Educational Planning *Crisis Counseling

29. Enrollment 2009 Fall Semester Current Enrollment Fall 2011 424 VA certified students Tracking of Data (Persistence, Completion, Graduation) 2 Veteran Surveys Collaborative Veteran Services Committee (CVSC) • Nearly 400 enrolled by the 45th day of the semester • One-Stop Veteran Services Proposal

30. Fall 2011 EMCC Veteran Survey Response Summary Improvements “I would like to see the campus show more compassion and concern for Veterans.” 9/7/2011 4:39 PM “All available resources to veterans with help for paying for school besides the FAFSA. When our GI Bill is gone, what do veterans have for financial funding to help pay for college?” 9/1/2011 12:39 AM • Making the Best of VA Educational Benefits (73.1% 38/52) • Morning 9AM-11AM (48.1% 25/52) • Tuesday (53.8% 28/52) • Lunch Discussion Session (Yes 75.0% 39/52)

31. Acknowledging & Addressing Needs • PTSD/Physical Impairments/Learning Disabilities • College Transitional Support • Gainful Employment • Connectivity to Institution

32. CVSC • Counseling Faculty-Gene • Manager of Veteran Services-Robert • Disability Resources and Services-Ramona • Advisement-Eva • Career Services-Izelle

33. From Community to Community The Power of Community • Army • Marines • Navy • Air Force • Coast Guard • National Guard

34. Building Our Community Communal Approach Assistance • Veteran One-Stop enrollment Services • Advisement • Counseling Services • Disability Resources • Career Services • Faculty (Developmental Ed) • LEC (Learning Enhancement & Writing Center) • NASA Center for Success in Math & Science

35. Success Stories Jocelyn • Retired Navy Veteran (E8) Megan • Current Corporal Marines Reserves