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Henry B. Villareal, Ed.D. Dean, Enrollment Services College of San Mateo Jasmine Ruys

Serving Those Who Served: America’s OIF & OEF Veterans Community College League of California November 19, 2010. Henry B. Villareal, Ed.D. Dean, Enrollment Services College of San Mateo Jasmine Ruys Director of Admissions and Records and Online Services College of the Canyons. Overview.

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Henry B. Villareal, Ed.D. Dean, Enrollment Services College of San Mateo Jasmine Ruys

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  1. Serving Those Who Served:America’s OIF & OEF VeteransCommunity College League of CaliforniaNovember 19, 2010 Henry B. Villareal, Ed.D. Dean, Enrollment Services College of San Mateo Jasmine Ruys Director of Admissions and Records and Online Services College of the Canyons

  2. Overview • White House Summit on Community Colleges CA Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Veterans’ Video • Veterans by the Numbers • Veterans and Community Colleges • Veterans Unique Needs/Transitional Issues • mTBI/PTSD • Some Best Practices for Serving Those Who Served

  3. White House Summit on Community CollegesCalifornia Community Colleges Chancellor’s OfficeVeterans VideoOctober 5, 2010

  4. Veterans by the Numbers Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans • Of the 697,000 Gulf War veterans, 53% are receiving compensation for service-connected disabilities1 • Over 2 million men and women deployed between 9/11/01 and 6/30/09 with 793,000 deployed more than once2 • 20% of Iraqi and Afghanistan war veterans will experience mental health issues such as PTSD and TBI3 • June 2010 unemployment rate among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is 12.5% compared to 9.5% national unemployment rate 4 • National unemployment rate for veterans in the age range 18 - 24 is 21.1% 4 and in California the rate is 25.6% 5 • More than 100,000 veterans are homeless and up to half a million have characteristics that put them in danger of homelessness6 Source: 1 US News and World Report 2 Federal Times, December 20, 2009 3 Bloomsberg Businessweek, June 1, 2010 4 Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (iava.org) and Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nro.htm) 5 San Gabriel Valley Tribune, November 13, 2010 6 National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (nchv.org/background.cfm)

  5. Veterans by the Numbers California Community College Enrollment • 2008-2009: 22,000 veterans enrolled in community colleges • 2009-2010: over 26,600 veterans utilized education benefits • Also in 2009, more than 8,000 active military were enrolled • 2010-2011 it is expected that 34,000 veterans will be enrolled in California’s higher education institutions with approximately 80 percent enrolling in community colleges Source: California Community College Chancellor’s Office Veterans Video and Website

  6. Veterans by the Numbers College of San Mateo • From 2008- 2010 veteran certification increased by 163% largely due to the Post 9/11 GI Bill • Fall 2010: 300 veterans, reservists and dependents enrolled • Fall 2010: 189 veterans receiving GI Bill benefits • Fall 2011, 2012, …???

  7. Veterans by the Numbers College of the Canyons • From 2008- 2010 veteran certification increased by 374% largely due to the Post 9/11 GI Bill (from 98 student to 465 students) • Fall 2010: 465 veterans, reservists and dependents receive benefits • Fall 2010: over $220k in fees were paid using the 9/11 GI Bill veterans. • Fall 2011, 2012, …???

  8. Military Veterans and Community Colleges Why Community Colleges? • Open access • Affordable • Personalized services • Small class size • Remediation • First generation college student • Ineligible to four-year colleges and universities • GI Bill benefits

  9. Post 9/11 GI BILL Eligibility • Served at least 90 days of active duty • 36 months of benefits • Eligible for 15 years after discharge date Benefits Include: • Tuition and fees • Book allowance • Monthly housing allowance

  10. Veterans and Their Unique Needs At College… • Process/paperwork perceived as complex • Too many time conflicts/demands on time • Lack of funds; Benefits slow to arrive • Motivating beyond collecting on GI Bill • Difficult relating to and connecting with traditional college students • Trivialized view of campus life • Relearning study skills • First Generation college student

  11. Veterans and Their Unique Needs …and within the classroom • Sitting next to door • Loud noises can be disturbing • Items on the floor • Frustration/alienation from peers • Frustration with faculty

  12. mTBI and PTSD Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) • Injury to the brain caused by an external physical force • Injury causes diminished or altered state of consciousness • Results in problems with physical, cognitive, behavioral, and/or emotional functioning. • mTBI most prevalent type of TBI • Invisible injury (Walking wounded) • Strongly associated with PTSD and health problems occurring 3 to 4 months after returning home • Military Health System 2003-2007 diagnosed 43,779 with TBI

  13. mTBI and PTSD Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) • Person has been exposed to a traumatic life threatening event • Response to the threat involved intense fear, helplessness, or horror • Military Health System 2003-2007 diagnosed 39,365 with PTSD

  14. Comparison of Symptoms: Mild TBI and PTSD Post Concussion Syndrome (PCS/mTBI) Post Traumatic Stress Disorder • Depression • Irritability • Fatigue • Headaches • Visual disturbances • Memory loss • Poor attention/concentration • Sleep disturbances • Dizziness/loss of balance • Getting lost or confused • Depression • Irritability • Anxiety • Alienation • Hyper vigilance • Easily aroused, difficult to calm down • Difficult sleeping/concentrating • Interpret ambiguous situations as threatening

  15. Best PracticesCreating a Welcoming Environment Identifying and Removing Institutional Barriers • Lack of integrated services • Institutional policies • Military course credit not accepted • Insensitive faculty and staff regarding veterans’ issues • Disciplinary Sanctions • Counselors not available for individual appointments • Physical barriers • Other barriers….

  16. Best PracticesCreating a Welcoming Environment Network of Support • Institutional Partnerships • Financial aid liaison • Dedicated counselor for veterans • Psychological counseling • Disabled Student Programs and Services Liaison • Admissions and Records/Veterans Services • Two certifying officials

  17. Best PracticesCreating a Welcoming Environment Network of Support • Institutional Services • Waive physical education requirement • Grant six units of academic credit for military service • Priority registration • Office of Public Safety (campus security) • Group orientation sessions • Information packet for veterans seeking GI Bill certification

  18. Best PracticesCreating a Welcoming Environment Network of Support • Institutional/Personalized Services • On-going support: certifying officials, Veterans Alliance Advisor, faculty and staff • Veterans emergency loan program • Welcome Home Scholarship • Veterans email distribution list • Veterans website • Veterans Student Alliance • Welcoming message on college website • Flying of the POW-MIA Flag on campus • Veterans Day Flag Raising Ceremony

  19. Best PracticesCreating a Welcoming Environment • Institutional/Personalized Services • College of San Mateo Welcoming Message Welcome home and thank you for your service! College of San Mateo staff are available to assist you with achieving your educational goals, securing your GI Bill benefits and providing you referrals to organizations dedicated to assisting veterans. To reach a certifying official for veterans’ benefits, please call (650) 358-6856. For more information about CSM Veteran Services, visit our website at http://collegeofsanmateo.edu/veterans/.

  20. Veterans Information

  21. POW Flag

  22. Veterans Day Flag Raising CeremonyCollege of San Mateo, November 11, 2010

  23. Best PracticesCreating a Welcoming Environment Community Partnerships • Veterans Hospital – Menlo Park • Veterans Resource Center – Redwood City • County Veterans Services Officer – San Carlos • VA Health Clinic – San Bruno • Stanford Vets Connect Program • The Honorable Jackie Speier’s Office • Employment Development Department – San Mateo • East Bay Collaborative – Alameda • Local Reserve Units – Moffett Field

  24. Best PracticesCreating a Welcoming Environment • Assessment • Veterans Student Satisfaction Survey • Student Learning Outcomes for veterans • Number of veterans applying for financial aid • Effectiveness of PTSD/TBI training for faculty and staff • Student Success

  25. Best Practices Evolving Programs and Services - College of San Mateo • Psychological Counseling for veterans families - Spring 2011 • Transition to College Course – Fall 2011 • PTSD/TBI Awareness training for faculty and staff: • Zellerbach Family Grant, “Welcome Home: Creating a Campus Community of Wellness for Returning Veterans” • Veteran’s Resource Center – Fall 2011 • High Tech Center Training Unit Affiliate Participant • Program Services Coordinator • VA Work Study Students

  26. Best Practices Evolving Programs and Services - College of the Canyons • Opened a new Veteran/Reentry Center • Collaboration with Student Business Office • Military Club • Presentations for VA students, staff, and faculty • Hire VA Works Study Students • Collaboration with CWEE, Career Center, Job Developer, and Work Source • Presence at all VA Events within the community • Liaison with the Van Nuys VA Office • VA Mental health Professional visits to campus. • Work closely with our Congressman, Buck McKeon. • Grants

  27. Other Best Practices • Veterans Education Team Support (VETS) UC Santa Cruz peer mentor program http://stars.ucsc.edu/veteran.php • Boots to Books Citrus College, College success class addressing transitional issues http://www.bootstobooks.org • “Peaceful Warrior” Physical fitness and wellness program Andre Sims, Sierra College asims@sierracollege.edu • Veteran Resource Center Project Grant Program funded by Chancellor’s Office of the California Community College System Gaeir Dietrich, gdietrich@htctu.net

  28. Q&A Contact Information: • Henry.Villareal@smccd.edu • Jasmine.Ruys@canyons.edu

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