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Military Benefits/GI Bill/ROTC/Veterans
Proposed legislation, to be introduced tomorrow by Senate Democratic leaders, would require for-profit colleges to get no more than 85 percent of their revenue from federal programs, according to a summary from the office of Illinois Senator Richard Durbin, a co-sponsor. Colleges now can receive as much as 90 percent. They would lose federal funding for exceeding the cap for one year, instead of the current three. Colleges solicit the military because their government tuition programs are excluded from the cap on federal money, said Senate education committee Chairman Tom Harkin, the other sponsor.
Classes designed exclusively for veterans have reached many campuses since they first emerged a few years ago. But while some colleges are still jumping on board with the idea, others have had varying levels of success - and a few of the programs haven't survived. Given the issues, some of the key stakeholders, even those who have taken all- and majority-veteran classes, question whether veterans-only courses are the best way to use these programs' already limited resources.
Catharine Hill, president, Vassar College, writes: As the U.S. military presence in Iraq draws to a close, it's time for colleges and universities to increase their commitment to veterans who want more education. Selective private colleges in particular must step up and do our part. With more than two million veterans currently eligible for GI Bill tuition benefits, and even more expected to be added to this number over the coming years, there must be plenty of veterans for whom our institutions would indeed be a good option.
Though recent cuts to the GI Bill have limited their academic options, returning troops are finding ways to offset the exorbitant costs of an Ivy League education. Up until January, the revamped GI Bill paid for the full tuition at public two- and four-year schools for those who had served for a minimum of three years since Sept. 11, 2001. But recent cuts to that program capped tuition at $17,500, threatening to take away the opportunity to study in the hallowed halls of prestigious institutions, like Columbia University.
Bowing to pressure from members of Congress and colleges, the Defense Department has agreed to postpone its January 1 deadline for institutions to sign a controversial new memorandum of understanding in order to remain eligible to receive military tuition assistance. The 90-day extension gives colleges and the department more time to negotiate changes in the document, which the department has said is intended to improve educational outcomes for service members and better safeguard taxpayer dollars.
Tens of thousands of American troops are coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan, and finding out just how tough it is to get a job right now. So, thanks to the GI Bill, many are going to school instead -- and not just any school -- the Ivy League sometimes comes calling, recruiting veterans. "Early Show" contributor Taryn Winter Brill recently met a group of Marines who are now part of the Ivy League at Columbia University in New York City.
The Department of Defense has announced a delay until March 30, 2012, for implementation of new requirements for participation in its Tuition Assistance program, originally set to become effective January 1. Many institutions have been reluctant to sign the new agreement, given that some of its terms are inconsistent with their academic practices - particularly regarding decisions on the award of academic credit. The delay provides an opportunity to consider ways to resolve these concerns.
According an article posted on the American Council on Education website, 52 senators reached out to the Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta, requesting a delay in the implementation of the Department of Defense's Memorandum of Understanding for schools that wish to participate in the Military Tuition Assistance program. Schools are required to sign the agreement by Jan. 1, 2012 in order to maintain their eligibility to participate. The intent of the MOU is to ensure military students receive a quality education and elimnate opportunities for fraud and abuse.
Senators from both parties have joined the push to get the Defense Department to reconsider its memorandum of understanding for tuition assistance for service members, which many colleges said overstepped the department's authority by interfering with institutional policies on transfer credit and other issues. But making a letter to the Defense Department, signed by more than 50 senators, palatable to Senate Republicans required deleting references that were harshly critical of for-profit colleges.
Propelled by the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which took effect in 2009, 2 million veterans, many of whom served in Iraq and Afghanistan, are eligible for generous benefits that can amount to a full scholarship. As a result, colleges are contending with adjustment problems and serious disorders far different from those for which their staffs have been trained: traumatic brain injury; post-traumatic stress related to combat and often accompanied by depression and substance abuse; and military sexual trauma, as sexual abuse in the service is known.
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