Concerns about VA "Principles of Excellence" Raised at Senate Hearing

Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) raised questions about the Department of Veterans Affairs' request for colleges to endorse an ill-defined set of "principles of excellence" during a June 13 hearing of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.  The principles were set forth in Executive Order 13607 (see June 12 NAICU Washington Update story).

Burr said he had heard concerns from a number of North Carolina institutions about being asked to commit by June 30 to undertake activities that have not yet been defined.  He also noted that the problems with the tight deadline were compounded by technical difficulties that prevented many schools from participating in the webinars that were intended to provide more specific information.

He asked VA officials at the hearing if colleges could agree to the principles after the June 30 deadline, and was told that they could.  The officials went on to offer a somewhat awkward explanation that June 30 is the deadline for institutions to register their "intent" to comply, but that full compliance wouldn't be expected until the end of the 2012-13 academic year.  They said the VA will not know "for some time" exactly how they will implement the policy, and that the "devil is in the details."  Institutions that agreed to the principles would be listed on the VA's GI Bill website, they noted.

Burr concluded by urging the VA to consider extending the June 30 deadline.