Vermont Business Magazine Representatives from the Vermont State Colleges, the University of Vermont, and the Vermont Office of Veterans Affairs have announced a new education benefit for veterans and military-connected students. As of July 1, all veterans qualify for in-state tuition rates regardless of their residency status. This benefit will remove a barrier to higher education for veterans.
Jeb Spaulding, Chancellor of the Vermont State Colleges, praised the new policy Monday at the Montpelier campus of the Community College of Vermont. "We are indebted to our nation’s veterans and are pleased to offer in-state tuition rates to all who come to the Vermont State Colleges to further their education."
The new policy aligns with the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014, which included a provision mandating that all public institutions of higher education provide the in-state tuition benefit to veterans. The new benefit is available at any college in the VSC and at the University of Vermont, and applies to:
• Any member of the armed services who is transferred to Vermont will be considered a resident for in-state tuition purposes in accordance with the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014. • Any veteran who lives in Vermont (regardless of formal state of residence) and enrolls in a member college within three years of discharge from a period of active duty service of ninety days or more. • Anyone using a veteran’s transferred benefits who lives in Vermont and enrolls in a member college within three years of the transfer or veteran’s discharge from a period of active duty service of ninety days or more. • The benefit also expands the Sgt. Fry Scholarship Program to provide full Post 9/11 G.I. Bill benefits to spouses of servicemembers who died in the line of duty after 9/11.
Community College of Vermont President Joyce Judy said, “We know that a post-secondary credential is one of the best routes to a good job. We recognize that military connected students bring a wealth of strengths as well as unique challenges to the college environment. The VSC welcomes you and stands ready to support you as you earn your degree."
Many members of the military have had lives interrupted by deployments or frequent moves, and by the time they transition they are "stateless" for purposes of education benefits. Veterans and military-connected students facing out-of-state tuition rates often have to cover these higher costs with loans, increasing the cost of their education.
Nationally, over 5 million post 9/11 servicemembers are expected to transition out of the military by 2020. Vermont is already home to nearly 49,000 veterans. While the number of veterans who have some college experience compares similarly to the general population, their degree or credential completion rates are lower, according to the Veterans Administration.
Source: VSC 6.29.2015