The Post-9/11 GI Bill is the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA's) largest educational program. It provides payments for eligible veterans to cover tuition and fees, housing and other costs while they pursue a higher education. However, for some veterans this pursuit is interrupted when the school they attend unexpectedly closes. This testimony…

Veterans are the unacknowledged permanent ambassadors of national service. How veterans are publicly portrayed directly relates to how society conceptualizes military service, including what happens to an individual during that service. In an all-volunteer force, reputation is key to the attractiveness of joining a profession that can end in death…

The deployment of National Guard and Reserve forces and active duty soldiers has created new veterans of a foreign war. What role should education and educational benefits play in their return to civilian life? Since 1944, GI Bills have financed the college education of a large group of veterans, and have come to be viewed by some as a right--as a…

Education is a central component of Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Centers (MIRECCs) of Veterans Affairs. This paper focuses on the many components of education at the national level. The mission of the MIRECC initiative is to integrate all forms of scientific research and to quickly translate innovative findings and treatments…

Many military veterans struggle with substance abuse, homelessness, physical and emotional disabilities, disappointing work histories, and low income. A vocational rehabilitation program at a Veterans' Administration medical center, designed to help veterans with some of these struggles, is described here. Personnel work within the context of each…

The geography of U.S. higher education changed dramatically with the enactment of the Serviceman's Readjustment Act of 1944, popularly known as the G.I. Bill of Rights (Public Law 346). This discussion shows how the G.I. Bill paved the way for marked changes in terms of where colleges and universities were located and who benefited from higher…

Discussed are the legislative evolution, nature, and impact of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 (the G.I. Bill) on higher education. Influences on this legislation are traced back to Thomas Jefferson, and parallels with other federal legislation are discussed. The specific provisions of the act are treated, and the pervasive impacts of…

States were surveyed to determine the state agencies handling grievances regarding postsecondary educational institutions, the nature and resolution of grievances, and how agencies communicate. The analysis was based on usable returns from 53 individuals representing 38 states. The most frequently mentioned agency handling any postsecondary…

Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Meeting of the Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers that relate to nontraditional education and special programs are summarized. The names and addresses of conference participants are included. (SF)

Issues concerning federally sponsored student financial aid programs are discussed, and an overview is presented on the six student assistance programs included within Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 as amended, plus veterans benefits under the G.I. Bill and education benefits under Social Security (OASDI). Information is presented on…

The problem with the G. I. Bill is that some veterans enroll in school, start collecting their monthly stipends, do not attend classes but keep on collecting. The Veterans Administration is trying to protect federal funds and is trying to stop the cheating, but it may not be doing the right thing. The real problem is seen to be more complex,…

The role of state licensing and approval agencies in providing information to educational consumers prior to their enrollment at an institution was addressed based on a survey of state licensing and approval personnel. Thirty-two states were examined, including officials who were involved in a licensing/approval of degree-granting and proprietary…

Information on the Veterans Educational Assistance Program (GI Bill) and other veterans' educational programs, participation rates, eligibility for educational assistance, and training trends is presented. More persons have trained in college than in any other type of training under the GI Bills; this is followed very closely by noncollege school…

Questions that were the basis for discussion in working parties of a workshop on state postsecondary education institutional authorization and oversight are presented, and comments and strawman answers to stimulate consideration of the questions are included. The questions are as follows: (1) What should be the relationship of state licensing…

The goals of the New York State Department of Education are: (1) to enlarge educational opportunity for the people of the State, (2) to provide the best possible quality in education; and (3) to accomplish those tasks with efficiency, economy, and demonstrable effectiveness. To achieve a society in which each person can realize his potential…