Department of Education Budget to Include Funding for Student-Vets' Centers

This morning, AMVETS received confirmation from Congressional staffers that the FY2010 budget for the Department of Education will included funding for federal grants to colleges and universities to establish student-veterans' "centers of excellence."

Two summers ago, AMVETS worked with Congress to include a provision in the Higher Education Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2008 that would commission the grants, however, actual funding for the grants remained a major question throughout this year's fiscal budget process.

AMVETS National Legislative Director Ray Kelley worked with leaders in the House to include $8 million in funding for student-vets' centers in their version of the bill, but the provision was absent in the original Senate bill.

Once the budget went to conference, both chambers compromised to include $6 million in funding for a pilot program for these student-vets' centers.

AMVETS anticipates that the conference budget should easily pass both the House and Senate, and that President Obama should sign it into law shortly.

Federal funding for student-veterans' "centers of excellence" has been a top priority for AMVETS since the passage of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill. While AMVETS viewed the new G.I. Bill as an integral tool in ensuring student-veterans had an opportunity to go to college, AMVETS believed that student-veterans' centers would ensure that today's veterans would have all the tools necessary to succeed in the classroom.

AMVETS continues to work with Cleveland State University Professor John Schupp, founder of the Supportive Education for the Returning Veteran (SERV) program as a model for campuses to meet the needs of their student-veterans.

AMVETS and Schupp were the visionaries behind the original legislation in Congress to commission these grants in an effort to ensure college campuses were prepared for the influx of veterans seeking to use their education entitlements.

Once Department of Education clarifies the grant process, AMVETS will work with Schupp and other student-veterans' advocates around the country--such as John Powers at the University of Rhode Island--to ensure campuses have the tools necessary to receive federal grants and establish quality student-veterans' centers.

Stars & Stripes reports on student-vets' centers.

(Photos: Top: Ray Kelley speaks with John Schupp between meetings on Capitol Hill, advocating for student-veterans' "centers of excellence. Photo by Ryan Gallucci. Bottom: Student-veterans enrolled in Schupp's SERV program pose for a photo with the chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents, Eric D. Fingerhunt, who visited Cleveland State University to see the merits of SERV first-hand. Photo courtesy of SERV.)

Student-Veterans' Centers Remain Unfunded in Latest Department of Education Budget

Yesterday, the Department of Education released an itemized budget proposal for FY2010. However, the budget did NOT include the proposed $10 million provision to assist schools in commissioning student-veteran "centers of excellence."

To view the department's summary of Higher Ed provisions, Click Here.

Last summer, AMVETS played an integral role in passing a provision in the Higher Education Opportunity and Affordability Act allowing the Federal Government to commission grants to colleges and universities to open student-vets' centers.

The provision can be found in Title VIII, Part T, Section 873 of the bill entitled, "Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success"

Here's a GovTrack link to the text of the Higher Ed bill.

It was the hope of AMVETS that the Department of Education would view this as an important step in ensuring the academic success of our student-veterans, with the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill set to roll out in August.

AMVETS started to muster support in Congress to include funding for Title VIII Part T in the FY2010, and even circulated a "Dear Colleague" Letter with the support of Texas Rep. Ruben Hinojosa and Delaware Rep. Mike Castle.

Now more than ever it is important to let our representatives in Congress know that we support student-veterans' centers of excellence on campuses nationwide. AMVETS asks that you write to your representative and tell them that we support funding for Title VIII Part T of the 2008 Higher Education Act, Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success.

This is a small investment in our nation's future leaders, and will prove to be a TRUE stimulus in a time of economic strife.

With passing the new G.I. Bill, we ensured that our newest generation of veterans could go to college. Student-vets' centers will ensure that they graduate.