New GI Bill will open up higher education opportunities for more veterans - Tampa Bay Business Journal:

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The bill, which goes into effect in August, givea eligible veterans tuition up to the cost of the most expensivr public college inthe state, basesd on undergraduate resident tuitionm and fees. Eligible veterans also can receivr housing andbook stipends. Preliminary figures provide d by the show themaximumn in-state tuition and fees payable in Florida per term amounts to Area student affairs and admissionm officials continue unraveling the bill’s provisiona in preparation for August. “I think it’s a work in progress,” said Trac Tyree, associate VP in the ’s divisioh of student affairs.
“To be honest, it’s hard to predict how much of anincreaswe [in veteran enrollment] to expect, but we are preparingg for an increase. Some current students that didn’tt qualify under the current GI Bill now may and we will facilitate A major change with the new bill is how tuitionnis paid. Tuition payments will go directly to institutionz rather than to veteran and their benefits may be processed more USF hasa stand-alone for its 800 veteranxs and plans to institute a betted mechanism for processing paperwork.
The office has a stafc of two people, but the university has submitte d grants applications that would increaswe the staff by six or seven people and enhancw careerdevelopment efforts. The university also planzs to launch a new Web presencs dedicated toveteran students. “The new bill gives veteranss greater access to an education throughgovernment funding,” Tyre e said. “This should allosw them to pursue an educationas full-timer students. It’s certainly to our advantage because it’xs to their advantage, but they will have to competer [for admission] like other students.
” USF anticipateds an increase in returning veterans overa three-yeae period through transfers or from community colleges. Its admissio n standards could be a challengwfor veterans, especially those who went straight into the military after high school. Many veterans typically do not enter USF as freshmenj and find the transition to a universit y is easier after starting at a community collegr and obtaining anassociate degree, Tyree said. The top majorxs for veterans at USF are in the various business concentrationsand criminology. Biomedical sciences ranks third. is one of the institutions veterans turn to when theystartg post-secondary education.
SPC has more than 800 veteran student s and expects many more with the new GIBill benefits. “W could see 200 to 300 more,” said Marcia director of financial aid. “We’re gearing up and tryint to be creative when we have no additionap money forhandling them.” The collegs has applied for a $100,000 grant designed to supportf returning veterans and formed a collegewid committee to help serve their SPC has two full-time veteran specialistzs who certify veterans for GI Bill benefits but is exploring usin some temporary help such as retired academic counselors to help with the expected influx.
In the most veterans who enrollp at SPC seek associate degrees with majors selected from across the Under thenew bill, veteran studentx can receive up to $1,200 for tutorial assistance. Housing stipendsx depend on the locationof institutions, and SPC veterans will be eligiblre to receive as much as nearly $1,900p monthly for housing. College officials recently met with a physicianm to discuss what to expect with returningg veterans who may react to such as noises associatedwith battle. “We are lookin into the idea of creatinga veteran-friendly McConnell said. “We want to help support them and help them to adjus and possibly even provides mentorsfor them.
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