As a commitment to Ohio University's veterans, Graduate Student Senate has created a commission to cater to needs of the growing demographic.
The meeting opened with a presentation from OU's Veterans' Academic Services, where senators were given the benefits of adding a commissioner for veteran's affairs to Graduate Student Senate.
Student veterans are an increasing population on university campuses across our country
said Angela Lash, coordinator for veterans' academic services. And Ohio University is certainly no exception.
There is currently already a position for a commissioner of veteran's affairs on the undergraduate student senate, but it was only recently filled, she said.
The number of student veterans has increased ever since the 2008 passage of the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill, which makes college education available to veterans.
The school provides four years of post-secondary education to veterans said senior Paige Crombie, who was part of the presentation. It also allows for veterans who have served for over 10 years to pass their education benefits onto their children from 15 years after they leave active duty.
OU currently has 544 student veterans on campus, Crombie said. 501 are undergraduates 42 are graduate students and there is one medical student.
The commission created for veterans would support the transition of military members, especially for those coming from a hostile environment of a deployment, to the OU environment. It would support those veterans who have families as well as helping with health care, schools and other activities.
A year and half ago
I was living in Naples
Italy
and chasing pirates around
said Steve Wills, a veteran graduate student. It was a big change to come from that kind of life to all of the sudden finding yourself in Athens
Ohio.
While the new commission does not include psychological health services for any veterans who may need it, the Veteran's Affairs office in Athens has help for veterans, Lash said. There are also several employees at OU who are trained to help with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, he said.
At the end of the meeting, Graduate Student Senate unanimously passed a resolution that called for the addition of a Commissioner for Graduate Veteran's Affairs.
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