Student Veteran Needs and a Frontier University's Preparedness

BACKGROUND: It is estimated that by 2020 more than 5 million of the service members who served after 9/11 will have transitioned out of the military (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2013). The college setting is the new frontline for many veterans (Zinger & Cohen, 2010). In 2016, over 700 student veterans (SVs) attended a Midwest frontier University and SV enrollment continues to increase each semester. Currently, there is no data addressing staff and faculty perception of what SVs needs are or barriers the university faces when addressing those needs. The overall goal of this research study was to assess how prepared the university is to address SV needs. METHODS: A cross-sectional convenience sample of 114 faculty & staff members and 77 SVs (N=191) completed an anonymous quantitative survey (either online using Survey Monkey or a paper survey). Analysis: Simple descriptive analyses, including calculation of means and percentages was carried out using IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS-24). RESULTS: Analyses indicate: SVs’ needs underlined by faculty and staff are: (a) Three-fourths of the participants were not aware of faculty trainings on SVs and 70% were not aware of staff training on SVs, and (b) three-fourths of faculty and staff members indicated that social acculturation was not a priority issue for the students.  Institutional barriers in addressing SVs needs underlined by faculty and staff are: (a) 46% said there was a lack of training to meet SVs needs, (b) 45% indicated that staff and faculty insensitivity is a barrier, (c) 55% said there is no support for SV transitioning to college, and (d) 50% of the participants said funding is a challenge for the university to support SVs’ needs. Needs underlined by SVs are: (a) 44% said that faculty training and 35% said staff training is a need, (b) over half of the SVs reported that financial issues related to tuition was a priority issue, and (e) 50% student veterans felt that social acculturation to civilian norms was their greatest challenge. Institutional barriers underlined by SVs: (a) Half of SVs indicated that the lack of space for SVs to socialize is a barrier, (b), 65% shared that transition assistance is not provided to SVs, and (c) 47% indicated that the greatest challenge is unavailability of space on campus for a student veteran center. IMPLICATIONS: Results indicate both groups agree that training for faculty and staff on the SV population is an area of utmost need and lack of transition assistance is a barrier. Social acculturation was an area of need identified by SVs whereas staff and faculty did not. Faculty and staff did not see the lack of space for a SV center as a challenge, but SVs did. The university is supportive of SVs, but there are still barriers. America’s veterans are driven to success and that drive does not end when they leave the military. They want to continue to be productive and accomplish their goals in a new way and for many; higher education is their new battleground.