Sunday, August 21, 2005

Something you can do to help our military

There’s a chance for every one of us to do something tomorrow for the men and women who defend our freedoms. But first a little background.

You may have read about the returning serviceman in Texas. A state community college there denied him the reduced in-state tuition rate. The university decided he was no longer a Texas resident. He had spent too much time living in Iraq (Two tours of duty with the Marines).

Well, thanks in part to the Fort Worth Star Telegram and other news organizations shining a little light on things, the college decided the former Marine was a resident of Texas after all.

Now, Betsy Newmark, guest blogging at Michelle Malkin, posts concerning the extraordinary problems a university student experienced at his school when his National Guard unit was called to active duty, first in New York City after 9/11 and later in Iraq.

The problems were not unlike what many experience in higher ed (Profs who don’t respond to messages, administrators with an “I’ll find a rule to make this harder” attitude, etc.). But in this case, they were shameful because they were so obviously hurting a student/soldier serving his country.

Example, the soldier got knocked for not having a small check in to the bursar's office by a certain date. Why not? He was in transit to Iraq at the time, and his duffle with checkbook was on a ship he could not reach. Not good enough for us, the bursar's office declared.

A little common sense? Even some gratitude, maybe?

Things eventually worked out, but not before the university president got involved.

The student/soldier seems to have no bitterness toward his university. In fact, he’s offered a constructive suggestion: Assign a kind of ombudsman to advocate for students with military backgrounds.

Betsy likes that idea. I’ll bet most of us do too.

Now here’s something we all can do.

Tomorrow morning call or e-mail the office of a top administrator at a university or college to ask what the school is doing to take care of the special needs of the people who defend this country?

Is there an administrator assigned to do that?

As the academic year begins, what's being done? Is more planned? Has a memo been sent to all administrators and faculty reminding them of how the school treats students whose military service may create special needs?

You get the idea.

Tomorrow, I plan to call the office of the President of the University of North Carolina system, Molly Broad.

I’ll post on what happens. Let me know what you experience. I'll include at least some of your comments in a post.

If you make the call or send the e-mail, tomorrow evening when you put your head on the pillow you’ll be able to say, “Today I did a good thing for our great military people in Iraq and all over the globe.”

11 comments:

John Byrnes said...

John:

Thanks for picking up the torch. Greatly appreciated. I'm adding you to my blogroll. Notice you don't have one but feel free to add me if you ever do. Email me @ jrb1013@aol.com, I have actually succeeded in moving both the University and the College administrations up here at CUNY in NYC towards assigning an omsbudsman for veterans/reservists. The two key issue seems to be visibility.
Thanks again.
Jphn Byrnes

Anonymous said...

You know, I'm not a big fan of additional administrative overhead, but since they already have a department dedicated to disabled gender indeterminate low-income ADHD auditory-integrative-disorder students who are left handed and red haired....

-AC

Anonymous said...

In Califonia, military stationed here from other states pay tuition at the out-of-state rate, while illegal immigrants pay at the in-state rate. Somehow, the word "injustice" seems woefully inadequate. I doubt California is the only state giving preferential treatment to illegals while sticking it to our military, but of course the problem is bigger here. Having all military pay the in-state rate wherever they are stationed would be the right answer. And stopping subsidies of illegal activities would be a common sense approach reducing incentives to illegal immigration.

JWM said...

John Byrnes,

First, thank you for your service to our country.

Let's both stay on this and make sure military people receive from our colleges and universities exactly what they deserve: the best.

I'll be in touch.

John

To Anon,

You make a good point about additional administrators. Lord knows we don't need more of that in the UNC system.

Somehow we can get it done without new staff. Maybe promise the 10 profs who are most helpful to returning vets something like parking spaces closer to their office buildings.

John

JWM said...

To Major Mike,

What you describe in California is an injustice.

I'm going to look into what the situation is here in North Carolina.

It will take a few days. Keep coming back.

I'll post with something like: Instate tuition for our military.

Are you familiar with the mil blog Mudville Gazette? If not just type in: www.mudvillegazette.com

It's the 42nd and Broadway of mil blogs.

Love those people.

Now, does the Major Mike mean you're military? If yes, thank you for your service to our country.

If no, then just thank you for an important comment.

John

Anonymous said...

The issue of in-state tuition usually ultimately comes down to taxes. The states claim that they don't want to give discounts to people who aren't paying in-state taxes. Since many (most?) active duty military have their home of record in a state different than where they are stationed, most of them do not pay state taxes to the state in which they are stationed. As the spouse of an active duty person this has hit me too. Here in Virginia, since I am at home with my kids and my husband is active duty paying his state taxes to Maryland, I am not eligible (nor would he be) for in-state tuition either. Virginia has made a one-year exception (I have one year from the date of his orders to Virginia during which I can receive in-state tuition.) Thereafter I will pay out-of-state, despite the fact that I vote in Virginia, have a Virginia driver's license and we own a house in Virginia. I'm thankful for the one year grace period, but wish that the exemption was for our entire period in the state. Anyway, I can see the state's point a bit, they don't want to give discounts to folks who aren't providing resources to the state via taxes. Still, to ask people like us who move every 2-3 years to switch residency with every move is untenable....
Best, DebbieK

Stewed Hamm said...

Great post John. With one of my area Guard units getting called up in the last couple weeks, I'll be on the phone to the University about this as well.
Getting a couple like-minded professors on board with the idea won't hurt either.

Anonymous said...

Dear John,

I am a 2004 UT-Knoxville alum; I called the President's office, was transferred twice, and then disconnected. No one seemed to even know what concept I was talking about, namely a military student affairs ombudsman. Examining the university website, it seems there is a provost or ombudsman for just about everything, but not military affairs. Now I will send an e-mail to the PR guy and see what I can find out...developing...

-Chris

John Byrnes said...

John

I'm trying to figure out a good way to maximize efficiency on this. The obvious answer is some sort of organization. The problem is we are no longer a nation or a generation of "joiners". I am trying to sheperd a student/vets/reservist club or organization on campus here. A few members would be enough, maybe , just maybe go web based national?

Anonymous said...

If you want to help a student soldier then I say all you pro war Repuublicans put down your keybooard and pick up a rifle and enlist in the army. Go take his place so he can return home and resume his college education.

Anonymous said...

Hey there! I'm out blogging and found yours! I have to admit, you seem to have a very well put together blog.

Regards,
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