[Psvs-t] [EXT]Re: Veteran Academic Probation policy

Fri May 12 12:38:16 CDT 2023

Thank you, everybody, for the dialogue. I truly appreciate this community where we can discuss veteran specific needs.

For some clarification, peer mentorship, veteran specific orientation, student org’s….all of those things are happening. As we all know, every campus is different and what works at one institution does not mean it will work at another. What we are experiencing is that veterans who are engaged in all of the things (participation in veteran stud org, have rapport with our staff etc), are the veteran students who are thriving. It is the veterans who have zero campus engagement that are struggling. Not only are they not utilizing any services in the veteran success center, they are not seeking services from tutoring, mental health, or other support services on campus. To your point Kevin of working with a person in academic support is exactly what would be happening during these sessions that this policy would address. We have tried ‘nudging’ the students who we have identified that are struggling academically, but they are not responsive to it until the final week of the term to tell us that they are failing. I understand that other institutions implement something like this to the larger student body, but we do not at UST. Since this grant is veteran academic success specific, that is why I am entertaining this as a veteran student specific intervention rooted in this policy. As a veteran myself, I know that some veterans fall through the cracks when they leave a highly structured organization (the military) to a less structured college environment. The research shows us this as well. The purpose of this policy is to create a social/emotional/academic support structure that would integrate them more into the support services of our campus, not create a barrier to academic success.

For more context, our veteran academic success coach previously worked at a private institution where this strategy was implemented and of the students who went in to this program, over 90% of them were removed from academic probation by the following term.  However, that does not mean that I will see the same results at UST because every campus is different.

After all of this feedback, I think my approach will be to two pronged: one, send as assessment to those who were placed on academic suspension this term to understand why they did not seek veteran academic success coaching/services that was available to them and two, pilot this program in the fall. At the completion of the fall, the data will show us how effective this was for those who chose to opt in to the program versus those who did not opt in. At that point, I can make a data driven decision to see what works for our current veteran student body.

Again, thank you for the dialogue. I thank you for taking the time to respond to me, and I hope you all have a good weekend!

Thank you,
Dr. Ruiz

 Dr. Trisha Nicole Ruiz
Senior Director of Veteran Services
University of St. Thomas-Houston
Call/text: 281-658-7158
Schedule an appointment here<https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/VeteranSuccessCenter@stthom.edu/bookings/>

From: Davis, Kevin <Kevin_Davis1 at baylor.edu>
Sent: Friday, May 12, 2023 11:48 AM
To: GROLL, VALERIE <VALERIE.GROLL at tccd.edu>
Cc: Moorman, Don <dmoorman at mail.smu.edu>; Ruiz, Trisha N <ruiztn at stthom.edu>; navpa-private-forum-listserve at googlegroups.com; PSVS-T <PSVS-T at baylor.edu>; AMS-VET-ED-SUPPORT-L at listserv.tamu.edu
Subject: [EXT]Re: [Psvs-t] Veteran Academic Probation policy

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I would agree with all of the responses. I also think having an intervention strategy for academic probation students is helpful and having it be required is likely necessary to get engagement.

To Don’s point, I agree that what we have found is having proactive outreach (onboarding, vet new student class, consistent outreach, etc…) is essential to tearing down walls of apprehension to ask for help and build the trust/rapport necessary to make intervention more likely to succeed when an issue comes up.

I also agree that there are likely rules around imposing requirements for vets that aren’t imposed on others. At Baylor, all students have a required academic support plan imposed when on academic probation. We don’t necessarily reinvent that wheel with vets, but sometimes we will tweak it so that vets are meeting with and connecting with people and resources best suited to them as student vets.

I think yalls grant could be an exciting way to augment required interventions that may already exist for student at your institution.

One specific veteran specific intervention we do at Baylor is working with a person in academic support who really has an understanding of non-traditional students and all the unique demands they have on their time. And also the significant loss of structure vets face when leaving the military. So she sits with them (and often even their spouses and kiddos) and will create a study calendar going hour by hour that also includes things like date nights and time with kids.

Hope this helps!

Best,
Kevin
Sent from my iPhone

On May 12, 2023, at 11:28 AM, GROLL, VALERIE <VALERIE.GROLL at tccd.edu<mailto:VALERIE.GROLL at tccd.edu>> wrote:

Hello,
I believe there are restrictions regarding placing certain policies and procedures on veterans that are not in place for the general student population. Since you are a private school policy may be different but well intended programs can be misinterpreted as barriers to veteran success or discrimination.
Tarrant County College has policy in place for student on suspension but not probation. However all student veterans using VA Benefits are highly encouraged and or assigned to only work with someone on Vet Services such as a counselor, advisor or success coach.
Tricky but for the greater good persistence/retention plan you are trying to implement.
Share your findings.
Valerie

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From: Psvs-t <psvs-t-bounces at baylor.edu<mailto:psvs-t-bounces at baylor.edu>> on behalf of Moorman, Don <dmoorman at mail.smu.edu<mailto:dmoorman at mail.smu.edu>>
Sent: Friday, May 12, 2023 10:57:55 AM
To: Ruiz, Trisha N <ruiztn at stthom.edu<mailto:ruiztn at stthom.edu>>; navpa-private-forum-listserve at googlegroups.com<mailto:navpa-private-forum-listserve at googlegroups.com> <navpa-private-forum-listserve at googlegroups.com<mailto:navpa-private-forum-listserve at googlegroups.com>>; PSVS-T <PSVS-T at baylor.edu<mailto:PSVS-T at baylor.edu>>; AMS-VET-ED-SUPPORT-L at LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU<mailto:AMS-VET-ED-SUPPORT-L at LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU> <AMS-VET-ED-SUPPORT-L at LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU<mailto:AMS-VET-ED-SUPPORT-L at LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU>>
Subject: Re: [Psvs-t] Veteran Academic Probation policy

At SMU, we do not. We have found that the best way to encourage support activities is by proactive engagement with our student veterans organization, to help guide the organization and use them for peer support and outreach. We have found that our student veterans are more likely to utilize our support services when the suggestion comes from their peers, and from staff members that they trust. Fortunately, our Director of Academic Support Services is highly involved in our student veteran organization events and is a well know face to our student veterans; often times performing tutoring and other academic support services to veterans, herself.

Don Moorman, MBA, M.Ed.

Associate Director

Student Financial Operations

Coordinator of Veteran Support Services

From: Psvs-t <psvs-t-bounces at baylor.edu<mailto:psvs-t-bounces at baylor.edu>> On Behalf Of Ruiz, Trisha N
Sent: Friday, May 12, 2023 10:00 AM
To: navpa-private-forum-listserve at googlegroups.com<mailto:navpa-private-forum-listserve at googlegroups.com>; PSVS-T <PSVS-T at baylor.edu<mailto:PSVS-T at baylor.edu>>; AMS-VET-ED-SUPPORT-L at LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU<mailto:AMS-VET-ED-SUPPORT-L at LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU>
Subject: [Psvs-t] Veteran Academic Probation policy

[EXTERNAL SENDER]

Good morning everyone,

The University of St. Thomas was recently awarded a grant that allowed us to hire an academic success coach specifically for our veteran subpopulation. Since his hire, veterans have been very reluctant to receive his services. To include students who are struggling academically!! I would like to create an institutional policy that requires veterans who have been placed on academic probation to meet with our academic success coach a minimum of 4 times in the following term. I.e., veteran is placed on academic probation in spring, they sign a contract to enroll for the fall term that requires them to meet with our academic success coach 4 times in the following fall term.

We are attempting other intervention strategies as well, but, knowing that veterans are less likely to seek help, I believe this policy could increase their academic success. Does any have a policy similar to this in place?

Thank you in advance for any feedback. You may email me directly at ruiztn at stthom.edu<mailto:ruiztn at stthom.edu>.

Thank you,

Dr. Ruiz

 Dr. Trisha Nicole Ruiz

Senior Director of Veteran Services

University of St. Thomas-Houston

Call/text: 281-658-7158

Schedule an appointment here<https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/VeteranSuccessCenter@stthom.edu/bookings/>

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