MAE 7-6 (July 2012)

Journal of Higher Learning for Today’s Servicemember

Education Innovator Carol A. Berry, Ed.D. Director Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support

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July 2012

Volume 7, Issue 6

Designing Online Courses O Commencement Addresses Sociology & Social Work

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Military Advanced Education

July 2012 Volume 7 • Issue 6

Features

Cover / Q&A Breaking the Ice

4

Lieutenant Colonel Eurydice Stanley, Reserve Component Advisor for DANTES, traveled to Alaska to deliver the Handwriting is on the Wall brief, which was developed to teach servicemembers about the programs and services offered by DANTES. The brief used the drawdown and veteran employment issues as a backdrop to increase the sense of urgency regarding education.

By Lieutenant Colonel Eurydice Stanley

Continuing the Mission

8

A degree in sociology or social work opens civilian doors to servicemembers for employment in a field that emphasizes many of the values that may have attracted them to military service in the first place. What programs are offered for those interested in sociology or social work, and how will the programs prepare them for gainful employment upon graduation?

Leveling the Playing Field

10

What happens when a student enrolled in an online course is also dealing with a special need of some kind, such as a physical, learning, or emotional disability? The careful and deliberate design of online courses ensures that all students have equal access to classes and material.

By Kelly Fodel

Carol A. Berry, Ed.D. Director Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES)

Departments 2 Editor’s Perspective

Pomp, Circumstance and a Little Advice

23

17

Commencement speakers encouraged the class of 2012 to dream big and be prepared to serve others in a world where they will have to learn to adapt quickly. Integrating humor, campus references and inspiration into their addresses, the speakers gave their tasseled audiences one last bit of advice before they received their degrees.

By William Murray

3 Program Notes/People 14 Class Notes 26 CCME Grapevine 27 Resource Center

University Corner

28 Louis Martini Director Office of Military Education Thomas Edison State College

Military Advanced Education Volume 7, Issue 6 July 2012

Journal of Higher Learning for Today’s Servicemember Editorial Editor Maura McCarthy mauram@kmimediagroup.com Managing Editor Harrison Donnelly harrisond@kmimediagroup.com Online Editorial Manager Laura Davis laurad@kmimediagroup.com Copy Editor Laural Hobbes lauralh@kmimediagroup.com Correspondents Celeste Altus • J.B. Bissell • Kelly Fodel Kenya McCullum • William Murray

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EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE In a series of recent webinars, the Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Education discussed Executive Order 13607—Establishing Principles of Excellence for Educational Institutions Serving Service Members, Veterans, Spouses and Other Family Members. The webinars updated participants on each organization’s role and progress in complying with EO 13607 and aimed to clarify stakeholders’ concerns.

Carolyn Baker, chief of Voluntary Education, updated the audience on the status of the DoD’s Voluntary Education Partnership and explained the overlap between the MOU and EO 13607. DoD has worked with HELP committee, ACE, CFPB and veteran organizations to clarify the intent of the MOU and rewrite a portion of the text. Baker emphasized that the revised Maura McCarthy Editor MOU does not have new requirements, but that it was rewritten “so the verbiage was in sync with higher ed terminology.” The revised document should be approved for publication in early summer; however, if an institution has already signed the MOU, it does not need to sign the new one, as the original MOU is “still good and valid.” Many of the requirements outlined in EO 13607 are covered or partially covered in the MOU to be released this summer. For those that are not covered, DoD “will be incorporating and working the new requirements into another change of the MOU,” said Baker.

David A. Bergeron, deputy assistant secretary for Policy, Planning and Innovation, Office of Postsecondary Education noted that the Department of Education has been working with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to develop a standardized and personalized form to disclose relevant financial aid information to prospective students. Commonly referred to as the Know Before You Owe form, Bergeron noted that “student veterans need to be fully informed about the full range of federal benefits and to fully utilize them before they take advantage of private loan offerings or other financing arrangements.”

Despite the departments’ efforts to clarify concerns, many questions remain, as is evident by the recent letter sent by the American Council on Education and the National Association of College and University Business Officers on behalf of 11 other higher education associations asking the administration to clarify their intent regarding the Principles of Excellence the order establishes. Given the overwhelming interest in the webinar, the sessions on the MOU at this year’s DoD Worldwide can be expected to be standing room only.

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PROGRAM NOTES Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation Continues Education Mission On June 2, the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, the nation’s oldest and largest provider of need-based scholarships to military families, celebrated the organization’s 50th anniversary and recognized those who have created a support network for our country’s Marine Corps families at the annual Washington, D.C. Celebratory Gala.

Organization leadership announced $575,000 in new funding that will help send the children of Marines and Navy corpsmen to college.

The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation honors the selfless service of Marines by educating their children, with particular attention given to those whose parent has been killed or wounded in combat, or who have demonstrated financial need. Since 1962, over $67 million has been awarded in 27,000 scholarship awards. The Scholarship Foundation provides critical support to Marine families as the economy continues to recover and the ever-increasing costs of higher education significantly outpace the average enlisted Marine salary.

“Our mission is to give back to those who sacrifice so much for our freedom,” said Margaret B. Davis, president and CEO of the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation.

“With support from individuals, corporate and civic leaders across the country, we are honoring Marines by educating their children and, in turn, contributing to America’s global competitiveness by investing in the next generation of American leaders.”

The Scholarship Foundation has a notable track record of accomplishments: 91 percent of its scholarship recipients attend four-year institutions and approximately 79 percent of these students graduate at a time when the nationwide rate is only 31 percent.

Students study in a variety of fields; however, an impressive 38 percent of recipients are majoring in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and bring crucial skillsets into the workforce.

“When you consider that our recipients are raised with the ethos and values of the Marine Corps, along with their academic interests, the Scholarship Foundation offers tangible opportunities for meaningful investments in America’s workforce development,” noted Davis.

Scholarship for Severely Wounded Servicemembers Expands In celebration of Military Appreciation Month, and in recognition of the sacrifices made by our country’s active and veteran military servicemembers, Grantham University announced new benefits added to its Military Severely Injured Scholarship. First established in 2006, the scholarship offered severely wounded servicemembers who met the eligibility requirements the opportunity to earn an undergraduate or graduate degree tuitionfree at Grantham University. Students were responsible for the cost of required textbooks and software. In continuation of its timehonored tradition of meeting the educational needs of servicemembers and veterans and to further recognize servicemembers injured at war, Grantham University has now expanded the scholarship. www.MAE-kmi.com

The cost of required textbooks and software is now included in the Military Severely Injured Scholarship, resulting in significant savings for wounded servicemembers. The cost of tuition varies by degree program, and offers scholarship recipients savings from $12,190 to $35,635. Depending upon the degree chosen, the additional savings on textbooks and software can range from $491 to $4,133.

Grantham University is one of a select few offering full benefits for severely injured servicemembers. Unlike some scholarships, which are restricted to residents within a specific state, Grantham’s scholarship is open to any student in any location who meets the eligibility requirements. In addition, there is no limit on the number of scholarships awarded.

Compiled by KMI Media Group staff

Oklahoma Legislation to Help Veterans Transition to Workforce Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin signed into law SB 1863, a bill that will help veterans translate their military experience and skills into academic credits and credit for workforce training. “We owe our gratitude to the men and women of the U.S. armed forces for their service and sacrifice. The men and women in our military, as well as all of our veterans, possess some of the most unique skill sets in the world,” Fallin said. “The Post-Military Service Occupation, Education and Credentialing Act will give veterans credit for the experience they gained in service of the country and provide them the help they deserve to find jobs and re-enter the workforce once their service is complete.”

SB 1863 would allow Oklahoma colleges, university and technology centers to provide academic credit to a military veteran, who was honorably discharged in the previous three years, for any applicable education, training and experience received through military duty that pertains to his or her area of study. Governing boards must adopt policies for military academic credit by January 1, 2013, and courses must meet the standards of the American Council on Education or equivalent standards.

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Rita Aragon praised the bill as a way to help support veterans returning from active duty overseas. “Our military servicemen and women deserve our support in honor of their service to our nation,” Aragon said. “This program will allow veterans to transform their unique military skills and training into academic credit and real-world certification.”

The Post-Military Service Occupation, Education and Credentialing Act was sponsored by retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Senator Steve Russell and Representative Ann Coody. “I want to thank Senator Russell and Representative Coody, the bill’s sponsors, as well as the entire legislature for their commitment to helping our nation’s military veterans,” Fallin said.

PEOPLE Erik Hoekstra, provost of Dordt College, in Iowa, has been selected as president there.

Pradeep K. Khosla, dean of the College of Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, has been named chancellor of the University of California at San Diego.

Earl Lewis, provost and executive vice president for

academic affairs at Emory University, in Georgia, has been named president of the Mellon Foundation, in New York.

Brian J. May, professor of animal science and dean of the College of Graduate Studies at Angelo State University, in Texas, has been chosen as provost and vice president for academic affairs there.

MAE 7.6 | 3

With the impending drawdown, DANTES is on a mission to inform and educate military personnel on the importance of education.

By Lieutenant Colonel Eurydice S. Stanley It is 10 degrees below zero. As I brave the weather awaiting my ride to present my first Handwriting on the Wall (HOW) briefing in Alaska, my regular duty station, the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) in Pensacola, Fla., comes to mind. I am a long way from home.

It is late March, a time known as “break-up” in Alaska, when winter is ending and residents start to see the first signs of spring. There is still plenty of snow, but everything is wet, slushy and muddy due to rapid freezes at night and extensive thaws during the day. The weather can swing as much as 50 degrees from night to day, and indeed, by the time I left a week later, it was a “warm” 43 degrees.

I had traveled to Alaska at the request of Major General Raymond Palumbo, commanding general of United States Army, Alaska (USARAK) to “break-up” educational fears that may impact the 8,000 personnel at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. I presented the HOW brief and 4 | MAE 7.6

served as the keynote speaker for Women’s History Month in both Fort Wainwright and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

This was a joint effort between the Army and Air Force Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) offices there, coordinated by Christa Foli.

Foli requested that I brief for a very specific reason—the drawdown. We at DANTES are on a mission to inform, educate and empower DoD personnel to get ahead of the avalanche that may soon engulf servicemembers affected by the drawdown. Thomas Rentz, EEO director, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, readily agreed with her recommendation, noting, “I really wish I’d had [the HOW brief] in my early [years], and again at mid-career.

There has been no such in-depth presentation here in the past, and the timing now is perfect given some of the changes we’re going through.”

I knew I was on a two-fold mission: to increase awareness regarding the necessity to obtain a degree or credential while on

active duty, and to pay homage to the contributions of women—two of my favorite topics!

The HOW brief was developed to teach servicemembers about the programs and services offered by DANTES, using the drawdown and veteran employment issues as a backdrop to increase the sense of urgency. The brief also provides attendees with a note-taking guide that acts as an initial action plan to capture personal goals for later review with their educational services officer (ESO).

In addition to delivering the HOW brief directly to servicemembers, we have begun developing a “train-the-trainer” workshop so we can reach even more individuals who need this information. Barely a week goes by when the headlines on the Military Times papers and key Pentagon leaders say a drawdown is coming. While the numbers vary widely depending on the source, we can expect that there will be a significant number adding to the ranks of the unemployed veterans. To stay ahead of the power www.MAE-kmi.com

curve, those impacted by the drawdown and those who stay need to take the time to pursue their education using all of the programs, such as those offered by DANTES and the services’ tuition assistance programs to meet their educational goals.

Transition from the military can take many forms: drawdown, medical, emergency, conflict … the list is endless. For example, while in Alaska, I met Staff Sergeant Matthew Winstead, a soldier with 10 years of service. He had a commanding presence, standing 6 feet 4 inches tall, and had just about every “Hooah” experience a “soldier’s soldier” could covet: Combat Infantry Badge, jumpmaster, pathfinder.

He had served as an infantryman before becoming a journalist. Winstead attended both the HOW and the women’s history observance. Afterward he told me that he learned a lot during the brief and then shared his story. He said, “I procrastinated in getting my education. I have no good excuse; I thought I had my career ahead of me.” Then he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. At the time, he was going

through a medical board and would soon be a civilian. All of the jobs that he felt he qualified for required at least a bachelor’s degree. His employment prior to serving was being the layaway department manager in a department store. “Three years of that and I was ready for combat!” he joked.

One statement that Winstead made during our conversation captured my desire to reach as many servicemembers as possible and convince them that they need to “break-up” the mindset that they don’t need to pursue education. “I think the biggest lie I’ve ever told myself is I’ll do it later,” he said. “… It’s a hard lesson I’m learning firsthand.” Do not put off something that will make you a better servicemember and make you more marketable as a civilian.

The HOW brief covers all of the programs offered by DANTES. These programs and products can be found on our website, www.dantes.doded. One of several topics covered during the HOW session was the Online Academic Skills Course (OASC).

Peterson’s OASC for Military Success is

available to individuals in the U.S. military and their family members who want to build their verbal skills, reading comprehension, vocabulary and math skills to pass their exams, excel in their jobs, advance their careers, or continue their education.

The OASC program can mean all the difference in the world to servicemembers caught in over-manned occupational fields who need to make a change that requires them to retake the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. In a study of OASC data for over 650 soldiers, 81 percent saw enough improvement in their scores, making them eligible to change their MOS! We found that scores users should strive for on the OASC post test are, at a minimum, 75 percent in verbal skills, 65 percent in math and 70 percent in reading. Taking the time to improve one’s skills can be career extending or prepare individuals for transition.

Other programs covered in the HOW brief were the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or DSST, which help servicemembers earn college credit

PARK UNIVERSITY CAMPUS CENTERS AND ONLINE Bringing the university experience to active duty personnel, veterans, dependents and civilians.

At Park University, we’ve built a relationship with the U.S. military over four decades, so our campus network extends to 40 locations across the country. And, our online programs enable you to move ahead with your degree, even when you’re stationed off the grid. Park University, founded in 1875, offers 42 undergraduate degrees, 11 associate degrees and 6 graduate level degrees. Park University is committed to the Principles of Excellence established by Executive Order 13607.

Contact Park about scholarships, financial aid, GI Bill and tuition assistance. Let us help you get started.

• Classes offered face-to-face and online any where, any time • Associates, bachelors and masters programs

Contact Park Today!

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MAE 7.6 | 5

PE N N STAT E O N L I N E

Maggie Smith, an active-duty soldier and a mother, graduated with an online degree from Penn State.

Student Success At Penn State World Campus, we are committed to helping our military students achieve their education goals— from providing you with a dedicated admissions and advising staff, to exploring financial aid opportunities.

Visit us at worldcampus.psu.edu/MaggieStory U.Ed.OUT 12-0382/12-WC-0214edc/jms/sss

6 | MAE 7.6

by taking an exam and the potential for college credit from their military training and occupation.

Individuals were introduced to the DANTES Distance Learning Readiness Self-Assessment, a web-based assessment for distance learning success. This self-service tool was designed to help adults preparing for college who are considering a distance learning class.

Following each HOW brief, attendees were asked why they may or may not have pursued their education. Participants listed numerous reasons such as mission, family, deployments, fear and time. However, for every respondent who said they can’t, there are similar examples of those who did.

A positive mindset, some determination and leadership support can make all the difference.

Units briefed in Alaska included members from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson 673 Air Base Wing, 11th Air Force/611th Air Force, Alaska Command, 3rd Wing U.S. Army Alaska, MEPS Lt. Col. Stanley presents at the Women’s History Month Observance at Fort Wainwright, Alaska. [Photo courtesy of Lt. Col. Stanley.]

Station Anchorage, 176th Air Guard, Alaska National Guard mounting number who are homeless. and Alaska Air National Guard as well as The observance theme was a perfect units at Fort Wainwright, Alaska. Particisegue to emphasize the fact that educapants were made aware of the drawdown, tion can influence employment, which can DANTES services and current unemploygreatly impact the quality of one’s life and ment rates for veterans. According to the sense of empowerment. I have met too Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemploymany frustrated transitioning servicememment rate can reach a staggering 21.9 perbers who, like Staff Sergeant Winstead, cent for Iraq and Afghanistan-era veterans felt that they are qualified for a particular age 18-24. Most importantly, I hoped to at job, but do not have the “golden ticket” least get them to think about education that will get them through the personnel during the briefs, and challenged them to office door—a college degree or credenvisit their ESO and commit to at least one tial. According to Mark Schneider, a visitclass per semester. With each educational ing scholar at the American Enterprise success gained, servicemembers can build Institute and vice president at American momentum toward future successes.

Institutes for Research, “Average annual The 2012 women’s history theme, earnings of individuals with a bachelor’s “Women’s Education, Women’s Empowerdegree are more than 75 percent higher ment,” was an ideal tie to the HOW brief than the earnings of high school graduduring the women’s history observances. ates. These additional earnings sum to I focused on issues impacting women vetmore than $1 million over a lifetime.” erans, who, according to U.S. Government During the women’s history obserAccountability Office report 12-182, have vances, I shared excerpts from the book doubled in number from 4 percent of Successful Women Think Differently: Nine all veterans in 1990 to 8 percent, or 1.8 Habits to Make You Happier, Healthier and million today. Of course, education is not More Resilient by Valorie Burton. Burton limited to gender, but the statistics are very has provided resilience training for the clear regarding the impact of unemployservices. Raised as a military dependent, ment for female veterans, as well as the www.MAE-kmi.com

she is aware of the special needs, demands and responsibilities of servicemembers.

She also ties resilience to empowerment and more importantly, joy. In her book, Burton outlines seven key decisions that women must make. She notes that choosing properly and leveraging one’s thought processes can change one’s life. The sessions were closed by asking servicemembers to make sure that one additional key decision made is to pursue their education.

There are efforts underway in Alaska and across the country to use military experience and training as part of the assessment of skills needed for state level and professional level credentials for veterans. As stated by President Obama during remarks at the Washington Navy Yard last August, “Today, nearly 3 million extraordinary servicemembers like you have completed their service and made the transition back to civilian life. They’ve taken their leadership experience, their mastery of cutting-edge technologies, their ability to adapt to changing circumstances and they’ve become leaders here at home … for

every success story, there are also stories of veterans who come home and struggle to find a job worthy of their experience and worthy of their talent.”

During one of the HOW briefs, 1st Sergeant Michael Grunst shared that House Bill 345 was well underway and had passed the Alaska State House of Representatives. The bill description states, “In Alaska, where many trades and occupations involve transportation of goods and people across challenging landscapes, a commercial driver’s license is a valuable credential that can offer a significant boost to those seeking to enter the civilian work force, whether in tourism, commercial fishing, construction, oil field services or other industries. HB 345 seeks to help returning Alaska military personnel find good jobs, and to help Alaska businesses find qualified and credentialed employees, by acknowledging that many military drivers already possess the skills they need to be safe, productive civilian drivers.”

As I left Alaska, I was hopeful that the leadership in attendance at the briefs and

observances would share the programs and services offered at DANTES. Over 800 servicemembers attended various sessions and thankfully, the message seems to have taken hold. I have received word that there has been a marked increase in servicemembers requesting assistance from their respective ESOs! The women’s history month theme of education and empowerment holds true for all servicemembers. I have found that those who read the “handwriting on the wall” understood the necessity of pursuing their education, regardless of the obstacles they may face. As I said goodbye to the Land of the Rising Sun, I was content to know that some former paradigms had shifted, and I was able to “break-up” barriers that kept some servicemembers from pursuing their degrees or credentials. O

For more information, contact MAE Editor Maura McCarthy at mauram@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at www.mae-kmi.com.

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MAE 7.6 | 7

Continuing the Mission

A degree in sociology or social work opens civilian doors to servicemembers for employment in a field that emphasizes many of the values that may have attracted them to military service in the first place.

Military Advanced Education posed the following question to select institutions for this issue’s University Roundtable: With over 590,000 servicemembers, veterans and other beneficiaries expected to enroll in educational institutions using the Post-9/11 GI Bill in 2012, what programs do you offer for those interested in sociology or social work and how will the programs prepare them for gainful employment upon graduation?

University of Southern California School of Social Work Dr. Anthony Hassan, EdD, LCSW Director, Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & Military Families Clinical Associate Professor

Recognizing the growing need for social services for U.S. veterans and their families, the University of Southern California School of Social Work created the nation’s first-of-its-kind military social work option for students pursuing a Master of Social Work degree at a major research university. This specialized area of study prepares individuals to provide a full range of human services to the nation’s military personnel, veterans and their families, helping them cope with the stresses of military life, including managing prolonged deployments and transitioning back into a home

environment. Coursework culminates in a 550-hour internship working with military or veteran populations.

In October 2010, the USC School of Social Work was the first among elite universities to offer this same master’s degree program and military sub-concentration online via the school’s Virtual Academic Center. The MSW@USC curriculum mirrors the academic rigor of the on-campus program, but in a flexible, highly interactive web-based learning platform. The MSW@ USC program has proven to be a great option for veterans and servicemembers,

as well as their spouses, many of whom are not able to relocate to Los Angeles to pursue their education. Those deployed or still on active duty, which can often entail multiple transfers and relocations, can complete their career-focused graduate studies without disruption.

Both the on-campus and MSW@USC programs require all students to complete field internships, which provide not only extremely valuable hands-on, real-life experience, but also help build a strong professional network of contacts for postgraduation career opportunities.

change. Sociologists investigate intragroup and intergroup relationships as they relate to social institutions (e.g., family, military, media, education, economics, health care, religion and politics). With the increasing diversity of the workforce in the 21st century, sociology prepares individuals to work in a global society.

The Department of Sociology at Fayetteville State University offers an undergraduate degree with the objective of preparing

students for study at the graduate and professional levels in a variety of fields and for the pursuit of entry-level careers in law enforcement, government, and private and non-profit sectors. To achieve its objective, the department requires students to complete the University College core curriculum and 48 or more credit hours in sociology.

Also, the department requires a minimum of 36 credit hours for a graduate degree in sociology.

Fayetteville State University Dr. Kwaku Twumasi-Ankrah Chair, Department of Sociology The 21st-century labor market demands that employees have the following skills: “creativity, innovation, critical thinking, analytic problem-solving, communication, collaboration, multi-cultural and global understandings” (American Sociological Association 2009:1). A degree in sociology strategically positions individuals to develop the skills necessary for a successful 21stcentury career. Sociology is the scientific study of social interaction, organization and

8 | MAE 7.6

www.MAE-kmi.com

Georgia State University Jamie Hayes Department of Sociology Georgia State University offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctorates in sociology, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work. Sociology is very popular among students interested in criminal justice, law enforcement and corrections, and students can also obtain positions with government agencies like the Food and Drug Administration or the Department of Health and Human Services. Former military personnel may find that sociology provides an

Dr. Nancy Kropf School of Social Work entry into public relations, marketing and advertising, as sociology courses provide opportunities to develop skills in research, critical thinking and writing. Sociology majors often enter into the social services, and a degree earned in sociology from GSU could open doors to serve men and women interested in segueing into careers such as veterans affairs and military departments assigned to post-military quality of life and command climate.

Social work degrees are highly valued, as social work jobs are increasing faster than the national average, especially in health and behavioral health areas. These are often areas where servicemen and women have some expertise and interest. GSU’s social work program offers opportunities through required internships, and many students are hired into their agencies after completing their degree.

For students looking for a more applied degree, we also offer a Bachelor of Science in human services. Students can develop a professional track in social services and apply their practical experience to social science theory and apply knowledge of the specific skills, techniques and agencies necessary to serve varying client populations.

Coupled with military training, these degrees are a great fit for servicemembers. They prepare students for careers as social service administrators, criminal

justice professionals, market researchers, and government and community service professionals. In addition, sociology provides a solid foundation for transitioning to the corporate sector.

The Bachelor of Arts degree programs in sociology and social science at Thomas Edison State College were ranked as one of the top best buys in the country for online regionally accredited undergraduate degrees, according to a national survey conducted by GetEducated.com.

Thomas Edison State College Dr. Susan Davenport Dean, Heavin School of Arts and Sciences Thomas Edison State College offers a Bachelor of Arts degree program in sociology and a Bachelor of Arts degree program in social science that prepare adults for career change, advancement or graduate education, while providing personal enrichment. Students develop a broad general knowledge of the traditional liberal arts disciplines while developing a greater depth of knowledge in sociology and social science. Sociologists study human behavior, beliefs and attitudes and how these behaviors impact social organization.

Saint Leo University Dr. Cindy Lee

Dr. James Whitworth

Associate Professor of Social Work

Associate Professor of Social Work

Saint Leo University has a longstanding history of providing top quality affordable education to active duty and former military members throughout the world.

Many faculty members and staff have been in the military or have a family member who has served. SLU’s core values and professional standards closely match the values and ethics of the different military branches.

The university offers both the Bachelor of Social Work and the Master of Social Work (MSW) degrees. SLU’s MSW is a

clinical social work degree that focuses specifically on developing skilled therapists who will be able to diagnose and treat individuals, couples and families with a wide range of mental and behavioral needs. Participants can take two different electives in military social work to immerse students in military cultures.

They also learn how to assess and treat conditions such as combat-related PTSD, family problems, and substance abuse.

There is a growing need for social workers with experience in the military. Employers

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such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, the various military services and private contractors are continuously hiring former and retired military members who have been professionally trained as social workers because they understand the military culture. Social workers play a vital role in sustaining and supporting military members, veterans and their families.

Given the growing need for social workers and the demands on active duty providers, social work services are increasingly being provided by civilians. O

MAE 7.6 | 9

By Kelly Fodel MAE Correspondent

The careful and deliberate design of online courses ensures that all students have equal access to classes and materials.

Today’s college students are not limited solely to a brick-and-mortar university. More and more students, especially those in the military, have turned to distance learning or online classes as a way to further their educations and earn their degrees. What happens when a student enrolled in an online course is dealing with a special need of some kind, such as a physical, learning, or emotional disability?

Thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act, colleges and universities are required to provide access to their online courses to all students, regardless of special needs. That means the schools must carefully plan and design their classes to ensure their accessibility to everyone.

“Our course standards define the things that we will do to ensure success for the students who are covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act,” said Michael Brooks, educational technology consultant with Penn State University’s World Campus Learning Design. “One of the major standards can be defined as the courses will be designed in a way that is programmatically determinable.

This is a way of saying that all elements can be accessed by a machine or software used to assist students with varying abilities. It includes the use of proper HTML markup and providing alternative formats for materials that are electronically accessible. For the HTML markup, this means that it will comply not only to the federal standards (Section 508), but also to some well known international standards (WCAG 2.0) so that we are making our best effort rather than only covering the bare minimum.”

“Accessibility is a constant focus and priority for us,” said Russ Knocke, director of communications for Arizona State University 10 | MAE 7.6

(ASU) Online. “We have a dedicated staff member who keeps abreast of federal laws and policies, and ensures that we remain ahead of the curve. In addition, we work closely with ASU’s Disability Resource Center on ideas and options. Faculty will routinely bring us suggestions too. As a general rule, we ask for section 508 compliance statements when considering new learning products or tools for implementation. Increasingly, we are finding that companies proactively provide section 508 compliance statements when they introduce new learning products and tools. In the event that a new learning product or tool is not section 508 compliant, we implement an alternative method—no matter how great the product or tool—in order to achieve the pedagogical goal and meet student needs.”

At ASU, this involves using the Quality Matters rubric for online course design. Quality Matters has eight general design standards; accessibility is one of those standards and it is always a key part of the design process. More specifically, Knocke said they use an accessible platform in LearningStudio, which accommodates a number of alternatives such as transcripts for videos, closed captioning and PowerPoints, among other things. In addition, in accordance with Quality Matters standard 7.2, ASU’s courses include a statement on how a student can request assistance or accommodations.

At Park University, all newly developed courses receive a Quality Standards Review based on the Quality Matters rubric. These accessibility standards require that: •

The course incorporates ADA standards and reflects conformance with institutional policy regarding

•

• •

accessibility in online and hybrid courses.

Course pages and course materials provide equivalent alternatives to auditory and visual content.

Course pages have links that are selfdescribing and meaningful.

The course design ensures screen readability.

Park University strives for a “best faith” effort in making all online courses accessible to individuals with disabilities. “We implement Section 508 standards in course design and development,” said David L. York, Ph.D., director of online operations at Park University. “This includes the position that accessibility is essential and should be in the forefront of course and technological planning.

Also individually, Park Distance Learning faculty and staff have a responsibility to make sure that each online course, when viewed in its entirety, is accessible. For example, to ensure nondiscrimination by creating equal access for qualified students with disabilities through the provision of reasonable and appropriate accommodations.”

Christine Earley-Nadler, disability services coordinator, Office of Online Education and Learning Services at Excelsior College, explained, “When we construct courses thinking about students with [special needs], we have to make sure that all of our courses and activities within the courses are constructed with the same ease of use; that all students have the same ready access to the content. We cannot build separate systems for different types of students. We have to make sure that we have the same completeness of information.” www.MAE-kmi.com

Best Practices in Design PSU is actively working to expand the university’s efforts in meeting the needs of students, Brooks explained. “We are currently expanding our best practices in design, and have a team of individuals from various disciplines looking at how to provide the best experience that we can out of the gate while making the best use of our resources. Captioning is something that we strive to provide for all students without having to request them. We are working hard on captioning our videos developed in house as well as seeking permissions to caption materials that we do not own. When purchasing media to use in courses, our team makes every effort to purchase media that is already captioned, so that we can provide those immediately.”

The university also follows best practices on design layout and data and content structure.

“An example of this would be the use of our headings on our course pages. Headings are used based on proper heading tags, which we nest in a way that lends a screen reader the ability to not only navigate the page with ease, but also [the ability to] maintain an understanding of the structure of the page as well as categorize information. We also have built in a feature to expand only the content on the page and hide menus and banners in an effort to limit any distractions to the learner. We follow best practices for fonts, text size, line spacing, color contrast, image descriptions within the content, HTML markup for screen readers, form labeling, PDF generation and more. This list continues to grow and adapt to changes in technology,” Brooks said.

The best practices for Park University are supportive of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles that focus on flexibility of content. This involves providing multiple means of representation, expression and engagement for the student, or the ‘what,’ ‘how’ and ‘why’ of learning. Design examples include, but are not limited to: using descriptive information for hyperlinks, choosing appropriate fonts, always including additional clues for context and meaning, using color to convey meaning, and closed-captioning for multimedia. Instructional examples include, but are not limited to: using flexible formatting by providing full HTML content but also PDF/Word/PowerPoint documents that can be downloaded, organizing content logically using H1, H2, H3, H4 and text markup, and using multimedia that is accessible and appeals to multiple learning styles. www.MAE-kmi.com

“It is important that we develop content in multiple ways,” said Erin Blauvelt, instructional designer and associate faculty member at Excelsior College. “At the center of everything is text-based content because that is going to be the most open to anyone with a disability, so that a screen reader could read that. Text based is the simplest format. But along the way we add other elements for a full range of learning.” Additionally, all Excelsior courses function in the same way, so that the navigation and tools used in the online courses are the same, collegewide, for consistency. In terms of delivery, “We do not mandate synchronous activity ... students do not have to all be online interacting at the same exact time. There is no time stress or pressure for students, especially if they struggle with certain technology or accessibility software.”

At Excelsior, the instructional designers utilize the approach of Universal Design as well. “If we are designing with the greatest number of learners and learning styles in mind, then we are likely going to have a course that will be accessible to everyone,” said Jennifer M. McVay-Dyche, assistant dean of online learning at the college. They also utilize the Quality Matters rubric as well.

Challenges for the School Knocke said that ASU has discovered that the biggest challenge is the undeclared or undisclosed student. It is not uncommon for a student with a disability to keep the existence of his or her disability quiet. “That is one reason why we are so committed to making courses truly accessible from the very beginning. It is also why we never stop exploring and discovering new design techniques.

Through Quality Matters, we are able to continually learn about, test and implement new universal design techniques, to include methods for cognitive disabilities which we are currently working on.”

“I can tell you that probably 50 percent of the students coming to my office [at Excelsior] looking for accommodations to take a course will do so in the middle of the term after they have been unsuccessful or fallen behind, and the reason is because they haven’t wanted to tell me that they need accommodations,” said Earley-Nadler. “Sometimes they don’t like the label or want to ask for additional help. We try to tell all of our students, every chance we get, that what we are here for is to provide equal access.”

At Penn State, the course designers constantly have to balance the push to include

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MAE 7.6 | 11

emerging technologies in their online courses with accessibility considerations, as well as relevance to course objectives. Before PSU incorporates any new technology, they review it for its ability to meet accessibility guidelines. PSU considers itself very fortunate to have accessibility experts on staff who can review and test prior to course implementation.

Another issue for schools is properly training faculty. Often, accessibility is not the primary concern for a teacher who is trying to furnish quality course content. It may be an even bigger issue for adjunct or part-time faculty who do not receive the same amount of training as their other colleagues.

“We have a group focused on faculty training for the online environment,” said PSU’s Brooks. “This group has designed many trainings using the same delivery as our courses so that the faculty will experience the courses from the other side. In these trainings we cover many topics, one of which is working with students who may need an accommodation. We walk the faculty through the many scenarios that they may encounter, and provide them the information that they need to ensure student success. The heavy lifting is done by our instructional design team when it comes to implementing the best practices, so our faculty have a strong support network to provide any solutions that may be needed.”

ASU has a number of ongoing projects and offers quarterly workshops to train faculty. In addition, they are working with the disability resource centers at all three public universities in Arizona— Northern Arizona University, the University of Arizona and Arizona

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• On-site at 22 military locations • Online worldwide • Delivers a rigorous, affordable, and flexible education • Repeatedly designated a military friendly university by Military Advanced Education magazine Stop by CMU’s Booth #440 at the DoD Worldwide Education Symposium 2012 July 23-27, 2012 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

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State University—to create an online self-paced workshop for faculty on designing courses with universal accessibility.

According to Park University, because the technology related to ADA compliance and UDL is not something everyone is knowledgeable about, they decided to hire instructional designers whose focus was creating accessible online content. All of Park’s instructional designers are now trained in UDL and ADA compliance. “We don’t burden our faculty with learning the technology to make compliance possible, which leaves them to concentrate on creating discipline-specific content for Park University’s online courses. The instructional designers in Park Distance Learning manage and update all course content in our online master courses. This ensures the code, content design and formatting are all consistent with best practices in Universal Design for Learning, that they adhere to Section 508 guidelines, and are ADA compliant,” York explained.

Excelsior also utilizes the assistance of instructional designers who work with the faculty as they design the course, not only selecting appropriate content but also addressing design concerns for the special needs students. This way, they find alternative ways to present content as the course is being designed.

Student-Focused It is easy to get wrapped up in the technology side of things when considering how to ensure that online courses are accessible for students with disabilities. Fortunately, schools seem to have focused on an equally important factor in this process: student support. All students with disabilities need advisers who can listen to their concerns, help them navigate through the process, and have confidence that their special needs will be heard and addressed. It seems that support and access to information truly makes the difference.

PSU student Stephen Verigood wrote on his blog, “In my case, being deaf and with a cochlear implant, one of my fears of taking online courses was not being able to hear and/or understand the media that some courses would have. These media include watching flash videos with sounds, listening to lectures on an audio file, and watching YouTube videos. But thankfully, Penn State has an Office for Disability Services [ODS], which provides you with the tools and help you need to have a successful online education experience.”

In his blog, Verigood described the process and the ways in which the ODS assisted him in taking online courses, wrapping up with this: “The sooner you get registered with the ODS, the better your experience as a Penn Stater will be. I encourage every person with a disability covered under the American with Disability Act laws to submit their information to the ODS, and let them help you maximize your success with Penn State World Campus.”

The same goes for every student who may need some additional help in navigating the world of online courses. Look for resources, ask for help. Thankfully most of the schools out there have assistance networks in place, and you’ll be grateful for the extra support. After all, the goal is to give everyone an even playing field. “Even though we are looking at the unique needs of unique populations, everyone has to be treated equally and have equal access to the content of a course,” said Earley-Nadler. O

cmich.edu/military • cmuglobal@cmich.edu Central Michigan University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. CMU is an AA/EO institution (see www.cmich.edu/aaeo). cmich.edu/globalcampus 33853 5/12

12 | MAE 7.6

For more information, contact MAE Editor Maura McCarthy at mauram@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at www.mae-kmi.com.

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Study at the only New York City university ranked in the top 50 “veteran friendly” colleges and universities

by Military Times EDGE magazine.

For more information, visit www.fordham.edu/vets

Rose Hill • Lincoln Center • Westchester

Fordham was one of the first universities in the country to commit to full participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which removes any financial obstacles between eligible post-9/11 service members and a Fordham education.

And today, even in the face of a new national cap, we have reaffirmed our Yellow Ribbon commitment to cover all tuition and mandatory fees for eligible post-9/11 veterans and dependents.

That guarantee applies to any of our three campuses and to any of the 10 schools to which you are admitted.

Fordham is proud to be a Yellow Ribbon University.

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CLASS NOTES Certificates of Advanced Study Options Introduced Saint Martin’s University College of Education and Professional Psychology has announced the offering of its new Certificates of Advanced Study options. Formerly called “certificationonly,” these options now include postbaccalaureate teacher certification, post-baccalaureate endorsements, postmaster’s school counseling certification, and post-master’s school principal or program administrator certification.

The Certificates of Advanced Study are eligible for financial aid support and are listed on transcripts, unlike certification-only programs. “We are pleased to offer the new Certificates of Advanced Study options at Saint Martin’s,” said Joyce Westgard, Ed.D., dean of the College of Education and Professional Psychology. “We believe the options will allow individuals who are seeking to teach, to become a school counselor or to step into the administrator’s role a way to meet their education needs.”

The university is accepting applications now. Classes are offered on a regular basis throughout the year, and, depending on the certificate, classes may be available at the Centralia and Joint Base Lewis-McChord extension campuses. The length of the program will vary from one semester to two years, depending on the option. Endorsements typically take one to two semesters to complete, whereas certification takes one to two years.

Saint Martin’s University is an independent four-year, coeducational university located on a 380-acre wooded campus in Lacey, Wash. Saint Martin’s welcomes 1,250 students from many ethnic and religious backgrounds to its main campus, and 650 more to its extension campuses located at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Everett College, Centralia College and Tacoma Community College.

14 | MAE 7.6

Illinois Universities Partner in Joint Degree Nursing Program Concordia University Chicago, a private, four-year, liberal arts-based Christian institution located in River Forest, Ill., and Resurrection University, a Catholic, upper division health sciences institution located in Oak Park, Ill., formerly known as the West Suburban College of Nursing, have entered into a partnership agreement to offer a joint degree nursing program beginning in 2012. Upon completion of the program, graduates will receive a joint degree from Concordia University Chicago and Resurrection University and will be awarded one diploma with both institutions listed.

The way the program is designed, Concordia University Chicago’s undergraduate students will spend their first two years taking preprofessional general education and rigorous science courses in preparation for applying to the nursing program at Resurrection University.

“Our program will provide a rigorous science curriculum for students who choose to pursue

a career in nursing,” said Dr. Kathleen Craft, chair of the department of natural sciences at Concordia University Chicago. “Our coursework will provide the foundation for our student’s success in the nursing program at Resurrection University.”

“Our Bachelor of Science in Nursing [BSN] program is very intense,” explained Dr. Beth A. Brooks, president of Resurrection University.

“The students who are admitted must focus on their studies, learn critical thinking and how to compassionately care for families and patients.

These are competent, quality, mission-driven students who are pushed to their limits.”

While the program is academically rigorous, Resurrection University has demonstrated that those who graduate from the BSN program are well prepared for the challenges ahead. In fact, the NCLEX exam pass rate for 2011 was 96 percent, ranking Resurrection University fourth in the state of Illinois.

Unique Concentration for Metallurgical Engineering Students Announced Metallurgical and materials engineering (MME) undergraduates at The University of Texas at El Paso will be among the first in the country to be able to select Printing Nano-Engineering (PNE) as an option in their degree plan beginning in fall 2014. The new degree concentration will give metallurgical and materials engineering students the opportunity to use new materials and processes in engineering that will expand their career options.

“We are looking into the future, where students will be ahead of many others in technology and engineering, because the PNE option is a first here in the United States,” said Lawrence Murr, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department at UTEP. Namsoo (Peter) Kim, Ph.D., associate professor of metallurgical and materials engineering, developed the concentration as part of a cooperative agreement with Seokyeong University in Seoul, South Korea. UTEP’s efforts are supported by a $2 million grant from the University of Seokyeong.

Printing nano-engineering technologies reduce or eliminate electronic waste inherent to current

manufacturing processes, and has the benefit of reducing both production costs and environmental impact. The new degree concentration will prepare materials engineering students for advanced, hightech engineering and manufacturing. Courses will blend theoretical concepts with hands-on learning to provide students with a comprehensive experience. Students will work with electronic systems and devices that may be integrated into flexible electronics, materials and even clothing. Participating students will also build displays and memory/ computer tablets using 2-D/3-D printing strategies.

The cooperative program includes study abroad opportunities for MME students from UTEP and Seokyeong University. Participating students will gain international experience by studying in countries that have printing nano-engineering courses at their universities. Students will work closely with the W.M. Keck Center for 3-D Innovation in UTEP’s College of Engineering. Keck expertise includes uses of rapid-prototyping technology to create durable, lightweight, three-dimensional electronic components. www.MAE-kmi.com

Compiled by KMI Media Group staff

New Grad Programs to Meet Workforce Needs Beginning in fall 2012, Fayetteville State University (FSU) will offer five graduate certificate programs. These programs have been strategically selected to meet workforce demands and enhance career opportunities in business, health care, education and professional writing.

The Graduate Certificate in Project Management allows students to learn project management concepts and principles using lectures, small group case studies and discussions. Teams will build an individual project idea from design to completion, emulating the project management life cycle. The curriculum is based on the requirements of the Project Management Institute Project Management Professional Certification program and consists of four courses (12 credit hours). The program is available online, and is designed for working professionals and military personnel who organize, secure and manage resources to achieve organizational goals. Admission to the certificate program requires a bachelor’s degree and two years of work experience.

The Graduate Certificate in Health Care Management allows students to learn health care management concepts and principles using lectures, small group case studies and discussion. Upon completion of the program, students will have a broad knowledge of health care business concepts that will provide them with a solid foundation operating in the health care management field. The curriculum consists of four courses (12 credit hours). The program is available online and is designed for health care managers, practitioners and physicians who want to obtain expertise in health care business topics. Admission to the certificate program requires a bachelor’s degree or better and two years of work experience.

The Graduate Certificate in Military Behavioral Health allows students to enhance their professional knowledge, skills and abilities to provide quality care for active duty military servicemembers, veterans, citizen soldiers and their families. The curriculum includes courses in areas of military culture, programs and services, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, traumatic brain injuries, and suicide assessment and treatment. Specifically, the six courses (18 credit hours) offered are:

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Social Work Practice with Military Families I; Social Work Practice with Military Families II; Substance Abuse; Assessment and EvidenceBased Treatment of PTSD; Assessment and Treatment of Suicidal Behaviors; and Social Work Practice and Traumatic Brain Injuries.

Students must have either a master’s or higher degree and be a mental health professional who serves or plans to provide services to military servicemembers, veterans, citizen soldiers and/or their families; be a graduate student pursuing a degree in social work, psychology or sociology; or have a bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, counseling or sociology and obtain special permission.

The Graduate Certificate in Teaching of Writing allows students to upgrade their writing pedagogy at the primary and secondary levels of education, to meet continuing education requirements to retain their teaching licenses, and to qualify to teach writing at the community college level. The courses emphasize global literacy—reading, writing, critical thinking, speaking, research and technological proficiency—required skill sets of the 21st-century teacher of writing. The 18-hour curriculum includes four required courses and two electives. Students must have at least a bachelor’s degree.

The Graduate Certificate in Professional Writing allows students to develop and improve communication skills vital to career advancement in the private, public and nonprofit sectors, and in the military. The program will prepare students for careers in technical writing, digital and traditional media, public relations and advertising. For convenience, courses are offered either online, as webenhanced hybrid courses, or in the evening. The curriculum includes four courses (12 credit hours). Students must have at least a bachelor’s degree.

These five new graduate certificate programs are in addition to existing programs Fayetteville State University offers in Criminal Justice (online and face-to-face) and Applied Sociology. Both of these certificates require completion of 18-credit hours, which can be applied to the Master of Science degrees in each discipline available at FSU.

New Program to Train Pediatric Mental Health Care Providers Robert Morris University has become one of the first nursing schools in Pennsylvania to offer a doctoral program to educate nurse practitioners to provide mental health care for patients of all ages, including children. RMU previously offered a doctor of nursing practice (DNP) program to prepare psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners to only treat adult patients with mental health disorders.

Nationwide, only 72 nursing schools offer a specialty in child/adolescent or family mental health, according to research published in the journal Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice. One RMU student will graduate this May with the university’s new DNP degree and is eligible for national certification as a family psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner.

Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners can diagnose mental, emotional and behavioral disorders, prescribe medications, and conduct individual and family psychotherapy. Additionally, they can practice in primary care where the majority of psychiatric treatment for the pediatric population is provided.

According to the National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine, approximately 20 percent of patients under 18 years of age suffer from some sort of mental, behavior or emotional disorder—such as depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or substance abuse—but as many as three-quarters of them go without treatment. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among people ages 10 to 24, with most attempts occurring during adolescence, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. By 2020, the nation will need 12,500 psychiatrists with specialized training in pediatrics, but only 8,300 will be available, according to research by the U.S. Bureau of Health Professions. Family psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners can help fill that gap.

MAE 7.6 | 15

Your pace. Your place.

Online or in class

A military-friendly institution with programs designed to meet your needs as an adult learner • Bachelor’s, master’s, and certification programs • On-campus classes meet weeknights or Saturdays • Earn up to 30 college credits from experiential learning, licensures, certifications, or military service • Certifying officials and advisors available statewide • Online programs available

www.barry.edu/ACE

Classes offered throughout the state in: Alachua, Brevard, Broward, Clay, Collier, Duval, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lee, Leon, Marion, Miami-Dade, Orange, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Polk, St. Lucie, and Volusia counties • SOC member • Yellow Ribbon Program • Transfer credits, DD-214, DANTES, CLEP, PONSI, military service schools, USAFI • Tuition reductions for bachelor’s and master’s programs for active-duty military personnel (Barry policy – not administered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs) • VA education benefits, financial aid, and grants available to eligible students

AMERICA’S

BEST

CO L L E G E S 2011

Education Innovator

Q& A

Leveraging Contracts and Services to Achieve Academic Excellence Carol A. Berry, Ed.D. Director Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support Dr. Carol A. Berry, a native of New Jersey, became the sixth director of the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) in April 2010, where she continues to innovate and reinvigorate the programs and services provided.

From 1979-2003, Berry served as an education services specialist with the Navy’s Voluntary Education Program, where she was in charge of education programs in Keflavik, Iceland; Norfolk, Va.; and Virginia Beach, Va. In 2003, she became the southeast regional director, Navy College Programs, where she led the efforts of Navy College Offices throughout the southeast quadrant of the U.S., including Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Mississippi, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Louisiana. An innovator, she is responsible for a number of process improvement projects that have become standard throughout the Navy’s Voluntary Education Program. Of significant note was the development of an Internet needs assessment survey and analysis program that became the standard for all needs assessments in the Navy. In 2007, she led a team to rework of the Navy College Distance Learning Partnership program, resulting in the streamlined program in place today. She designed the DANTES Distance Learning Readiness Self-Assessment and recently launched the online version, found on the DANTES homepage.

She has served on a number of task force projects, such as the DoD Principles of Distance Learning, DANTES Education Services Advisory Panel, MIVER Program Task Force, Navy Voluntary Education - Navy College Team 2000, and the Navy College Program Advisory Board.

Berry is the recipient of the Meritorious Civilian Service for contributions to Navy Voluntary Education Services, the Kenn Smith Award for Navy Campus Excellence-Educator of the Year, named Most Notable Alumna by the School of Education, Regent University, and awarded the President’s Award by the Virginia ACME and numerous other awards and letters of commendation for outstanding performance and innovative projects.

A sought-after speaker, she has been a regular presenter at the DoD Worldwide Conferences, CCME, VA-ACME and other professional settings. She was cited in Remembering those who have made a difference in United States Military Voluntary Education by Dr. Clinton Anderson, published July 2006.

Berry earned a baccalaureate degree in biological sciences and a Master of Science degree in education from Hofstra University. She earned her doctorate in education from Regent University in 2006. She has co-written articles for professional publications and published her dissertation titled The Assessment of Learner Autonomy and Persistence in Adults Enrolled in Online Courses.

Q: To start, could you provide an overview of DANTES, such as its organization and primary activities and responsibilities? www.MAE-kmi.com

A: Established in 1974, DANTES is a third echelon command with the Navy as our executive agent. Our program guidance and policies are outlined in an annual tasking via the Navy, from Office of Under Secretary of Defense, Personnel & Readiness Military Community and Family Policy.

That office gets input from all of the services, including the Coast Guard, to help frame the programs we provide.

We manage all of the contracts and programs that the services use to provide education services and products to our servicemembers. When the name DANTES is mentioned, most people think of testing, and while those programs are a large part of our work, there is a lot more happening here at DANTES. In addition to the testing contracts with GED-TS, Prometric, ACT and The College Board, we manage the SOC [Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges] contract; the Military Evaluation contract with ACE; the Third Party assessment contract with MTCI; the contract for DoD Worldwide Education Symposium; the DoD Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding [DoD MOU]; DANTES Online Catalogs; Troops to Teachers; and oversight of the Online Academic Skills Course [OASC]. Our overseas offices provide support to the education centers and servicemembers in the field all over the world.

We train new test control officers [TCO], provide refresher training to individuals who need it, and issue guidance to test centers regarding the use of the various programs under our cognizance. We publish a monthly information bulletin and other publicity items to promote the various programs and services. Our warehouse crew ships thousands of education brochures, flyers, booklets and other marketing materials to hundreds of military education centers around the world every year. In addition to printed materials, we have identified a significant number of MAE 7.6 | 17

electronic materials that users can download directly from our website.

Our reference publications program manager is always looking for ways to leverage digital resources to compliment the printed products.

OASC is open to all military, DoD civilians and family members who need refreshers on algebra, English and reading. This program is used quite heavily by servicemembers who need to raise their ASVAB scores to change occupational fields. The program has proven successful in raising these important scores if the individual completes the modules.

An analysis of OASC scores revealed that those who score at least 73 on verbal, 63 on math and 70 on the reading post-test, should raise their ASVAB enough to make the transition to a new occupational field. To ensure success, we recommend that students shoot for OASC post-test scores higher than the minimum. This opportunity is just a few mouse clicks away.

The DANTES Independent Study Catalog, DANTES external degree catalog and the catalog of Nationally Accredited Distance Learning Programs are online catalogs that are fully searchable, enabling students and counselors alike to search for programs and courses.

We recently launched the DANTES Distance Learning Readiness Self Assessment [DLRSA] on the DANTES website, www.dantes.doded. mil. This self-assessment gives individuals new to college or to distance learning [DL] the opportunity to self-assess their individual situation as it relates to DL. Students answer 16 questions in which they select the response that best describes their current situation. After completing the instrument, the system sends a link to a color-coded PDF report with the results and detailed information. There are five scores: an overall score, and scores on each of the four categories. The overall score places individuals in one of three levels of readiness for DL: ideal, supportive or conditional. The four subscores are in information, skills, motivation and habits. The information provided is based on the research literature designed to inform and guide the individual, ideally to improve their educational experience. The DLRSA was not designed to deny access to DL, but rather as a tool to educate the student on what to expect or how to prepare for DL. There is a training PowerPoint for education center staff and a DANTES—DLRSA Counselor Guide, which provides counselors with the information they need to discuss the results with their clients and a training program to the DLRSA to assist counselors using this product with their clients. Both items are available for order by education center personnel through the DL catalog website.

Through the counselor support program, we offer training packages for several DANTES programs like the DLRSA, complete with a counselor handbook and training program, OASC, and the DoD MOU. More training packages are in the planning stages. We hope to launch those by the end of the year. For many years, DANTES has offered computer assisted guidance programs. The current program is Discover and at the DoD Worldwide in July, the REFPUB program manager will hold a roundtable to introduce a new tool called the Counselor Toolbox. This resource will be made available on our website after the conference.

We provide outreach to our customer base by presenting at education-related conferences, briefs at the unit level, workshops, website and via Facebook. If you haven’t already become a fan—go to the site and join the fun. Key staff are developing their Twitter accounts, so keep an eye out for those and be sure to “follow” to get the latest and greatest.

Speaking of our web page, there are links to all of the programs and products we manage, a directory of education centers and a variety of other links to programs and organizations that support the DoD voluntary education programs and clientele. The website also provides links to all of the services’ home pages and information, like the services’ tuition assistance programs.

18 | MAE 7.6

As we close in on our 40th anniversary, I am pleased to say that we have only just begun to serve the educational needs of the servicemembers. The creative minds at DANTES are generating some great ideas that take our programs and products to a new level of service. We are embarking on new territory in many of our program areas. Many of our contracted programs are coming up for review and rework, and part of that effort has been focused on bringing the services provided by the contract into the 21st century, making them more relevant and more responsive to the changing landscape of higher education and the military services. For example, the third party assessment contractor recently conducted two installation reviews. The plan is to visit one site for each of the services sometime this fiscal year as well as visiting a number of schools off base and those offering distance learning to our personnel. We hope that this 360 review will give us a much deeper analysis and assessment of the programs servicing our military. With over 70 percent of military tuition assistance being paid to DL schools, it was imperative that we include DL in the program assessment process.

Q: What are your priorities as director of DANTES and how does your past experience in military education shape your decision making?

A: I have worked at a variety of levels in the voluntary education world, starting out as a counselor in Keflavik, Iceland, in 1979. I served as an education center director and a regional director in the Navy College program. During my tenure, I had the opportunity to serve on a variety of high-level committees, which gave me the opportunity to work in the policy development world. Additionally over the years, I have volunteered my time to a variety of organizations and programs.

I am a military spouse and a military mom. Each of these experiences contributed to the person I am today. I think my decision making reflects my values and the experiences I have had over the years, good and not so good. Knowing that at the end of the day, the work we do has a profound impact on the lives of the servicemembers is a great and noble cause, and I for one feel privileged to be here.

Our number one priority is to make sure we leverage every bit of the programs and contracts we offer so that the end-user gets the maximum benefit from all of them. To do this, we have been examining each program to determine if it is delivering the product the end-user needs or if we need to make changes. We are using a number of techniques to conduct this assessment. For example, we recently conducted a short survey of test centers to determine changes that may have occurred in their processes as a result of opening national test centers on base. The survey results are under review and will be reported out shortly. We plan to conduct more surveys of this type, targeting various stakeholder groups to help us assess other programs and get input from our users.

One of our responsibilities at DANTES is to conduct research and report on trends, so we are in the process of conducting a study looking at personnel from each of the services who are new to DL using the DANTES DLRSA. DL is a hot topic in VOLED [voluntary education] and with over 70 percent of all military TA going to DL courses, it is something we need to understand.

In the next couple of months, we hope to launch the DANTES Voluntary Education Advisory Group. This panel will be made up of representatives from each of the services. These individuals will be our conduit to the education program providers. Because they are on the front line working with the end-users, we believe that they can offer some valuable information to help us keep the programs on course, offering the products that the end-user needs and uses. www.MAE-kmi.com

Q: What is DANTES’ relationship with voluntary education?

them and do you think overall they utilize them to the extent that they should?

A: DANTES is a program provider. We manage contracts and develop training on the programs. We are partners with the education specialists, ESOs and career counselors in the process of providing educational services to the servicemembers. We are here to help these professionals by providing training and information about the programs and the best ways to use them.

Our job is to provide to the military services’ VOLED programs high-quality and valuable educational opportunities for servicemembers, their eligible adult family members and DoD personnel. These programs assist personnel in achieving professional and personal educational objectives. Our role includes the consolidated management of programs that prevent duplication of effort among the services, thereby supporting DoD recruitment, retention and transition efforts.

A: I think that most are aware that there are programs; the real questions are, do they know how to use them to their best advantage and do they know the breadth of programs that are available? Somewhere along the way, they heard that there are educational programs, but were they ready to hear the message? In marketing, they say that a potential customer needs to hear a message at least seven times before they take action. For adult learners, there has to be some compelling reason to get started, like retraining or job transition, upgrading their skills for their current job or in some instances, for personal growth. In any case, this means the good news message about available educational programs has to be repeated over and over in a variety of ways, in a variety of places and include some sort of call to action that makes the audience sit up and take notice.

Q: Do you think that servicemembers are aware of the education benefits available to

Q: Could you discuss DANTES’ education outreach initiatives?

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A: We have been very busy these last 10 months or so delivering briefs to servicemembers at the unit level and at educational conferences. One of our programs, the HOW brief, or “Handwriting on the Wall,” juxtaposes the educational programs and services sponsored

by DANTES and available through the services’ VOLED programs, and the impending drawdown. The call to action in the brief encourages attendees to be engaged in their own future by preparing for an inevitable transition to civilian life. Whether they are leaving the service after one tour or staying for a career, planning and education are keys to successful transition and future employment.

We recognize that not everyone wants to pursue a degree, so we also encourage seeking professional credentials and state licensure in their field of choice. We want our audiences to be aware of all of the programs that are in place for them to use and acknowledge that can they control their future.

Q: What role do you think commanding officers play in encouraging educational pursuits?

A: I believe it is a leader’s responsibility to encourage his or her personnel to seek personal improvement opportunities. [Commanding officers] are in a unique position of influence that can really make a difference

for that individual who might be sitting on the fence when it comes to attending school.

A few supportive words and visible actions might be all that is needed to get that individual to make a commitment to begin a program. As leaders, we should always look over our shoulders for those who are coming up behind us and groom them to take over someday.

Q: What support or training programs does DANTES offer education service officers and counselors?

A: Great question. We offer TCO training via our online program. We are in the process of developing a “Train the Trainer” workshop for education services providers to deliver the HOW brief. This three-day workshop will give attendees the tools and depth of knowledge about the programs we manage to enable them to properly deliver that brief. We realized early on that we would not be able to travel to every location to deliver this content, but we could train others to get the word out.

Look for that program later this year.

We offer counselor support programs, like the DANTES Distance Learning Readiness Self Assessment and the computer-assisted guidance program, Discover. We recently added a counselor guide and training program to the DLRSA to assist counselors using this product with their clients. The web link was provided above.

We have plans on the books to develop more counselor-centric tools and briefing materials to complement our programs and give new education services personnel the information they need to educate the forces on available programs.

Q: In your opinion, what are the most significant challenges DANTES will face in both the short- and long-term?

A: Developing programs that truly address the challenges our military face with respect to attending school. With the drawdown and the reduction of personnel in the military education centers, we need tools and programs that will allow a servicemember to compare schools and programs without the burden of a school recruiter. Counselors in the military education center are the third party advocates for the servicemember. They don’t have allegiance with a particular school; their loyalty and focus is the servicemember. With fewer personnel available to serve in this capacity, servicemembers are left on their own to find www.MAE-kmi.com

a school. Some ask a friend or maybe a family member, and many use the Internet to find their school. The problem with that approach is that the best school for the individual may not show up in that search and they find themselves engaged in a program that may or may not meet their long-term needs.

The budget is high on everyone’s radar these days, which is why the programs we provide to the servicemembers are so important. The contracts for testing, military evaluations and SOC are integral to accelerating the pathway to a degree. TA, the GI Bill and other federal funding sources are all at some risk as our nation faces the debt crisis. The key to weathering this storm is to use everything available. Our challenge is to get the word out through the education centers, directly to servicemembers through publications like this one, providing materials to train education center personnel, encouraging institutions to leverage these credit bearing programs and finally, developing marketing materials that address the education center, the servicemember and the institutions. I believe we can weather this as long as we all stick together,

keeping the goal of helping servicemembers achieve their goals at the center.

Q: How could civilian educators better serve military students?

A: Institution personnel should counsel servicemembers like they were their best friend.

By that, I mean that they should make sure the servicemember knows all the ways they can fill degree requirements, including academic testing through the CLEP and DSST programs and credit for their military training and occupational fields. According to data from SOC and the Community College of the Air Force [CCAF], in fiscal year 2011, servicemembers earned nearly 118,000 semester hours from these testing programs toward their degree programs, resulting in a savings of TA of about $26 million. If we add together the credits awarded for ACE credit recommendations and the tech credit awarded to Air Force personnel who graduated from CCAF in FY11, then military credit accounted for over a million semester hours! The TA equivalent of that amounts to nearly $255 million! Just looking at the

DANTES programs, academic testing and the military credit contracts, the return on investment for these two contracts was 3-to-1 for testing and 47-to-1 for military credit. These programs are tangible win-wins for everyone: the servicemember, the schools, the services and the taxpayers. School counselors should feel obligated to include these credit sources in their discussions with servicemembers.

Q: What does the term “military-friendly” mean to you?

A: Truthfully, I think the term is overused and misused. There are several entities that “rate” schools as “military friendly,” but the measures used are not always in the best interest of the servicemember.

That said, if an institution wants to address military-centric needs, then they should consider practices that are student-centric and address the challenges facing returning servicemembers. These are adult learners, not traditional students fresh out of high school.

They may come with injuries and emotional needs of which their civilian peers have no

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understanding. Veteran services, veteran centers with personnel who understand the military culture and have empathy for their situation; veteran lounges where they can meet and find a social support system, regaining that esprit de corps they relied on while they served. ACE and SOC have both worked projects to further this cause. Through a grant, ACE has created the Toolkit for Veteran Friendly Institutions (www. vetfriendlytoolkit.org). This is an online resource, designed to help institutions develop programs that are veteran-centric, like best practices, on-campus veterans service centers, prospective student outreach, faculty training, counseling services and a searchable database of tools and resources.

SOC has conducted a couple of sessions called Burning Issues during which we have discussed this very issue. In addition to the issues discussed above, SOC also calls for academic research into the educational and other needs of veterans and military students. So, all those aspiring doctoral students, here is a topic ripe for the picking.

We need to keep in mind that one size does not fit all, which means schools have to assess their programs and services and adjust accordingly.

If there is a “term,” it needs to reflect the real needs of the returning servicemembers. It should be a badge of honor that recognizes the service and sacrifices of servicemembers, not a recruitment tool. If an institution has this badge of honor, then servicemembers should be able to assume that certain services, programs, consideration for military credit, use of academic testing [CLEP/DSST/ECE] etc., are offered. There is much work to do, by VOLED, the institutions, veterans’ groups and other professionals to seek out these needs and address them, consistently, reliably.

Then and only then will there be a truly worthy military-centric term.

Q: What are you most looking forward to at this year’s DoD Worldwide?

A: As with all of the Worldwide events over the years, I most look forward to networking with my colleagues, meeting new colleagues and attending the sessions so I can stay current and informed regarding higher education as it relates to the military and adult students overall. I have been very fortunate to attend every Worldwide to date. At the first two, I was an observer, learning as much as I could from the experts in the field at the time. At the last several, I have been on the podium, and I loved it. I really

Forward thinking. World ready.

look forward to the opportunity to teach the new generation of military educators and pass along what I have learned. Every leader needs to share their knowledge and develop those who will come after. I was blessed to have that opportunity and mentoring in my career, and I feel honored to be able to do the same. Finally, I am looking forward to the feeling of being reinvigorated and energized by the event. The line-up of general session speakers, super-session speakers and breakout sessions is the best yet. There is so much content that I wish I didn’t have to choose—it all is going to be fabulous!

Q: What is the most significant lesson you’ve learned in your tenure as director?

A: I learn something new every day. I have said it before, but it bears repeating. I have the best job, work with the best people, and I feel blessed every day to be here at DANTES. I guess the lesson in that is to be grateful for blessings like this one—great job, great staff, and best of all, the chance to serve the military, making profound impact, one servicemember at a time.

Q: Do you have any closing thoughts?

A: Voluntary education has been around for a very long time. A personal story: My dad served in the Army during the Korean War. He remembers seeing that the University of Maryland was offering courses on the base when he was stationed in Germany. My family was profoundly impacted by the time Dad spent in the military. Before he was drafted, he was pursuing a degree in accounting and business. While he was in the Army, they made him a radioman. He was hooked—Morse code, electronics, technology—that business degree went out the window. When he returned, he used his GI Bill to get a degree in electronics technology.

He spent the next 40 years working in the defense industry, building test equipment for military aircraft. Those few years in the Army changed him profoundly, and changed the direction our family took as well. That’s what we do at DANTES—we work to make profound changes in the lives of servicemembers and their future generations. I can’t think of a better occupation. O

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Before newly minted graduates can go forth into the “real world,” they must sit through one last lecture—a lecture that perhaps will have a greater impact than any other.

By William Murray MAE Correspondent Commencement speakers encouraged the class of 2012 to dream big and be prepared to serve others in a world where they will have to learn to adapt quickly. Integrating humor, campus references and inspiration into their addresses, the speakers gave their tasseled audiences one last bit of advice before they received their degrees.

Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta, speaking at the U.S. Naval Academy graduation in Annapolis, Md., on May 29 urged the graduates to “put new ideas into action” and respond to the new challenges that the U.S. military faces, such as projecting maritime strength across the Asia-Pacific region. Panetta outlined the challenges facing the Naval Academy graduates as they received their commissions: “We continue to face the threat of violent extremism, those who continue to threaten attacks on our homeland,” he said. “We’re still at war; we confront proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; the destabilizing behavior of Iran and North Korea,” he told the graduates, who hail from all 50 states and 12 foreign countries.

There is no longer one major obstacle or enemy facing the U.S. military, as appeared to be the case during the Cold War and in the years immediately after the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Current geopolitics are complicated and there is much work to do, the defense secretary said. Challenges include “military modernization across the Asia-Pacific; turmoil in the Middle East; piracy on the high seas; and increasing and creative attacks, cyberattacks, here in our country and elsewhere. All of this coming at a time of increasing budget challenges here at home.”

A former Army officer, Panetta paid tribute to the Marine Corps and Naval officers with whom he has served while he was chief of staff for President Bill Clinton, former director of the www.MAE-kmi.com

CIA and currently as Secretary of Defense. Continuing an annual tradition of giving clemency to graduating students who have minor disciplinary infractions that would have prevented them from participating in graduation, Panetta compared the practice to a priest granting absolution during confession. An address by a former Army officer to a sea of sailors included a reference to the Army-Navy rivalry, although Panetta attempted to convince the audience of his neutrality and said that during the annual Army-Navy football game he splits his time evenly between the two sides. For these newly commissioned Naval officers, the call to serve and to rise to the world’s challenges came early. “That is why you came here … for the challenge of leading others at sea; deploying to every part of the world; taking risks in the skies.

Fighting ferociously ashore; and giving our enemies hell wherever you find them.”

Social entrepreneur Eric Grietens, speaking at the Tufts University graduation in Medford, Mass., on May 20 encouraged the graduates to try to serve a purpose larger than themselves, which would ultimately enable them to become stronger. Grietens, a former Rhodes Scholar and Navy SEAL, is the chief executive officer of The Mission Continues, a St. Louis-based non-profit that encourages veterans to serve and lead in their communities.

Grietens encouraged the graduates to think less about themselves and their fears for the future and more about how they can serve others. He illustrated this concept by talking about the more than 350 veterans affiliated with The Mission Continues, who are serving and leading in communities despite hardships and physical impairments, such as hearing loss and loss of limbs. The seed for the concept of The Mission Continues came after a March 28, 2007, suicide attack in Fallujah, Iraq, that Grietens’ Navy SEAL MAE 7.6 | 23

team sustained. Grietens emerged unscathed, and during visits with his injured comrades in the Bethesda Naval Hospital, he thanked them for their service and asked them what they wanted to do. Grietens told his Tufts University audience that he was surprised that many hospitalized seamen said they wanted to return to their units, despite their injuries, and that it was important to find ways for them to serve.

Addressing 1,032 graduating cadets at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., on May 26, Vice President Joe Biden pointed out that most of the graduating West Point cadets were in elementary school when the September 11 attacks occurred. Under President Obama’s command, the U.S. military has ended the Iraq War, and it is meeting its strategic goals of rooting out extremism in Afghanistan, while training and empowering Afghan Security Forces to carry out this Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta congratulates a graduating midshipman during the United States Naval Academy 2012 mission after the departure of U.S. troops, Biden Graduation and Commissioning ceremony. [Photo courtesy of DoD/U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley] said. He noted that over half of the senior al-Qaida leadership had been killed, including Osama bin currency exchange to taxation.” Never one to shrink from bold Laden. Reflecting on the demands placed on this generation of statements, he predicted that the “9/11 Generation” would become servicemembers, Biden noted, “Young men and women steeped in the greatest generation that the U.S. had ever produced. military doctrine have had to master the intricacies of tribal poliSimilarly, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet tics, deal with issues ranging from electricity to unemployment, Napolitano, speaking at the May 16 U.S. Coast Guard Academy graduation in New London, Conn., told the graduates they would be serving in multiple roles, as “rescuers, protectors, first responders, law enforcers, teachers, [and] public servants.” As Coast Guard officers, the young people seated in front of her should be prepared to stop human traffickers and those prepared to come to the shores of the United States illegally, while also assisting mariners in distress. “You will enforce our laws, ensuring that drugs and contraband stay away from our shores, and that our waters are protected from pollution and overfishing,” Napolitano told the Coast Guard Academy graduates. “Last year, the Coast Guard accounted for approximately 40 percent of all U.S., allied nation and partner nation interdictions in the drug transit zone.”

Coast Guard officers also help ensure the safety in American ports, which were at one time considered a potential target for al-Qaida and its affiliates.

First Lady Michelle Obama, speaking at the North Carolina A&T State University graduation in Greensboro, N.C., on May 12, recalled how the death of her father to multiple sclerosis and one of her closest friends to cancer when Obama was 26 years old, changed the course of her life. With an undergraduate degree from Princeton University, a law degree from Yale University and a coveted job at a Chicago law firm, “I had everything I was told I should want, but it still wasn’t enough,” she said. “And I realized that no matter how long I stayed on that job, no matter how many years I pursued someone else’s definition of success, I was never going to have a life that felt like my own.”

Echoing themes that Grietens had raised at Tufts University, Obama encouraged the North Carolina A&T graduates to ask themselves—just as she had done—“Who do I want to be?” The second question she asked herself was, “What’s going on in the world around me?” The third question that she asked herself and encouraged the graduates to consider was, “How can I help?”

24 | MAE 7.6

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Obama encouraged the students to think more of what types of people they’d like to become and less about the size of their student loan debt. Following the death of her father and close friend, the first lady recalled that she eventually decided to quit her job and work for the city mayor’s office, settling into working for a nonprofit. Recalling the story of the Greensboro Four and their successful boycott to end Woolworth department store’s segregated dining policy in 1960, Obama encouraged the North Carolina A&T students to observe the world around them and take brave action when they feel it necessary, just as Greensboro Four students had.

At the University of Illinois graduation at Urbana-Champaign, Ill., on May 13, National Public Radio senior news analyst Cokie Roberts encouraged the new graduates to not only excel in the professional fields they choose but also to consider public service to improve government institutions because of the leadership vacuum. Roberts urged graduates not to be deterred by the divisive bipartisan political environment. “I think it’s up to you … you graduates of the class of 2012,” Roberts said. “You have to lead the way … not only in the field that you might have chosen, but also, I’d like you to think about public service, including elective office, because we need your help to fix it,” she said.

At the Air Force Academy graduation in Colorado Springs, Colo., on May 23, President Obama encouraged the 1,073 graduating cadets to become part of the “American Century,” and affirmed that the United States would bounce back from its

current economic challenges stronger than ever. “We can say with confidence and pride: The United States is stronger, safer and more respected in the world,” President Obama told the graduates, dressed in their blue dress coats and yellow sashes at the Air Force Academy football stadium.

President Obama said that the ending of the Iraq War and the eventual withdrawal of American military from Afghanistan will make the military stronger. “Ten years of continuous military operations have stretched our forces and strained their families,” he said, in a morale-raising speech. “Going forward, you’ll face fewer deployments. You’ll have more time to train and stay ready.

You’ll be better prepared for the full range of missions you’ll face.”

The class of 2012 is the first graduating Air Force Academy class in nearly a decade to graduate into a world that has no Osama bin Laden and no war in Iraq. “Ending these wars will also ensure that the burden of our security no longer falls so heavily on the shoulders of our men and women in uniform,” Obama said. “You can’t be expected to do it alone. There are many sources of American power—diplomatic, economic, development and the power of our ideals. We need to be using them all. And today, we are.” O

For more information, contact MAE Editor Maura McCarthy at mauram@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at www.mae-kmi.com.

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MAE 7.6 | 25

CCME GRAPEVINE

Building Bridges Together

By Joycelyn Groot

This year, the Department of Defense will be hosting the DoD Worldwide Education Symposium and Expo 2012 (WW12) in Las Vegas, Nev., July 23-27. WW12 is expected to attract over 2,500 attendees, with over 50 percent representing DoD (military, civilian and contract personnel). Other attendees will include officials from over 250 colleges and universities and many educational organizations and industries that support higher education.

The symposium is held every three years.

WW12 will enhance and help formulate a strong agenda for the Council of College and Military Educators (CCME) 2013 Annual Symposium. With so many changes in voluntary education, new federal and state regulations affecting military education, and budget constraints impacting everyone, the timing of next year’s CCME symposium couldn’t be better. Slated for February 25-28, 2013, at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, the 2013 symposium represents CCME’s 40th anniversary. The agenda will center on the theme of “Building Bridges to Success through Education—for Service Members, Veterans and their Families.”

The demands placed today upon our military members, veterans and their families continue to rise. Pentagon data shows that as of January 2012 over 2.3 million troops have been deployed since September 11, 2001, with many of them deploying up to six times. The continued downturn of the economy has made it difficult for veterans to find meaningful jobs, if they find jobs at all. The federal budget deal that was reached in August 2011 imposed DoD cuts of $491 billion over 10 years, with $5 billion being cut in 2013, impacting programs that will include voluntary education.

The CCME Board selected the “bridges” theme specifically with the intent of tying together the vast funding sources, programs and services as they 26 | MAE 7.6

relate to education and transition. As such, we are looking to bring together experts, knowledge, information and best practices related to military education and directives and resources that have been the focus of the federal government in the areas of Veterans Affairs (GI Bill, Veterans Retraining Assistance Program), Department of Labor (gainful employment, linking education to corporations specific in support of military), Department of Education (state authorization, standardized reporting, accreditation), DoD (MOU, third party assessment), and most recently, the signing of Executive Order 13607, establishing principles of excellence for educational institutions serving servicemembers, veterans, spouses and other family members.

In addition to new and revisited guidelines and policies, there have also been large amounts of federal resources dedicated to helping educate our servicemembers, veterans and their families, as well as helping prepare them for employment and success upon transition.

I have heard countless times that there aren’t enough resources dedicated to helping our military transition to civilian life, but I would dare to offer that there have been huge amounts of dollars invested in programs and services to serve our military—but keeping track of “who is doing what and how they’re doing it” seems to be the bigger issue.

Hence the theme, “building bridges.”

The more knowledge we have to share with our military-students (all our students for that matter), at the point when they enroll in our educational programs, the more valuable we can make their educational experience. We need to do a better job of providing clearer pathways to resources, careers and employers.

America was founded on the theme “we can do it better.” I think we can do

better. I don’t think we should ever stop thinking that we can do better, and the best way to do that is to do it together.

It begins (and should never stop) with sharing information and best practices, and implementing those practices based on moral decisions and sound judgment.

How can we better tie together resources, policies and practices for greater access and success for our military community?

Come join us at CCME’s 2013 Annual Symposium. Registration will open August 1, 2012. The agenda is already taking shape. In celebration of 40 years, we will be honoring all CCME past presidents, rocking a ’70s theme at the banquet, sponsoring the Veterans’ Artists Program, offering motivating keynote speakers and informed general session speakers and panelists, engaging experts to offer an array of concurrent sessions, and most importantly, providing a venue that is sure to challenge you, enlighten you, and help you and your institution or organization “be better” at serving the military community.

Let’s build and strengthen those bridges, together. O

Joycelyn Groot

Joycelyn Groot is president of CCME and dean of Military Programs at Coastline Community College. www.MAE-kmi.com

The advertisers index is provided as a service to our readers. KMI cannot be held responsible for discrepancies due to last-minute changes or alterations.

MAE RESOURCE CENTER Advertisers Index American Military University........................................ 21 www.amuonline.com/mae Ashford University. . ................................................... C2 www.military.ashford.edu/mae Barry University....................................................... 16 www.barry.edu/ace Capitol College......................................................... 27 www.capitol-college.edu/mae Central Michigan University......................................... 12 www.cmich.edu/military Fordham University................................................... 13 www.fordham.edu/vets Fort Hays State University. . .......................................... 22 www.fhsu.edu/virtualcollege Grantham University.. ................................................ 20 www.grantham.edu Kaplan University.. .................................................... 19 www.military.kaplan.edu Los Angeles Film School.............................................. 25 www.lafsforvets.com North Dakota State University....................................... 7 www.ndsu.edu/transportation Park University......................................................... 5 www.park.edu/mae Penn State World Campus............................................ 6 www.worldcampus.psu.edu/maggiestory University of Maryland University College........................ C4 http://military.umuc.edu/degreefits University of Phoenix................................................. C3 www.phoenix.edu/mil University of the Incarnate Word................................... 24 www.adulted.uiw.edu University of Wisconsin – Platteville............................... 11 www.gouwp.com/mae

A LEADER IN CYBERSECURITY EDUCATION SINCE 2001

Capitol College offers affordable, live, online master’s and doctorate programs in information assurance.

www.capitol-college.edu/mit

Journal of Higher Learning for Today’s Servicemember

September 2012 Volume 7, Issue 7 Cover and In-Depth Interview with:

Cmdr. Don Winfield

Commanding Officer United States Coast Guard Institute

Calendar July 23-27, 2012 DoD Worldwide Education Symposium 2012 Las Vegas, Nev. www.ww2012.com/common/home. action September 9-12, 2012 NGAUS 134th General Conference Reno, Nev. www.ngaus.org/content. asp?bid=20256

www.MAE-kmi.com

February 25–28, 2013 CCME 2013 Symposium San Diego, Calif. www.ccmeonline.org/sites/default/ files/2013files/ccme2013exhibitsponsorpromo.pdf

Special Section • CO Roundtable

A college degree opens doors for advancement both within the service and in a civilian career. How do commanding officers encourage its pursuit?

Features

• Mobile Apps • Deployment Support • Communications Insertion Order Deadline: August 16, 2012 Ad Materials Deadline: August 23, 2012

MAE 7.6 | 27

UNIVERSITY CORNER

Military Advanced Education

Louis Martini Director Office of Military Education Thomas Edison State College of Arts degree that has numerous areas of study. This degree is very popular for servicemembers interested in the Troops to Teachers program. We have also seen a large increase in enrollment in our various Associate in Applied Science degrees. This program is popular due to the fact that students may use many of their American Council on Education evaluated military training toward degree requirements.

Q: To begin with, could you please provide a brief overview of your school’s history, mission and curriculum?

A: Thomas Edison State College was established in 1972 to provide flexible highquality collegiate learning opportunities for self-directed adults, wherever they live or work. One of New Jersey’s 12 senior public institutions of higher education, we are one of the oldest regionally accredited schools in the country designed exclusively for adults and a pioneer in the use of technology to create learning opportunities for adults.

Q: What is your school’s background in military education?

A: Serving the military remains at the heart of everything we do. Throughout our history, we have been serving the United States military and have been a pioneer in developing degree programs exclusively for military personnel for four decades.

All of our courses and credit-earning options are delivered at a distance to wherever a student is stationed or deployed.

Students can take online courses; complete courses through credit-by-exam programs, independent study and prior learning assessment programs; transfer credits earned at other regionally accredited institutions; and earn credit through military training and specific certifications and licensures.

Q: What makes your school unique in the benefits and programs you offer to military servicemembers?

A: The multiple methods of earning credit set Thomas Edison State College apart from others in the military education market place. Students can choose between options of learning that meet their educational learning styles on a course-by-course basis.

These options also allow military students to choose methods of earning credit which allow them to continue their studies regardless of being in a remote location or having an Internet connection.

28 | MAE 7.6

Q: What do you think are the key issues facing higher education today?

A: The largest issues facing military education today are the current federal requirements that are being discussed and implemented, such as state authorization. Presently we don’t know the details of these new requirements or what impact they will have on our institution.

I do feel that as these requirements are implemented we will see the landscape change with regard to which institutions will remain in the military and veteran education market. The current federal requirements will force many institutions to make tough choices on their current operations. In the long run the people that are hurt the most will be the ones that these actions are trying to protect, because it will limit the educational options that servicemembers and veterans have available to them.

Q: What are some of your most popular programs, and which ones are the most appealing to military students?

A: The most popular single program among military students remains our Bachelor of Science in Applied Science and Technology degree in nuclear engineering technology. This is attractive to many of the Navy’s nuclear power program because they can apply credit awarded for the program toward their area of study as well as the physics and chemistry requirements.

Other popular degrees are the Bachelor

Q: How has your school positioned itself to serve military students?

A: Thomas Edison State College is always looking at better ways to serve our military and veteran students. We recently moved all of the college’s veteran programs under our military office. We did this to ensure consistency in information and service to our students. We found that a majority of our veteran students had started or knew about the college while on active duty. This change has made the student education transition seamless. It has also allowed the college to use the current network of military counselors to also service our veteran population.

Q: What have been some of the biggest lessons you have learned since assuming your current position?

A: As long as you do what is right for the servicemember you will be successful.

Over my 25-plus years in military education this has been the one consistent message I have received from my numerous mentors and the one thing that I tell everyone. If after talking to a servicemember you find that your institution does not match their educational goals, you should be honest with them and let them know.

If you know of another institution that would be a better match, tell them. I have always found when doing this I get paid back with many referrals from the student I helped because I was honest with them and they appreciated it enough to refer others to me. O www.MAE-kmi.com

36,000 Active-duty students. on bAse. on-site. online.

Wherever your mission takes you, anywhere in the world, you’ll find University of Maryland University College (UMUC). We offer courses on base or on-site in more than 25 countries—and over 100 bachelor’s and master’s programs entirely online. That’s our mission, because since 1947, UMUC has been educating America’s armed forces.

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At your service since 1947

University of Maryland University College is the nation’s largest public university.

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877-275-UMUC • military.umuc.edu/degreefits • enroll now