June 22, 2009 Reported By: Josie Huang
At least 10 college campuses in Maine are trying to attract veterans by signing onto a new national initiative. The Yellow Ribbon Program, designed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, splits the cost of a veteran's education between the school and the government so that veterans pay little to nothing.
"We want them to know that to be able to come to Thomas College won't cost them any more," says Rob Callahan, Vice President for enrollment management at Thomas College. The private school in Waterville is pledging $5,500 per veteran for up to 100 veterans.
It's not clear whether that many veterans will take up the college on its offer, but Callahan says Thomas is financially ready if they do.
"We're able to afford it through the generosity of our donors, through making sure that we have enough financial assistance of our own institutional aid to offer to veterans."
Right now, the VA agrees to pay tuition and fees not to exceed those for in-state students at Maine's most expensive public institution. In Maine, that's Maine Maritime Academy, which has an annual tuition of just under $8,000.
But that's not enough to cover the cost of many private colleges, or out-of-state tuition at public institutions. Under the Yellow Ribbon Program, which takes effect this August, in time for the 2009-2010 school year, an institution agrees to contribute up to 50 percent of the difference, and the VA will match that amount.
"The largest benefit is to increase enrollment," says Don Sweeney, Director Emeritus of an organization that oversees veterans' education benefits in Maine, called the Maine State Approving Agency for Veterans' Education Programs.
He says the Yellow Ribbon Program is part of a new GI bill passed last year aimed at making it easier for veterans to go to school. Veterans will also get allowances for housing, books and supplies. "The total package is much, much better for most veterans than under the previous GI bills. Instead of a veteran having to work full-time and go to school, particularly those where 60 percent are married and many have children, certainly this new GI bill will provide them the opportunity to go to school three-quarter time, full time and mayby only have to work part-time, if that."
Sweeney estimates that several hundred more veterans will enter Maine colleges because of the new education benefits.
Other schools taking part in the Yellow Ribbon Program include Southern New Hampshire University, which has a campus in Brunswick, and the University of New England, which is providing up to $5,000 for 40 students at both its undergraduate and medical schools.
The University of Maine system, with its seven campuses, is also participating, primarily to benefit out-of-state veterans as in-state tuition should be fully covered by the VA.
"Veterans are wonderful students and we would be remiss if we didn't think that that was a great population to have join us," says Rosa Rodonnet, Executive Director of Student Affairs for the UMaine system. She says that there are more than 500 veterans across UMaine campuses, and that they tend to have high completion rates.
She says veterans also would generate tuition money for the cash-strapped university system. "Based on the assumption that hopefully more veterans will aspire to higher education, it certainly could encourage new students to attend the university system."
There were only 18 out-of-state veterans attending the UMaine system, according to a recent count. Representative Alex Cornell du Houx, a Democrat from Brunswick and a member of the Marine reserves, hopes that will change with the Yellow Ribbon program, as well as with a bill he sponsored that requires public institutions in Maine to waive extra tuition costs for out-of-state veterans.
"Overall this legislation allows out of state students to take advantage of Maine's quality educational system, and this benefits both the state and the veteran because the veteran will hopefully stay in the state of Maine, when we have the oldest work force in the nation."
Cornell du Houx's legislation, signed by the governor last week, will take effect in the spring semester and only applies to undergraduates.
Maine's most elite private colleges have decided not to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program this year. Bates College says that it needed more time to think about joining the program than the June 15 deadline allowed.
Colby College points out that very few veterans apply for admission. Bowdoin College did not respond by air time.