Home Online Education Access and Affordability State Public Tuition Rate Legislation Creates New Education Options for Veterans
State Public Tuition Rate Legislation Creates New Education Options for Veterans

State Public Tuition Rate Legislation Creates New Education Options for Veterans

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State Public Tuition Rate Legislation Creates New Education Options for VeteransGuest Post by George M. Vukovich, Director, Veterans Relations at American Public University System

A recent article on Money.com, “Why Veterans Will Soon Save Thousands on College,” provides promising information for veterans and their family members as they transition from the military environment to civilian life, college and beyond.

As a retired Marine, and advocate for veterans achieving higher education success, I truly appreciate the congressional effort to enact new legislation to assist veterans with immediate in-state residency standing for higher education tuition purposes. Most states have maintained stringent standards of 12-month residency before service members become eligible for in-state tuition rates, placing an undue financial burden on many veterans and their families. However, the Veterans’ Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014 changed that situation.

Starting in fall 2015, veterans and their family members will be able to automatically pay in-state tuition rates at any U.S. public university. That is fantastic! This new legislation is very promising, impactful, and worthy of continued discussion threads in order to help spread the word throughout the veteran community.

Coupled with the GI Bill, the in state public tuition rate legislation will enable veterans to attend school without facing huge out-of-pocket payments through student loan repayment. There may be cases where all costs are not covered; such as enrollment in Nursing or Engineering programs; but for the vast majority no additional funding will be required.

My hope is we will find more veterans taking advantage of their earned education benefits as opportunities for affordable degree completion have expanded to resident public in state universities (to include their online components) and the traditional online learning which seems to be the preferred option for most veterans.

Online education is growing, especially for working adults. The convenience, the flexibility, and the quality of instruction often present the best option for veterans.

For a better understanding of how valuable this new legislation will be for veterans please review  The Trends in College Pricing Report compiled by The College Board breaks down the average in-state and out-of-state rates*.

Our government has made veterans initiatives a focal point in recent years. Let’s do our part to help circulate this information to help our veterans find greater success in life! I welcome your comments below.

*View charts provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

George M. Vukovich is a retired Marine Corps. Gunnery Sergeant and proud father of two college graduates.  For 12 years he has willfully served the American Public University System (American Military University and American Public University) and the thousands of military and veteran students who are investing time and effort toward their degree.  George is also a former President of the Virginia Advisory Council for Military Education (VA-ACME) and served the Board of the Council of College and Military Educators (CCME).

 

Wally Boston Dr. Wallace E. Boston was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of American Public University System (APUS) and its parent company, American Public Education, Inc. (APEI) in July 2004. He joined APUS as its Executive Vice President in 2002. In September 2019, Dr. Boston retired as CEO of APEI and retired as APUS President in August 2020. Dr. Boston guided APUS through its successful initial accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association in 2006 and ten-year reaccreditation in 2011. In November 2007, he led APEI to an initial public offering on the NASDAQ Exchange. For four years from 2009 through 2012, APEI was ranked in Forbes' Top 10 list of America's Best Small Public Companies. During his tenure as president, APUS grew to over 85,000 students, 200 degree and certificate programs, and approximately 100,000 alumni. While serving as APEI CEO and APUS President, Dr. Boston was a board member of APEI, APUS, Hondros College of Nursing, and Fidelis, Inc. Dr. Boston was appointed to the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity by the U.S. Secretary of Education in 2019. He also serves as a member of the Board of Advisors of the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA), as a Trustee of The American College of Financial Services, as a member of the board of Our Community Salutes - USA, and as a member and chair of the board of New Horizons Worldwide. He has authored and co-authored papers on the topic of online post-secondary student retention, and is a frequent speaker on the impact of technology on higher education. Dr. Boston is a past Treasurer of the Board of Trustees of the McDonogh School, a private K-12 school in Baltimore. In his career prior to APEI and APUS, Dr. Boston served as either CFO, COO, or CEO of Meridian Healthcare, Manor Healthcare, Neighborcare Pharmacies, and Sun Healthcare Group. Dr. Boston is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Management Accountant, and Chartered Global Management Accountant. He earned an A.B. degree in History from Duke University, an MBA in Marketing and Accounting from Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business Administration, and a Doctorate in Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. In 2008, the Board of Trustees of APUS awarded him a Doctorate in Business Administration, honoris causa, and, in April 2017, also bestowed him with the title President Emeritus. In August 2020, the Board of Trustees of APUS appointed him Trustee Emeritus. In November 2020, the Board of Trustees announced that the APUS School of Business would be renamed the Dr. Wallace E Boston School of Business in recognition of Dr. Boston's service to the university. Dr. Boston lives with his family in Austin, Texas.

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