Institutions in the Utah System of Higher Education are committed to serving veterans and helping them succeed in achieving their postsecondary educational goals. Additionally, assisting veterans is an important element in increasing the number of adults in Utah earning college certificates and degrees.
In an effort to assess progress made at USHE institutions since the initial veterans services survey was conducted in 2014, the Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs and the Commissioner’s Office conducted a follow-up survey in 2019. This document provides an analysis and summary of the 2019 survey. As with the 2014 survey, the 2019 survey examined the following information:
- The levels of service provided to veterans
- Specific services provided to veterans
- Identification of gaps in service
- Criteria to assess levels of service
- Criteria to assess when a walk-in veterans center would be appropriate for an institution to provide
- Estimated costs associated with service enhancement
In addition, the 2019 survey included a section on metrics that was not part of the 2014 survey. Each institution’s survey was completed under the direction of the respective institution’s chief student affairs officer.
The following points highlight findings of the 2019 survey:
- Services to veterans at USHE institutions have become more visible and pronounced. Seven institutions now offer walk-in veterans centers, compared to three institutions in 2014. This is a significant accomplishment on the part of the institutions and reflects an increased priority given to veterans services.
- Seven of the eight USHE institutions reported providing services in 2019 that they did not provide in 2014. There were 20 instances where a service was not provided by an institution in 2014 but was provided in 2019. There were 17 instances where a service was provided in 2014 but was reported as not provided in 2019.
- Six out of 23 services that were examined in the survey were identified as the highest concentration of services not currently provided by USHE institutions. These services constitute the most significant opportunity for improvement on a statewide basis.
- Developing a comprehensive set of metrics that measure the success of veteran students is a work in progress. While some measures of success have been realized, much work remains to be done to develop metrics that provide meaningful indicators of success for veterans’ achievements in higher education programs.
