UHCL seeking input into future direction of veteran services

November 1, 2018 | Jim Townsend

UHCL seeking input into future direction of veteran services

University of Houston-Clear Lake administrators will host a town hall meeting for veteran and military-connected students to hear their needs and their ideas on how the university can enhance its veteran services.

The university will soon begin a search for a new director to lead the Captain Wendell Wilson Office of Veteran Services, or VSO, following the Oct. 19 departure of the office’s interim director. Before undertaking the search, administrators want to include student veterans in planning for the VSO’s future direction. In the meantime, the office remains staffed and open 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. on weekdays with no disruption of services.

The town hall is Monday, Nov. 5, from 3-4 p.m. in the Bayou Theater, 2700 Bay Area Blvd., Houston. The meeting will also address temporary processes for obtaining certifications for next semester.

As each semester nears the end of its term, the VSO holds a two-day, early-bird Certification Fest that allows enrolled students to re-certify their eligibility for federal and state veteran benefits for the next semester. On Nov. 27, the office’s in-house staff will process re-certifications for students receiving state Hazelwood Act benefits. On Nov. 28, the staff will process re-certifications for students receiving benefits from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs with assistance from UH-System. Processing will take place 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on both days. Certification Fest is only available for returning students. New students will be eligible to complete Certification online beginning Dec. 3. Veteran students receiving state or federal benefits will have the first registration time slot in priority registration starting with the spring 2019 registration period. Veteran students receiving benefits should check the university's E-Services for their specific registration time.

Approximately 1,000 students enrolled this fall semester are veteran-connected, which includes both veterans and veteran dependents. Of those, about 600 are using state and/or federal veteran benefits; about 280 students are using veteran-dependent benefits.

For more information, email vso@uhcl.edu, call 281-283-3071 or visit www.uhcl.edu/vso.

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