(Photo courtesy of S. Sheikh. The image features Oakland University student veterans and one military-connected student). 

Are you able to identify a Veteran/military-connected student in your classroom?

Is the non-traditional student in your classroom a Veteran, a National Guard member or Reservist? Are they a Veteran’s dependent? How would you know? Why should you know? This teaching tip brings awareness to how Veteran experiences can show up in the classroom and in their learning, and how to take advantage of their strengths while also being responsive to their needs. This tip comes from OU’s Veteran Support Services, who can be your partner in supporting student Veterans.

About Veterans in Our Classrooms

Almost 2% of OU’s student population identify as military-connected, with half of those identifying as Veterans.  Although they are small in numbers, their VA education benefits pay OU over $5 million in tuition each academic year. According to the VA College Toolkit: Learn About Student Veterans on VA.gov (2023), “47% of student Veterans have children, 47.3% are married, 62% are first-generation college students; in 2017 52% were enrolled in an undergraduate program, 9% in a graduate program, and 75% of student Veterans are attending school full time.”   

Some benefits of having Veterans in the classroom are that they will enhance the learning environment with their lived experience providing well-rounded opinions, their leadership skills, especially in group projects, and thoroughness in seeing their assignments to completion, according to the Northern Illinois University Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (2012). Their respect for authority can sometimes mean they’re less likely to seek clarification on assignments. They also often balance multiple responsibilities, may receive unexpected military orders mid-semester, and show resilience in managing life transitions or adapting to new environments, all while handling personal challenges such as PTSD symptoms. 

What If a Student Receives Military Orders for Activation or Deployment During the Semester? (And Other Considerations)

Did you know that accepting VA funding of education benefits means we need to follow VA’s Principles of Excellence? The guideline under the Principles of Excellence that has the greatest impact for students and faculty, usually 1 incident per academic year, is the guideline to “Allow active-duty service members and Reservists to take time off to fulfill their service obligations.” 

As the Veterans Support Services (VSS) office, we coordinate with Financial Services and the Registrar’s Office along with other campus partners to ensure we abide by these principles. This includes, but is not limited to

• allowing completion of work online,
• providing an Incomplete grade for students to complete the work during the next semester,
• allowing students to complete assignments early, or
• any other mutually-agreeable plan for successfully completing the course requirements.  

The University does accommodate the termination of a course (based on the timing within the semester) without any financial debt for the student when necessary.  This is facilitated by VSS, with the student, faculty member, and the Registrar’s office.

How to Create a Veteran-Supportive Class

• Include a Veteran-friendly syllabus statement in your syllabus such as one provided by the VA, “Veterans and active duty military personnel with special circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill requirements, disabilities) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor.”
• Encourage Veterans to engage with Veteran Supports Services, which employs Student Veterans! It's a great place to send a Veteran who may need some guidance as the conversation flows easily among Veterans once they discover each other.
• Contact Veterans Support Services for support in navigating a Veteran-related topic. In addition to our student employees, we have 2.5 professional staff working for our Veterans everyday.

Conclusion

Although student Veterans don’t want “special treatment,” there is value in knowing if you have a Veteran in your classroom. By including a Veteran-friendly statement in your syllabus, you are opening the door for them to comfortably self-identify.  VSS is your partner in educating our Veterans, please reach out for any support you need.

References and Resources

VA College Toolkit: Learn About Student Veterans (2023) 

Northern Illinois University Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. (2012) Veterans in the classroom: Instructional guide for university faculty and teaching assistants.

Save and adapt a Google Doc version of this teaching tip.

About the Author

Lisa Rhoades is the Coordinator for Veterans Support Services and an OU Alum, SHS ‘20.  In addition to advocating for student Veterans, she is an avid runner and OU Wellness Ambassador.

Edited by the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Oakland University. Others may share and adapt under Creative Commons License CC BY-NC. View all CETL Weekly Teaching Tips.