1. Veteran Services Strategic Plan- Progress Report-December 2014
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VETERAN SERVICES STRATEGIC PLAN PROGRESS REPORT
Veterans Education and Transition Services (VETS) continues to serve student veterans, service
members, and their families. The needs of our students vary. As proposed over a year ago, the
VETS Strategic Plan was availed to guide the college’s commitment to our Nation’s veterans.
Based upon best practices and emerging literature, five core themes were introduced to guide
the college’s aims to improve student veteran success: Develop and Allocate Resources, Provide
a Supportive Environment, Reduce Barriers for Veterans, Outreach and Community
Engagement, Assess and Utilize Data to Guide Practice. Each core theme had corresponding
objectives and possible indicators of objective achievement. To date, the college has
simultaneously pursued each theme in support of student veteran success. Each of the
objectives has been coded to indicate progress made (see attached). The following is a table
summary of the type of progress and number of objectives:
Number of Objectives Symbols Status
3  Substantial progress and Ongoing
2  Complete
10  In Progress
2  Not Started
2  Eliminated
A few highlights should be noted of the past year. Our partnership with Nick Erickson of
WorkSource Columbia Basin led to the pilot of WKPS 000—Veterans Employment Seminar.
This pilot has established a best practice for our state. The VITAL grant partnership continues to
provide quality mental health counseling. Our VITAL psychologist, Dr. Steven Malone, has the
second highest encounter hours of all VITAL sites across the country. CBC still remains the only
community and technical college in our region with a VITAL grant partnership. Lorena
Schubert, VA certifying official, led the college through a successful audit of VA education
benefits. Veterans can be assured that they are receiving their benefits in line with national
guidelines. Lastly, this November the VETS office and Institutional Research’s Dr. Joe
Montgomery partnered with Dr. Peter Schmidt of the Veterans Training Support Center to
launch the Veterans Transition and Wellbeing Survey. The survey was shared with CBC student
veterans in November and is expected to be launched by three more colleges this winter.
Advancing student veteran success requires our college to adjust and think anew. President
Cummins has challenged us to increase student veteran retention and completion which we will
do. Addressing math completion is among our most recent efforts as 98.6% of student veterans
score below college level in math. This is nearly 18% higher than the overall student
population. Addressing academic integration is another area that may yield improved retention
and completions. Joining the veterans national honors society (SALUTE), and creating a formal
mentorship program are among the strategies in consideration.

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VETERAN SERVICES STRATEGIC PLAN 2013/2014
Assumptions
The following have guided the development of this strategic plan:
 There is a sincere desire to improve student veteran success
 There is not a one-size-fits-all approach to student veteran success
 Veterans’ participation in higher education will continue to increase
 Student veterans are an at risk population
 Veterans exist in a complex system
 Student veteran success at CBC is, in part, tied to the availability and use of
institutional and community resources
Mission
The Veteran Services Office supports student veterans and service members in achieving
individual academic goals; promotes academic and social integration; and maximizes
college, community, and national resources in support of student veteran success.
Vision
Columbia Basin College is recognized by student veterans, the Tri-Cities community, the
State, and its regional partners for best practices and commitment to veterans’ success.
Core Themes
 Develop and Allocate Resources—secure resources for identified best practices,
current, and anticipated veterans’ needs.
 Provide a Supportive Environment—Ensures responsive and efficient practices,
and develops and administers specific programs in support of student
veteran needs.

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 Reduce Barriers for Veterans—develop policies and practices that minimize
barriers to student veteran success.
 Outreach and Community Engagement—develop partnerships with community
organizations.
 Assess and Utilize Data to Guide Practice—through qualitative and quantitative
methods, regularly assess the student veteran population, identify trends, clarify
and anticipate needs, and use data when considering changes to institutional
policy.
Objectives and Indicators
Develop and Allocate Resources—secure resources for identified best practices, current,
and anticipated veterans’ needs. In practice, this theme includes leveraging institutional
funding, space, personnel, technologies, new grant opportunities, and fundraising in
support of student veteran success
Objectives:
 A. Fundraising activities—donations will yield financial support for
veteran scholarships and other emerging needs
Indicators:
 Increases in donations to CBC Foundation for veterans related
accounts
 Number of new scholarships formed for veterans
 Number of scholarships awarded to veterans
 B. New grant opportunities—awarding of new grants tied to veteran
success
Indicators:
 Addition of resources in support of student veterans
 Increases in funding opportunities to student veterans
 C. Veterans Services Center—institution commits full-time staff and
appropriates space to accommodate Veterans Services staff and
functions
Indicators:
 Dedicated office space for director, certifying official, VITAL
psychologist, VA work study students, VetCorps member
 Institution designates full-time director and certifying official
 D. VITAL Grant—support and continue VITAL grant partnership
Indicators:
 Renewal of VITAL grant partnership with CBC and WSU-TC
for 3rd
and 4th
years
 Demonstrated increase in student participation beyond baseline
year 2012
 E. Yellow Ribbon Program—participate in Yellow Ribbon match
funding for BAS out of state veteran students
Indicators:

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 College commitment to Yellow Ribbon match with VA
 BAS students participating in Yellow Ribbon program
 Supports 8 Keys: (1) Create a culture of trust and connectedness across the
campus community to promote well-being and success for veterans. (2) Ensure
consistent and sustained support from campus leadership. (4) Coordinate and
centralize campus efforts for all veterans, together with the creation of a
designated space (even if limited in size). (8) Develop systems that ensure
sustainability of effective practices for veterans.
Provide a Supportive Environment—Ensures responsive and efficient practices, and
develops and administers specific programs in support of student veteran needs. In
practice, this theme addresses the central role of Veteran Services, which is to create
and sustain quality student support services, and enhance academic and social
integration opportunities for student veterans
Objectives:
 A. Faculty and Staff—provide multiple opportunities for faculty and
staff to learn about and support the student veteran population
Indicators:
 Number and types of veterans related workshops
 Attendance of staff and faculty at workshops
 Veteran student climate survey results (in development)
 Number and types of communications to faculty and staff (as
evidenced by campus/department emails, newsletters)
 In-service presentations
 Development of an opt-in early intervention & student veteran
monitoring program
 B. Decision Making Tools—empower student veterans with user
friendly tools to guide use of education benefits
Indicators:
 Creation of VA chapter benefits charts and decision trees
 Creation of benefits calculators based upon VA prescribed
formulas
 C. VA Certification—provide timely and accurate certification of VA
sponsored benefits
Indicators:
 Satisfaction survey results
 Accuracy of certifications
 D. Early and Proactive Advising—encourage the development of
academic plans as a means of clarifying goal achievement and to
reduce delays in VA benefits payments
Indicators:
 Student veterans participating in early degree planning and
course registration
 Fewer schedule changes

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 Decreases in changes to VA Once
 E. Social Integration—provide multiple opportunities for veterans to
connect with students and other veterans
Indicators:
 Veteran student climate survey results (in development)
 Veterans participating in clubs
 Veterans attending college sponsored activities and events
 Quarterly veterans needs assessment data
 Veterans participating in college sponsored community service
projects
 Student veteran mentorship program participation
 F. Academic Integration—provide multiple and ongoing
opportunities for one to maximize and utilize academic support
resources toward espoused goal achievement
Indicators:
 Veteran students participating in formal faculty/staff
mentorships
 Veteran persistence and transfer rates
 Participation in veteran-to-veteran tutoring sessions
 Veterans utilizing faculty and staff advising
 G. Vocational/Career Exploration—provide opportunities for student
veterans to explore career interests and related educational pathways
Indicators:
 Career inventory sessions
 Career and academic advising sessions
 Supports 8 Keys: (6) Utilize a uniform set of data tools to collect and track
information on veterans, including demographics, retention and degree
completion. (7) Provide comprehensive professional development for faculty and
staff on issues and challenges unique to veterans. (8) Develop systems that ensure
sustainability of effective practices for veterans.
Reduce Barriers for Veterans—develop policies and practices that minimize barriers to
student veteran success. In practice, this theme includes ongoing consideration of
practices, policies, and other system related components that could be adjusted, and/or
augmented to maximize student veteran success
Objectives:
 A. CBC Institutional Policies—influence the review and development
of institutional policies with consideration given to the unique needs
and experiences of CBC’s veteran population
Indicators:
 Successful implementation of a veterans early registration
policy at CBC (in response to HB 1109)
 Development and implementation of a new CBC prior learning
of assessment/experience (PLA/PLE) policy which awards
credit to a veteran for time in service and maximizes military

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smart transcript credits (see SIU policy)
 CBC policy requiring military transcripts for evaluation
 B. Employment—provide opportunities for student veterans to clarify
and achieve career and employment goals
Indicators:
 Implementation of Veterans Employment Seminar (WKSP
000)
 Veteran participation in WKSP 000
 Sponsorship of employment fairs
 Job placement rates
 Supports 8 Keys: (5) Collaborate with local communities and organizations,
including government agencies, to align and coordinate various services for
veterans. (8) Develop systems that ensure sustainability of effective practices
for veterans.
Outreach and Community Engagement—develop partnerships with community
organizations. In practice, CBC representatives actively participate in community events
and promote education resources for veterans
Objectives:
 A. Outreach to Units—provide local branch units information about
the use of VA and branch specific educational benefits
Indicators:
 Workshops offered during weekend drills
 MOU with unit commanders to provide resource information
 B. Veterans Organizations—collaborate with local service
organizations in support of student veteran success
Indicators:
 CBC collaborations with public service organizations such as
Columbia Basin Veterans Coalition, WDVA, and WorkSource
 C. Partner with VA in Washington State—provide additional
partnerships with VA in support of student veterans
Indicators:
 CBC renews MOU with Spokane VA listing CBC dental
hygiene clinic as a provider
 Supports 8 Keys: (1) Create a culture of trust and connectedness across the
campus community to promote well-being and success for veterans. (5)
Collaborate with local communities and organizations, including government
agencies, to align and coordinate various services for veterans.
Assess and Utilize Data to Guide Practice—through qualitative and quantitative
methods, regularly assess the student veteran population, identify trends, clarify and
anticipate needs, and use data when considering changes to institutional policy. This
theme is critical as there is little data that specifically addresses common assumptions
about student veterans and their needs. In practice, this theme allows CBC to uncover,

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problematize, and be responsive to challenges and needs specific CBC student veterans
Objectives:
 A. Assess Needs—identify assessment strategies that uncover and
clarify student veteran needs at CBC
Indicators:
 Development and administration of needs assessment
 Utilization of assessment findings
 B. Employ Qualitative and Quantitative Methods—utilize multiple
research orientations to depict CBC veterans
Indicators:
 Discussion of research findings
 C. Utilize Institutional Data—use institutional data to track
information on veterans, examine retention, transfer and degree
completion
Indicators:
 Quarterly enrollment reports
 Supports 8 Keys: (6) Utilize a uniform set of data tools to collect and track
information on veterans, including demographics, retention and degree
completion.