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TC to Offer Veterans Yellow Ribbon GI Benefits
The College will defray a portion of the tuition costs for post-9/11 veterans as part of a program - set to begin in August - that helps make private colleges and universities more accessible to those who have served in the military.
The Yellow Ribbon Program was authorized by Congress under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, commonly known as the New GI Bill. The New GI Bill covers tuition at any degree-granting school up to the rate charged by the most expensive public university in a state. Private colleges and universities, however, often have higher tuition costs and the Yellow Ribbon Program is intended to make participating private institutions, such as TC, more accessible to veterans.
“Teachers College is very excited to participate in this program whose mission of educational access and equity is quite near to our own,” said Tom Rock, TC’s Executive Director of Enrollment Services . “We welcome the opportunity to support our veteran’s academic goals as they broaden their proven commitment to service into the fields of education, psychology and health.”
“It’s an absolutely super program,” said Russell Gulizia, a 17-year veteran of the U.S. Navy Reserves and Manager of the Office of Doctoral Studies, which will administer the program. “A full-time student going to TC and taking 24 credits will pay a little more than $1,000 a year to attend on of the top ranked educational institutions in the country”
Under the New GI Bill, some veterans may be able to transfer their benefits to their family members. “A lot of older veterans, such as Reservists, may have gone to Iraq once or twice and built up some service time, but they are not going to go back to school,” Gulizia said. “They can give it to their spouses or kids, who are more likely to go to grad school on that GI Bill benefit.”
All of Columbia University’s graduate and professional schools, as well as its undergraduate School of General Studies, will participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program.
TC is among the 700 colleges and universities that have signed on to take part in the initiative, which officially launches in August.
The Yellow Ribbon Program was authorized by Congress under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, commonly known as the New GI Bill. The New GI Bill covers tuition at any degree-granting school up to the rate charged by the most expensive public university in a state. Private colleges and universities, however, often have higher tuition costs and the Yellow Ribbon Program is intended to make participating private institutions, such as TC, more accessible to veterans.
As part of the program, TC will waive 25 percent of the difference between its tuition and the highest tuition at a public university in New York and the Department of Veterans Affairs will match the amount waived.
Published Thursday, Jun. 25, 2009
