PK !NN _rels/.rels PK |T ךword/document.xml Non-Instructional PPA: SA - Veterans Service Center (VSC) PPA Review Narrative2021 - 2022 GENERALName and Title of ManagerMaria CejaName and Title of Contributor 1Ligia PolioName and Title of Contributor 2Gemma Uribe CruzDate Submitted to VP04/01/2022STUDENT SUCCESSHow does your service/office/non-instructional program focus on students?We provide services to student veterans and dependents such as admissions, financial aid, academic counseling, crisis counseling, how to apply and manage GI bill benefits, provide external resources assistance, and overall provide assistance to student veterans to make the transition from military life to college life easier. At the Veteran Service Center, we also have a designated counselor that serves veterans and dependents’ students. Furthermore, we provide a space for students to do homework and also a hang-out space.How does your service/office/non-instructional program support students in: a. Completing their program/educational goal? b. Completing their program on time? Is there more that it can do?The Veterans Program has a full-time student veterans counselor who works closely with all program students; veterans and their dependents. One of the skills possessed by this counselor is the ability to complete military course evaluations; she is the only person on campus authorized to do them. The students who are utilizing their VA benefits in particular need to follow strict catalog and transfer guidelines to complete their academic goals. Students must meet with the program counselor to create their educational plan, which will assist in the completion of the curriculum needed to complete their academic goals. Students who are utilizing their benefits must follow the exact plan created by the counselor to be eligible for their benefits, this assists with program completion and academic achievement.Based on the mission of your service/office/non-instructional program, describe how you offer 'equitable services' to different student groups at Ĵý?The mission of the Veterans Program is to provide personalized and caring support to the student veteran population as they transition from military service to college life. These students need guidance on how to navigate through college resources and their VA educational benefits. Our orientation provides a repertoire of campus resources available to all students on campus and off-campus. The Veterans Program collaborates with VA organizations that provide access to VA services such as readjustment counseling, medical access, and claims reporting on campus once a month.The Veterans Resource Center is one of the greatest campus resources for student veterans, providing them their own space on campus where they can; study, meet like-minded individuals, socialize, rest, and even work as VA work-study students. Services are tailored to their specific needs, with the understanding that the peer-to-peer connection is key.Another Program resource that provides an equitable service to this population is the Peer to Peer Mentorship Program designed by former student Ryan Sparks who had much success at Hartnell due to support not only from the Program staff but his fellow brothers and sisters in arms. This mentorship program was designed to include employed VA work-study students to follow new student veterans through their first year at Hartnell and provide mentorship in the form of referrals and intrusive relationships, which helped build accountability. Mr. Sparks understood from his own experience that students who had meaningful campus connections and support from their peers were most likely to succeed.Describe the services that your program/service/office has offered to the Disproportionately Impacted (DI) student groups outlined in the 2020-21AY Summary of the Strategic Plan, which includes: American Indian/Alaskan Native, Foster Youth, Hawaiian /Pacific Islander, and/or Some other race.The Veterans Program serves a very unique population at Ĵý. Military veterans were previously identified as a DI population by the former Student Equity Committee years ago. The Program counselor, a member of the committee then, was able to advocate for this population to obtain funding for two full-time staff positions. She shared program population demographics and needs. Student veterans are not the typical 18 year old fresh out of high school student. They are in their 20s, 30s, and even older; many of them are working full time, are married/divorced, and/or have children. This makes them part of this DI population and one of the major ways that this population was able to fill in some gaps was by the hiring of full-time staff; Program Assistant II/Certifying Official and Veterans Counselor. The hiring of these two individuals created a one-stop-shop modality for this population, facilitating the transition process and preventing the typical run-around that many veterans struggle within the VA system.Are there any Disproportionately Impacted (DI) groups that are currently NOT being served by your program/office/service? What resources would you need to better serve these student groups? The students not being served are those who have not self-identified as part of the population. The Program is working on professional development opportunities for campus employees who have direct contact with students and can make referrals to any student veterans for services. The Program already started an initiative to be more visible to the campus community by hosting an open house which was very well attended. The Program staff is also working with the public relations department to create a Veterans commercial to promote programs services to the Central Coast in the hopes of garnering more community involvement and interest in the program.Please describe any equity gaps that were not identified and/or discussed in the questions above, based on your experiences at Hartnell.A gap that happened to grow a little wider during this pandemic was the disconnect between the faculty and the student population. Cultural competency is so important, and the disconnect created by campus closure and the long period of time spent in online learning made it even more difficult for students and faculty to build engaging and meaningful relationships. Our Program staff is working on developing a few (professional development) opportunities for campus staff to get to know student veterans and their unique qualities and needs.SERVICE AREA OUTCOMESPlease describe any meaningful outcomes that have been achieved from the SAOs outlined in the prior academic year.In Spring 2021 we were unable to administer surveys to students due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We will be adeministing surveys to students this Spring 2022 and will report the results.Did the activities from the prior academic year, and any subsequent dialog lead to significant change in the effectiveness and/or efficiency of this service/office/non-instructional program during the current academic year? Please describe any resources that may help/have helped you overcome these challenges.In Spring 2021 we were unable to administer surveys to students due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We will be adeministing surveys to students this Spring 2022 and will report the results.What factors and/or challenges have influenced the effectiveness of your service/office/non-instructional program (e.g. staffing, equipment, facilities, etc.) over the last three academic years?Over the last two years the college was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, we provided services to students remotely. In 2021 we began offering services to students in person again while still continuing to serve students via virtual front desks. Due to the pandemic and campus closure many students have left our college and began attending other colleges, withdrew completely and have not returned to higher education. Our staff is having a difficult time outreaching and getting veteran and dependents students to engage and participate in events or seek our services.SIGN OFF / APPROVALI have certified that the information above is complete and is represented accurately. 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