1. How can higher education better serve its veterans once their service is done? J. Goosby Smith, Ph.D. Pepperdine University Malibu, CA DEOMI 40 th Anniversary and 8 th Biennial Research Symposium December 6-8, 2011

2. Diversity in Higher Education Race Gender Nationality Physical/Mental Ability Socioeconomic Status Veteran Status

3. Student Demographic Trends Two major war efforts More service members More veterans Poor Job Market Better GI Bill More veterans pursuing higher education

4. Transitioning to the Classroom Key differences impact veterans’ transitions to college +More maturity +More life stressors +Structure to freedom +Hierarchy to egalitarianism +Low to high ambiguity +Combat-related stress issues +Concrete to abstract learning  decreased sense of belonging  Belonging   Success

5. The Gap Four-year colleges traditionally educate 18-22 year-olds Veterans enter older and with particular needs Veterans choose community colleges and for-profits more than the general population Four-year colleges must adjust to serve veterans more effectively

6. Best Practices 1.Think before you speak. 2.Be there. 3.Seek to understand. 4.Be supportive 5.Be Flexible. 6.Vary pedagogy. 7.Value contributions. 8.Know your limits. 9.Supplement the curriculum.

7. 1.Think before you speak. Put your personal politics aside. Be student-focused. Consider your comment’s impact upon the service member and your class. Manage any anxiety you may have.

8. 2. Be there. Hold regular office hours. Return telephone calls. Be electronically accessible (e-mail, IM). Develop a strong working relationship. Listen.

9. 3. Seek to understand. Don’t assume. Observe. Engage. Ask. Listen. Learn.

10. 4. Be supportive. Create a supportive learning environment. Reach out to student veterans’ office or club. Attend campus functions for veterans. Educate colleagues. Give assistance when needed. Be a campus advocate.

11. 5. Be flexible. Reconsider professor- determined seating charts. Adjust to drill schedules. Allow make-up work when equitable. Make reasonable accommodations.

12. 6. Vary pedagogy. Use experiential learning. Allow independent breaks. In long classes, schedule a break. Use a variety of teaching methods. Use team learning. Smaller classes.

13. 7.Value contributions. Team experience. Leadership experience. Ask for real-life examples to support class material. Thank students for sharing.

14. 8.Know your limits Understand… – “ Typical” classroom issues – Severe symptoms – Situation assessment – Defusing tense moments Know… – How to quickly access campus resources – When to intervene – Your comfort zone – Your blindspots

15. 9.Supplement the curriculum. Transition workshops Skills workshops – Time management – Study skills – Resume building Remedial classes First-year seminars Tailor existing course content

16. Conclusions Higher education must adjust for more student service members. Faculty members are integral to adjustment. Best practices can serve as a start. Stronger links are needed between faculty and student veterans office. More systemic intervention needs to occur. More research is needed (most focuses on staff). Thank you for your time

17. Contact Information: J. Goosby Smith, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior and Management Pepperdine University 24255 Pacific Coast Highway Malibu, CA 90263-4237 Jaye.Smith@Pepperdine.edu (310)506-7237 voice (310)506-4696 fax