Military veterans may receive increased funds for tuition

Military veterans may soon receive more funds for tuition due to a new program that will supplement funds from the GI Bill, known as the yellow ribbon program.

The program is an addition to the new GI bill, also known as Chapter 33 or the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which was enacted as a result of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008.

Although the GI bill offers four academic years' worth of tuition funding, the funds only reach a cap that is set at the tuition of the most expensive public college in the state.

The yellow ribbon program is intended to help bridge the gap between tuition costs and federal funding.

According to the official GI Bill Web site, the yellow ribbon program is essentially a fund-matching program. When a school forms an agreement with the program, the government will provide the same amount of funds as the school provides to fund the student, up to the full cost of tuition.

Hopkins has not yet committed to participating in the program.

According to Paula Burger, dean of Undergraduate Education and Vice Provost, the program has some ambiguities that need to be resolved.

"It depends on some answers we don't have yet," she said. "I'll give you an example. From my read-through of the program, it isn't clear whether it applies not only to veterans but also to their dependents."

Burger noted that the University would also need to determine whether or not the government's fund-matching would extend to students in graduate or professional schools.

The yellow ribbon program provides an incentive for colleges to adopt the measure, as it allows them to provide aid to two students for the price of one.

In order to be eligible for 100 percent of GI Bill funding, veterans must have served a total of 36 or more months after 9/11 or served 30 or more consecutive days and received a disability-related discharge.

Veterans who have served less time receive fewer funds. The lowest amount awarded is 40 percent, which goes to those who have served for 90 days or more.

According to Burger, veterans at Hopkins currently receive need-based aid from the University.

"We do have some veterans here already, and they get funded through need-based financial aid, which is independent of this program," she said.

Burger noted that Hopkins's decision about whether or not to commit to the program would be forthcoming, as the deadline for confirming participation is approaching.

Previously, veterans who wanted to attend schools whose tuition exceeded the state tuition cap, such as private institutions or graduate programs, had to apply for additional scholarships or take out loans to pay for tuition.

A unique aspect of the program is that it does not mandate how much money a school contributes to veterans. Schools can participate in the yellow ribbon program by offering complete support, 50 percent of the difference between tuition and GI Bill funding, or any other level they choose.

The economic crisis could have a large effect on the amount of funds veterans actually receive.

Unfortunately for veterans, many schools, struggling with the current financial crisis, have been hesitant to increase their expenditures until the market stabilizes, according to a military.com article.

The bill only allows for financial aid to be granted in the form of a tuition waiver, rather than a scholarship, meaning that existing scholarships combined with newer tuition waivers could put a greater financial strain on the universities.

According to Vincent Amoroso, director of Student Financial Services, if Hopkins chooses to participate in the program, money will likely have to be reallocated from financial aid.

"If we do move forward with the program, money to fund it would most likely have to come from existing financial aid resources," he wrote in an e-mail to the News-Letter.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Maryland's state salary cap is $7,090. The current price of undergraduate tuition at the Krieger Schools of Arts and Sciences and Whiting School of Engineering is $37,700 for the 2008 to 2009 academic year.

In order for the University to provide undergraduate veterans with a full ride, they would have to match half the difference: a cost of $15,305 per student.

Most Hopkins students were supportive of the yellow ribbon program, though some noted that it could be financially risky.

"I think it's a good idea. People who go into the army sometimes go because they might not have many other career choices, from what I've heard," freshman Barry Lee said.

"This will just be another benefit that they receive for fighting for their country. It could help people live up to their potential."

Sophomore Chris Von Dollen, a Hopkins ROTC member, was more cautious to recommend the program.

"Well, I don't know enough about our finances to be sure," he said. "The more the University can give out to people who want to be here the better, but I don't know if it would be wisest way to spend the money."

Sophomore Eddie Holzinger felt that the University should adopt the program.

"It definitely seems like a good idea. People who go fight overseas definitely have my respect," he said. "I support Hopkins in [offering the funds]."

- Additional reporting by Thomas Danner