A new GI Bill for our veterans

With the implementation of the Post-9/11 GI Bill on Aug. 1, our country created a new generation of potential college students from our nation's active-duty service members, reservists, National Guard members and veterans. We educators are thrilled about this advance, including those of us at Florida's private colleges and universities.

The private non-profit institution I lead, Saint Leo University, has been educating military service members for more than 35 years. We have been educating veterans even longer. This fall, we enrolled 1,923 students using educational benefit programs designed for veterans and their families. They study at our main campus in Pasco County, on military bases, at other continuing education locations and online. Some of these enrollments are due to the new GI Bill, and we hope far more veterans will earn a college degree this way.

The new GI Bill makes this possible by delivering a new level of educational benefits to men and women who have served on active duty since Sept. 11, 2001. It generally allows more money for tuition and books than previous programs and, sometimes, a housing allowance. And, in some cases, benefits can be transferred to a spouse or child.

Most media coverage has thus far concentrated on veteran programs at state schools, but private institutions may offer a veteran his or her desired course of study, or other advantages, such as small-class sizes, faith affiliations or robust online programs.

Meanwhile, cost barriers are disappearing. More than 700 private schools nationally enrolled in the Veterans Administration "Yellow Ribbon" program to exempt veteran students from any out-of-pocket tuition costs. These schools agreed to jointly finance with the VA any tuition costs that exceed the approved, in-state public tuition guidelines for benefits - a major financial commitment. At Saint Leo, we promptly adopted the Yellow Ribbon program for undergraduate programs at our main campus, making us one of 20 Yellow Ribbon schools in our state association, the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida.

Other factors, less well-publicized, can come into play. At Saint Leo's continuing education locations, such as MacDill Air Force Base and Santa Fe College in Gainesville, we have long had special military-tuition rates. These rates are fully covered by the new GI Bill, eliminating any out-of-pocket tuition costs to students.

The lesson: No post- 9/11 GI Bill student should assume a private education is out of financial reach. We are here to serve our student-veterans and do so proudly.