ERIC Number: ED608928
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Mar
Pages: 22
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Irvine Valley College's Veterans Resource Center Operations and Spending Survey Results, 2019-2020
Brohawn, Katie; Kretz, Andrew; Nguyen, Alyssa; White, Michelle
RP Group
The 2017-18 State Budget Act allocated $5M to the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges (CCC) to support a Veterans Resource Center (VRC) grant program designed to help CCC establish or enhance on-campus VRCs. In an effort to better understand the current state of VRCs in the wake of this funding, Irvine Valley College (IVC) contracted with The Research and Planning Group for California Community Colleges (RP Group) in fall 2019 to develop and administer a "VRC Operations and Spending Survey" focused on how Veteran Resource Centers (VRCs) operate, how they are utilized by students, and how they allocate their funding to support students. IVC sent this online survey to colleagues at the 114 California Community Colleges (CCC) with VRCs to gather information on VRC operations and budgeting. Personnel at 35 CCC VRCs completed the survey, a 30% response rate. The results from the fall 2019 VRC Operations and Spending Survey provided valuable insights into the state of VRCs at community colleges across California. While colleges vary in terms of how their VRCs are managed and utilized, they are quite aligned in their needs, notably the persistent need for additional staffing and space. Funding from the 2017-2018 State Budget Act was well-received and allowed VRCs to achieve compliance with many of the standards associated with high-functioning Veterans Resource Centers. More broadly, respondents reported that enhanced funding resulted in more positive, student-centered environments. Looking forward, respondents are eager for the security of sustained funding such that they can continue to provide (and improve) the diverse array of supports they offer to their Veteran students. They are willing to be held accountable to how they are spending these funds and are seeking a community of practice to learn best practices from their peers around the state.
Descriptors: Community Colleges, Veterans, Resource Centers, Educational Finance, Resource Allocation, Program Development, Student Personnel Services, Expenditures, Budgets, College Students, Academic Advising, Tutoring, Student Financial Aid, Mentors, Textbooks, Shared Resources and Services, Mental Health Programs
RP Group. 369-B Third Street Suite 397, San Rafael, CA 94901. Tel: 510-527-8500; e-mail: info@rpgroup.org; Web site: https://rpgroup.org
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Two Year Colleges
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: RP Group
Identifiers - Location: California (Irvine)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A