UW-River Falls earns UW System VETS certification

November 9, 2017--The day before the official observance of Veterans Day, the UW System Board of Regents honored UW-River Falls and six other system campuses for achieving Veterans Education and Transition to Success (VETS) certification.

The announcement was made at Thursday’s Board of Regents meeting in Madison.

“VETS certification means we provide support services for veterans including a welcome environment and a place in university life that exceeds that of many of our peers,” said UW-River Falls Chancellor Dean Van Galen. “We are honored to receive this special recognition from the University of Wisconsin System even as we thank those members of our campus community for their service to the nation.”

In any given year, approximately ten percent of adult students and from three to five percent of the student body annually, are either current or former members of the military. According to the Registrar’s Office, 238 students or 3.9 percent of the current student body have a military background.

UW-River Falls was honored for providing the following services to its veteran population:

• The campus Advisory Committee on Veteran Affairs, made up of staff, faculty and student veterans, identifies student veterans in academic trouble before they drop classes and potentially reduce the value of education benefits tied to enrollment.

The campus Military and Veteran Resource Center connects students to the Transition and Care Management program of the Minneapolis VA that provides returning veterans with a wide range of healthcare and disability services.