In 2015 Louisiana enacted a resolution to address the need for comprehensive, statewide support to aid military veterans transitioning from military service to enrollment in postsecondary education. Targeting the need for faculty and staff awareness of "veterans' culture" and for orientation and mentoring programs designed specifically for veterans, the law required the Board of Regents (BOR) to establish a process for designating an institution as a Governor's Military and Veteran Friendly Campus (GMVFC, or Friendly Campus), beginning in Fall 2015.
Board of Regents staff reviewed each application to determine whether the institution met the requirements for continued designation as a Friendly Campus, with a particular focus on the specific data required by law:
- the number of veterans granted application fee waivers;
- the number who attended the specialized orientation program;
- the number who participated in the priority class registration;
- the number of students (veterans and dependents) who benefitted from the articulation and transfer process, including the number of credits accepted and a list of the courses credited;
- and the number of veterans, spouses, and dependent graduates.
In 2023 the Louisiana Legislature invited the Board of Regents to establish additional tiers of
distinction to recognize higher levels of excellence demonstrated by participants in the program. These tiers reflect an institution's commitment to its veteran and military students and their spouses/dependents and exist in addition to the requirements for designation as a Friendly Campus.
Regents staff identified seven additional criteria beyond those needed to receive Friendly Campus
designation and specified the requirements that comprise the Gold, Silver, and Bronze distinctions.
We are happy to report that SoLAcc was granted a Bronze distinction!