Saturday, September 7, 2013

UTB VETS SAY THE BILLIONAIRE GIANT DOESN'T CARE

FROM: LAURA SERNA MARQUEZ
I'M A MARINE VETERAN AND NEED SOME ADVISE AND HELP PLEASE.
VETERANS ATTENDING OUR LOCAL COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT BROWNSVILLE, TX.
THIS BILLIONAIRE GIANT DECIDED THAT OUR VETERANS UPPER-BOUND PROGRAM IS NO LONGER A PRIORITY IN CAMPUS ANY MORE. WE WENT FROM A 1,300 SQ-FT BUILDING TO A 380 SQ-FT STORAGE ROOM.
FEDERAL FUNDED COMPUTERS (13+) WERE REMOVED DUE TO NO SPACE AVAILABLE AND WERE ADDED TO THE SCHOOLS INVENTORY AS SURPLUS AND ISSUED TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
WE NO LONGER HAVE A PLACE TO COME IN FOR TUTORING EITHER. WE WERE TOLD WE COULD USE A CLASSROOM WHEN AVAILABLE, WHICH IS NEVER BECAUSE OTHER PEOPLE COME AND GO AND INTERRUPT WHEN MORE THAN ONE SUBJECT IS BEING TUTORED AT THE SAME TIME.
WE TOOK IT UP TO THE SGA (STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION) FOR SUPPORT AND ALL WE GOT WAS A SLAP IN THE FACE!
VETERANS ENROLLED IN THIS PROGRAM FEEL AS IF WE DO NOT MATTER. THIS ADDS TO THEIR STRESS, POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER, AND SELF ESTEEM FOR THEY ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING IN CLASS AND THIS SITUATION ADDS TO THE ISSUE.
PLEASE HELP WITH ADVICE, MENTORING, SUPPORT AND FEED BACK.
THANKS YOU FOR YOUR HELP AND YOUR SUPPORT.

6 comments:

BobbyWC said...

The state changed the rules and many veterans found themselves without classes on day one because Hazelwood did not pay their tuition and UTB did not bother telling the veterans the rules changed. They are now out an entire semester until they renew their benefits under the new rules.

Bobby WC

Anonymous said...

Blah, Blah, Blah. You served your time and are in college. What else do you want? Enough!!!

Anonymous said...

Please send this to O'Reily on Fox News. You have to use what you have to use.

Joaquin said...

It is the responsibility of the service member to be aware of any changes in their benefits. It's not the responsibility of anyone else to hand-hold them on what they're supposed to do. Why do they need their own room for tutoring? Can't they use the tutoring facilities everyone else does?

I'm tired of veteran's expecting special treatment. Their work is honorable and their sacrifice is clear but this does not give you a license to demand special treatement. If you're disabled, you're entitled to the same benefits any other disabled American in entitled to. If you're a student, same thing. I agree with the post above; enough.

Anonymous said...

Joaquin, the benefits that veterans receive did not change. What changed were the rules by the state very likely due to the instability of UTB. UTB did not comply with the new rules and expected to still receive the money from the state. When UTB did not receive the tuition for the veterans enrollment, they were dropped. It all happened behind the scenes so was no way for the veterans to "inform" themselves.

Though the veterans do NOT expect special treatment, the deserve it. They have already paid for it by volunteering.

The Veterans Upward Bound Program is grant funded to help our veterans make the transition from military life into civilian life and earn a degree.

Veterans have much to offer our community. It's a shame that they are just tossed aside like yesterday's news when they come home. This program has helped many veterans in our community to graduate increasing the university's enrollment and graduation rate.

There are other programs like the VUB that focus on a particular portion of the student community. There's Gear-UP for example, which has a similar goal but for a different portion of the community. Should they also be extinguished?

Anonymous said...

Somebody forgot to lock and load. Is this yet another symptom of the mass defection of the competent personnel from UTB?

There's a simple solution. Next time she is in town for a few days, call the UTB presidents office and tell them there is going to be a camera there for pictures. Give a thumbs up, then get out of the way. You'll get runnd over.

rita