New EVPURAPP University Military and Veterans Services Coordinator

Margaret Baechtold has joined the Office of Executive Vice President for Regional Affairs, Planning, and Policy as University Military and Veterans Services Coordinator. This will be a 50% appointment starting November 1, reporting to both University Academic Planning and Policy and University Student Systems and Services. Margaret will also continue in her current role as Director, Veterans Support Services at the Bloomington campus.

Margaret is in her In fifth year as director, Veterans Support Services, Division of Student Affairs, providing direct support services to Indiana University veteran students and advice and guidance to IU administration on student military matters. She is a nationally recognized expert on GI Bill issues and has testified before House Veterans Affairs Committee Economic Opportunity sub-committee. Margaret retired from the military in 2001 as a lieutenant colonel after 20 years of leadership, management and mentoring experience as an Air Force officer. Positions ranged from aircraft navigator, executive officer and air attaché to commander of an Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) detachment. In addition, Margaret was an academic advisor at Indiana University Bloomington for five years before becoming directly involved in veterans services.

The University Military and Veterans Services Coordinator will have the following responsibilities:

• Communicate to all IU campuses about requirements of federal and state programs, regulations, and legislation regarding all aspects of student veterans' and military members' education and benefits. Disseminate information to campuses about requirements and develop collaborative methods to ensure consistent compliance. Current programs and regulations include multiple US Department of Veterans Affairs education benefits, VA Vocational Rehabilitation, Higher Education Opportunity Act's readmission of Service Members requirements, Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Memorandum of Understanding, Post 9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon program, Executive Order 13607 Principles of Excellence, Service members Opportunity College membership criteria, State requirements for credit for military service, and State awards such as the National Guard Supplemental Grant program.
• Collaborate with IU public affairs and government relations office and higher education organizations to ensure the university's input and concerns are articulated to appropriate state and national decision makers. Provide analysis and comment on proposed legislation affecting student veterans and military members.
• Share student support and services best practices among university campuses to improve success of veterans, military members, and their families attending Indiana University. Collaborate with appropriate offices to create methods to track and analyze success of these student populations as well as assess need and service gaps. Ensure campuses are able to provide developmental, social, emotional, academic and financial advising and counseling specifically tailored for student veterans and military members.
• Maintain expert knowledge of VA and military education requirements, serving as university training resource for campus staff members. In collaboration with campus staff, determine reporting needs related to benefits and compliance and work with USSS and other offices to develop appropriate tools to make processes more accurate and efficient.
• Provide advice to university administration about needs for programs, information, tools, or resources necessary to promote academic success for this population on all campuses. In collaboration with other offices and all campuses, develop tools and methods to assess student needs and rates of success.
• Convene advisory group of military and veteran students, and campus veteran services representatives, to ensure IU provides quality programs that meet the needs of these students.