DALLAS – The University of North Texas UNT Dallas has been awarded a grant from the Greater Texas Foundation to establish an assistance program for military families pursuing education. The “Stars & Stripes Fund” will provide financial assistance to military spouses, children of military families, soldiers who may have exceeded their GI Bill benefits or who are not eligible for the State of Texas’ Hazelwood Exemption, and former service members whose GI Bill benefits have expired.
U.S. Congressman Pete Sessions (R.-Texas) expressed his support for the program, which will aid those who have chosen “a path of selflessness, patriotism and courage.”
“The Stars and Stripes Fund will help meet the financial needs of our soldiers, which provides them with more educational opportunities. Given the rising costs of college education, I believe it is of utmost importance to help our servicemen and women reach their educational goals. Not only does this scholarship program reflect our commitment to education and our military personnel, it will help them reach their full potential and provides an essential foundation for future success in life,” Sessions wrote in a letter to UNT System Chancellor Lee Jackson.
John Ellis Price, vice chancellor of UNT Dallas, said the campus began developing the framework for a military education assistance fund after repeated news reports disclosed the rising costs of college in comparison to static GI Bill benefits late in 2007 and into 2008. Articles in the Boston Globe, on ABC News, and even in the Army Times have described how inflation is zapping GI Bill benefits at a faster pace than in previous generations.
But after a long congressional debate, President Bush signed H.R. 2642 on June 30, 2008. Under the terms of the bill, service members who have served 36 months after Sept. 11, 2001, are entitled to increased benefits. The bill also contains provisions for the transfer of education benefits to family members after reenlistment. Those benefits, however, do not become effective until August 1, 2009.
“The GI Bill is one of the greatest educational programs ever developed. The government certainly has fulfilled its promises to our soldiers. But we believe that we as citizens should be contributing as well to make education more affordable for those who have sacrificed so much,” Price said. “If soldiers are receiving the GI Bill and do not need assistance, we will provide assistance to family members. If soldiers or family members need money for books or fees, we will provide money for books or fees until such time as the new education benefits program begins. We want to fill the gap for the coming academic year.”
To be eligible for the UNT UNT Dallas Stars & Stripes Fund, soldiers, military spouses and their children must be eligible for admission at the campus. Spouses and children of military personnel must provide proof of their family member’s military service. Classes must be taken at UNT Dallas in programs offered at the campus (online courses and courses at the Denton Campus are not covered under the assistance program). Soldiers who did not opt into the GI Bill are also eligible to receive assistance with proof of service, such as Form DD-214.
When President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the GI Bill in 1944, he noted that the landmark provision would provide veterans with up to $500 per year for tuition assistance. The annual cost of living in 1944 was roughly $2,000. What could be obtained for $500 per year in 1944 may now cost the average GI $20,000 per year for tuition and fees alone at many universities.
UNT Dallas has one of the lowest tuition rates in the North Texas region, and avoided raising tuition for the 2008-2009 academic year. The low tuition rate coupled with the Stars & Stripes Fund could substantially lower the costs of a college education for military personnel and their family members, Price said.
“Our hope is that other Texas universities will also launch similar programs,” Price said. “It is unlikely that the GI Bill will ever keep pace with college costs. These soldiers and their families have paid for freedom. We should help them pay for college.”
UNT Dallas will begin accepting applications for assistance July 7. For more information about the Stars & Stripes Fund, contact UNT Dallas at 972-780-3600. Inquiries should be addressed to the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.
Headquartered in Bryan, Texas, the Greater Texas Foundation serves the citizens and educational institutions of Texas by supporting initiatives that increase access to higher education, support teachers, and encourage parental and community involvement in education. UNT Dallas was informed of the grant for the Stars & Stripes fund by Greater Texas Foundation Executive Director Wynn Rosser.
The UNT UNT Dallas operates under the authority of the University of North Texas in Denton, the state’s fourth largest university, and is a component institution of the University of North Texas System. The Campus currently offers junior-, senior- and graduate-level courses leading to bachelor’s and master’s degrees. The Campus will become freestanding and open as UNT Dallas, the city’s first and only public university, by 2010.
For More Information:
Gregory Tomlin
Director of Marketing, News and Information
(972) 780-3615
(817) 798-9260 (Cell)
greg.tomlin@unt.edu