November 9, 2015
SVSU tops in Michigan for ‘Best for Vets’ recognition
Military Times recognized Saginaw Valley State University as the highest-ranking college or university in Michigan as part of its Best for Vets: Colleges 2016 rankings announced Monday, Nov. 9.
SVSU ranked No. 38 nationally among 125 institutions in the 4-year schools category by the independent media organization dedicated to news and information about the military. SVSU was ranked No. 1 in the state of Michigan. Last year, SVSU was ranked No. 60 nationally.
The Best for Vets: Colleges 2016 rankings evaluate many factors that make an organization a good fit for service members, military veterans and their families.
The survey-based initiative is the most comprehensive school-by-school assessment of veteran and military student services and rates of academic achievement. It requires schools to document services, special rules, accommodations and financial incentives offered to military and veteran students. It also considers the institution's culture for veterans on campus.
“Over the past six years of our surveys, we've seen so many schools first begin to foster - through new policies, services and dedicated facilities - and then nurture these wonderful communities,” said Amanda Miller, editor of Best for Vets.
SVSU provides a Military Student Affairs office for students, located in Curtiss Hall. It offers services and support to SVSU’s 375 military-affiliated students.
“We work very hard to provide quality service and meet our students’ needs,” said Denise Berry, SVSU director of military student affairs. “I think our one-stop shop concept where our department handles most things for these students is a big plus.”
Military Times also factors in data from the Veterans Affairs and Defense Departments, as well as three Education Department sources: the IPEDS Data Center, College Scorecard data and the Cohort Default Rate Database.
“We award the Best for Vets designation to the very best - the colleges that really are setting the example,” Miller said.
The rankings are published in full in the issues of Army Times, Navy Times, Air Force Times and Marine Corps Times on newsstands the week of Nov. 9; and online at MilitaryTimes.com, as well as ArmyTimes.com, NavyTimes.com, AirForceTimes.com and MarineCorpsTimes.com.
The rankings also are available at www.militarytimes.com/bestforvets-colleges2016.
News of SVSU's ranking arrives about one month after the university was recognized by being named to the Military Friendly® list of schools for the fifth consecutive year. Selected by Victory Media, the list honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools that are doing the most to embrace America's military service members, veterans, spouses and dependents as students, and ensure their success on campus.
About SVSU: Saginaw Valley State University is a comprehensive university with more than 90 programs of study for its nearly 10,000 students. Located on a suburban campus in Michigan’s Great Lakes Bay Region, SVSU is committed to quality teaching in the classroom, field-based learning outside, NCAA Division II athletics and a broad range of academic and extracurricular opportunities for students to excel. In 2015, SVSU received the Community Engagement classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, a distinction achieved by only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities.
About Military Times:
The Military Times digital platforms and newsweeklies are the trusted source for independent news and information for service members and their families. The military community relies on Air Force Times, Army Times, Marine Corps Times, and Navy Times for reporting on everything important to their lives, including: pay, benefits, finance, education, health care, recreational resources, retirement, promotions, product reviews, and entertainment. Military Times is published by Sightline Media Group. To learn more, visit www.militarytimes.com.