Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Veterans topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Higher-education officials and campus veterans centers warn SEO staff shortages are straining student benefit processing
Summary
Nevada System of Higher Education and campus veterans centers reported about 7,800 veterans systemwide and said VA-required certification and new rules have increased administrative workloads; campus representatives said SEO staffing is far below VA-recommended levels at large campuses.
System officials and campus veteran-services directors told lawmakers that growing veteran enrollments, new VA administrative requirements and vacancy issues are stressing campus operations that certify federal education benefits.
Terrina Cacerto (Nevada System of Higher Education) said the system’s 2024–25 veteran enrollment report shows a little over 7,800 identified veterans systemwide and about 4,600 veterans who received federal education payments. "A little over 7,800 veterans were identified," she said, and systemwide fall-to-spring retention for 2024–25 rose to about 83.8 percent.
Campus directors said the workload for school-certifying officials (SEOs) has increased substantially because VA rules now require certification steps that are more frequent and administratively complex. Ross Bryant of UNLV said UNLV serves roughly 2,300 veterans using benefits and that current staffing leaves SEOs handling several hundred students each rather than the 125-per-SEO VA recommendation. "I average ... 544 students per SEO," Bryant said, describing audits and VA processing delays that have compounded workload problems.
Campus representatives described operational consequences: increased audits, backlogs when VA counselors depart, and time-consuming tuition/overpayment collections handled by schools when VA processing delays affect student payments. Several campuses said they are seeking additional full-time SEO positions and flagged VA processing and counselor shortages as constraints beyond campus control.
What’s next: System officials committed to providing detailed staffing figures to the committee and campuses said they will pursue additional certified staff and coordination with the VA to reduce backlogs.
