Tuition policies were tweaked in October by the Board of Trustees to allow all student veterans to pay in-state rates.

A separate award is also allowing Ohio residents to take classes at OU for the same price as Michigan residents.

Serving the students

At its Oct. 4 meeting, the Board of Trustees approved a new policy granting in-state tuition to all student veterans regardless of residency status.

Registrar Steve Shablin said the proposal has been in the works since last summer.

“We thought given that we’re a military-friendly school and that we wholeheartedly support our military veterans, that this was a good strategic initiative for the university,” he said.

With OU being such a military-friendly school, Shablin said offering the break on tuition was a no-brainer.

Shablin said this also brings OU in line with some other universities across the state that offer the policy.

He said this is an addition to other veterans benefits offered at OU including early registration and red, white and blue honor cords bestowed at graduation.

Shablin said he feels having veterans at the university gives the students around them a great benefit.

“Our veterans do provide a wealth of experience and wisdom from which (their) fellow students in class can benefit. I think it really builds a sense of community with our external constituencies,” he said. “The students really bring a variety and a diversity to all the other students in the class.”

Veterans interested in applying for this benefit should register with the Veterans Certification Office in 101A O’Dowd Hall.

Ohioans occupy Oakland

Oakland also has a program to provide in-state tuition to residents in the neighboring state of Ohio.

Ted Montgomery, director of media relations said this is part of an ongoing strategy on the part of the university.

“Given our location in southeast Michigan, Oakland has always recruited students from northern Ohio,” Montgomery said. “Our current strategy includes offering Ohio residents an award that covers the cost of the tuition difference for an in-state versus an out-of-state student. The Tuition Differential Award is part of our larger recruitment strategy to bring greater diversity to Oakland’s student body.”

In effect, an Ohio resident is charged the same as a Michigan resident is when this award is applied to their bill.

This achieves the same result as agreements of reciprocity such as one that allows residents of Monroe County, Mich. to attend the University of Toledo while Ohio residents can attend Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Mich. at in-state rates.

The Tuition Differential Award is granted by the admissions office.

For more information on Veteran Support Services, visit www.oakland.edu/veterans.