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Earlier this year, LinkedIn released results from a survey of 17,000 professionals from various industries. The results highlighted the top 10 industries that have high percentages of employees looking for a new job in 2024. While this may not be a surprise to some, it was still disheartening to see that close to 44% of employees in the education industry were actively looking to leave their current job.
The reasons could be endless, from budget constraints, politics, lack of leadership and/or flexibility, etc. The well-being of higher education professionals has been at the forefront of conversations over the last few years and will continue to be. This data raised more questions, sparking curiosity for functional areas in higher education supporting unique student populations.
Assuming that higher education institutions are being proactive in assessing student needs, are they doing the same for staff? How are institutions addressing staff needs? And to dig deeper, how are they further supporting staff working with unique student populations?
I had the opportunity to connect and chat with higher education professionals working with veteran and military-connected students within California State University, Fullerton, a four-year public university and Mt. San Antonio College, a community college campus in the Southern California region. They provided great insight into their day-to-day work, discussed the ebbs and flows of peak seasons for their team and brought to light ways institutions could better support their work.
Most importantly, our conversations led to discussing best practices, a wish list of resources, and a call to action for institutions to better support staff and alleviate the exodus of professionals leaving the field.
Best Practices
Here are some key themes when asked, ‘what is keeping you in higher education?’
Community and Positive Work Environment
“It felt safe to be myself in the Veterans Resource Center,” is a sentiment Giovanni Berdejo shared of why he pursued higher education in the first place. He currently serves as the program coordinator for professional development and training at his campus where he assists with preparing veteran students for the workforce.
He continued to express the community that his workplace at California State University, Fullerton offers, particularly as an Army veteran that missed the camaraderie of “his brothers and sisters.”
Jose Gutierrez, academic support coordinator at California State University, Fullerton also shared similar feelings of having the support of his fellow colleagues. As an Army veteran, Gutierrez understands firsthand the challenges that come from leaving service, transitioning to pursue a higher education, as well as the personal trials that come with being a student. He attributes that “it’s who we spend our time with at work” that can help create a sense of belonging for staff.
Leadership Support
“I think, for me, it’s all about having a shared vision, shared input, and support,” says Desiree Campos who oversees the Veterans Resource Center (VRC) at Mt. San Antonio College as the VRC manager.
“As long as my team understands that they’re part of that vision, they’re making a difference every day, and that they will get from me the support that they need to be successful in their roles, then, that is something that is very powerful every day.” She continued to express how transparency and communication were a must because it reminds teams of the “work they do, how they do it and most importantly – why they do it.” Campos proceeded to mention the power of mentorship and how she reflects on former supervisors and managers that provided the best support in her day-to-day work making a lasting impact in her career.
Wish List of Resources
As we discussed best practices, we also touched on what resources and tools could support their work to elevate their day-to-day with veteran and military-connected students.
Salary Increases
Without question, salary and additional staffing were at the top of the list. With institutions requiring a bachelor’s and/or master’s degree education, why are their salaries not reflective of their educational investment and significant work experiences? In short, low paying positions are adding to the attrition of key staff members.
Additional Full-Time and Permanent Staff
Impacted caseloads of students for one staff member is becoming overwhelming and having additional full-time staff could provide expedited services and elevate accuracy. Veteran certification for college campuses is key. The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs now suggests institutions serving veterans and their families should assign one designated certifying official for every 125 GI Bill® students. It was shared that one staff member alone could be certifying more than 650 students. In addition, the importance of institutionalizing full-time employee positions versus heavily relying on grants to fund temporary positions further adds to staff turnover.
Flexible Schedules and Work Modality
Institutions often discuss the need to offer services for students beyond the regular 8am to 5pm schedule; yet, staff are typically not given the option to work flexible schedules. In a post-pandemic world, providing remote and hybrid services to veteran and military-connected students has been critical in spreading reach and deepening engagement for some campuses; then why are staff not given the opportunity to do the same?
Other Resources
Given that the veteran and military connected student population continues to grow among college campuses, a lack of proper office and facility space has become a need for many veteran serving institutions. Vanessa Estrada, administrative coordinator at California State University, Fullerton shared how adding a designated mental health liaison for their veterans resource center could be a big win for both students and staff. The mental health needs for veteran students is multifaceted and housing a mental health professional could create a level of trust for students that many do not have for general counseling services on college campuses.
Call to Action
Twenty years of seasoned higher education experience fires up a passion in Desiree Campos and encourages institutions and leaders alike to make impactful change.
“The politics of institutions, the red tape, the bureaucracy. You know, filling positions that should be filled quicker. But that’s where I come in, and I advocate for programmatic support to make sure that the students we serve are getting what they need,” Campos says.
If institutions are looking to retain staff, they must consider staff needs, assess current and future roles and responsibilities, create intentional and meaningful partnerships and exemplify transformational leadership that can speed up resources and services for both staff and students.
She further shares, “Our students are best served when our staff is respected, supported and feel like they are valued in their positions. Our students get the quality and premier service that they deserve, because they deserve no less than premier service.”
One thing is for sure, there is no lack of passion in supporting the student veteran and military connected communities from our higher education professionals. It is support that they seek and change that they want.
