Politicians created the Ohio House Bill 488 to support veterans who are entering the workforce, or to help them achieve their academic goals.

Governor John Kasich signed HB488 June 17, 2014. The bill officially went into effect at Kent State on Jan. 1, 2015.

According to the Ohio House of Representatives, HB488 requires state institutions of higher education to establish polices regarding the support and assistance to veterans at the institution.  

Part of the bill requires state institutions to give veterans and military service members the right to priority registration for classes. The bill also requires institutions to provide veterans with increased academic and career counseling. 

“Kent State puts veterans high up on the priority registration list,” said Dawn Plug, assistant director of Adult and Veteran Services. “They can register on October 22 for the spring term, which is right after Student Accessibility Services and right before athletes and Honors College.”

The bill covers the priority registration of veterans and military service members who attend Kent State using the GI Bill or those who have provided Department of Defense paperwork to the Center of Adult and Veteran Services office.

Plug said veteran registration status doesn’t mean students can bypass other requirements needed to register. If a veteran student is required to meet with their academic advisor prior to scheduling classes, they must meet with the advisor before Oct. 22 if they want to priority register for Spring 2016 classes.

Austin Gowen, senior music education major and National Guardsman, said he didn’t know about the priority registration for military service members. Since he’s nearing graduation, the bill doesn’t help him, but he’s glad it will help others.

Spring 2016 term priority registration for veterans and military service members opens Oct. 22. To check a registration status, students should go to FlashLine, under student tools and click check registration status. 

If a veteran or military service member student doesn’t think they have the correct registration date, they can visit the CAVS office in the Schwartz Center with correct documentation.

“Veterans say this is a huge benefit to them to be able to get the classes that they need to graduate in the most effective manor to get into the working world,” Plug said.

Lauren Phillips is the military and veterans reporter for The Kent Stater. Contact her at [email protected].