§ 41-609 — Arizona veteran supportive campuses; department list; reports; definition

A. A postsecondary institution may request to be certified by the director as an Arizona veteran supportive campus. The department shall maintain a list of certified Arizona veteran supportive campuses on the department's website. The list shall include:

1. A link to the website of the campus.

2. A statement that this list does not contain all postsecondary institutions that may qualify as an Arizona veteran supportive campus.

3. A disclaimer that the department has not verified the information on the websites of the campuses listed pursuant to paragraph 1 of this subsection and that the department does not endorse any offer made by any sponsor of the website.

B. The department shall make a reasonable effort to notify postsecondary institutions and any other appropriate entities of the opportunity to be certified as an Arizona veteran supportive campus.

C. On or before December 31 and June 30 of each year, each Arizona veteran supportive campus shall forward a report to the department on the number of veterans enrolled in and graduating from its campus.

D. For the purposes of this section, "Arizona veteran supportive campus" means a postsecondary institution that offers:

1. A campus survey of student veterans to identify the needs, issues and suggestions of veterans.

2. A campus steering committee consisting of student veterans, faculty and staff to share information and to develop programs to establish or strengthen a veteran supportive campus based on best practices but that also integrates the campus culture and identifies the real needs of the student veterans.

3. Sensitivity and awareness training on military and veterans' culture, including related issues such as traumatic brain injury, posttraumatic stress disorder, physical and mental disabilities, suicide and hypervigilance for faculty and staff.

4. Student veteran orientation programs, including student veteran guides for the first day on campus, an optional student veteran orientation session and at least one optional veteran only course taught by a veteran or by a trained volunteer on veteran issues.

5. Peer mentoring and peer support programs for student veterans.

6. Outreach strategies to local military bases.

7. One-stop resource and study centers on campus for student veterans, their families and student family members of the armed forces who are currently deployed.

8. Community-based collaborations to allow the private sector to support veteran resource centers through financial and in-kind gifts.