The University of Iowa is helping veterans and military members on campus connect and get their voices heard with a new council. (Photo by Brooklyn Draisey/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
The University of Iowa is establishing a new council with the aim of supporting military members and veterans on campus.
The UI Veteran and Military Council will serve as a space for students, faculty and staff with military experience to find resources, connections and more, according to a news release.
At the university, there are currently more than 560 veteran students, more than 160 National Guard and Reserve members, and more than 130 Air Force and Army ROTC cadets, alongside the more than 500 faculty and staff members who identified as veterans or military members in 2023.
“I work directly with veteran and military students every day and see a need for some of the same types of support for faculty and staff who are veterans,” said Matthew Miller, Iowa veteran education, transition, and support director of student support services, in the release. “Establishing this council is an excellent way to really build a community among faculty and staff.”
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According to its website, the council will represent the voice of veterans and military members on campus, address the group’s needs and concerns, support recruitment and retainment efforts for military students, staff and faculty and “serve as a formalized liaison between Veteran & Military staff, faculty, students and the greater University of Iowa communities.”
Miller is serving on the council as a member of its interim leadership team. He said in the release that the council will also provide a place where students can find mentors who can understand their experiences, and other connections.
“We can sometimes be siloed in our buildings or in our departments,” Miller said in the release. “This is a great opportunity for us to reach across campus to other faculty and staff who have a shared experience. We also want to support our National Guard and Reserve members who have other obligations outside of the university and show them that there’s a network to support them.”
Adam Potter, senior human resources specialist and a member of the interim leadership team, said in the release that in addition to providing more of a voice for veterans on campus, the council will also serve to draw in potential employees and encourage students to get involved.
The council is currently undergoing a search for members, and interested parties can reach out to ui-veteran-council@uiowa.edu to get more information. Anyone on campus is welcome to join, Potter said, and he believes the council will most likely meet monthly and eventually host events. According to the website, the first meeting is planned for early December, and weekly planning meetings are currently underway.
“We’re excited to move forward,” Potter said. “We hope that people show interest and get involved. We want Iowa to be a place where veterans, National Guard members, Army Reserve, and Army ROTC cadets can feel more at home when they’re at home.”
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