The Veterans Resource Center was closed down at the end of the last Fall semester at Palomar College. This incident agitated many of the veterans on campus, and still remains a sensitive subject, but officials said they felt it was necessary to shut it down.
The reasons for the Veterans Resource Center shutting down last semester are obscure. The people involved with making the call, and the veterans themselves are very tight-lipped about the incident.
Palomar’s Director of Enrollment Services, Kendyl Magnuson said it was a “code of conduct issue,” and because of the nature of the incident, and student confidentiality he cannot fully disclose the specific details of what happened.
Magnuson explained that the school takes student conduct very seriously. When complaints of the incident reached the faculty, they responded quickly by initiating an investigation.
Furthermore, anyone can use the Veteran’s Resource Center because a college campus is public grounds, and statutes permit all students and faculty members anywhere on the campus. No building is off limits to anyone, and non-veterans are known to go into the VRC.
Whatever the investigation found resulted in the ultimate decision to shut it down temporarily. This was done mainly because it was the end of the semester and also finals week.
This would mean two things; the VRC would not be closed for very long, but would also minimize the impact that veterans would feel as they would not be without the resource for very long. It would also mitigate the distractions that veteran and non-veteran students would have during one of the most important weeks of a semester.
According to Magnuson, the veterans were informed that anyone who had issues with the decision could speak to Adrian Gonzales, assistant superintendent and vice president of student services.
Several veterans did meet with Gonzales, and many of them were upset with the decision. Magnuson said that many of the “veterans were concerned it was a reflection on them in some way, and that wasn’t our intention.”
Whatever “code of conduct issue” happened at the Veterans Resource Center, it seems to be resolved now, as the VRC has been open since the start of this semester. There have been some small changes there. It is less of a lounge now, and the VRC is more upfront about the rules of conduct.
Magnuson explained that there needed to be more clarification of the rules, and that there needs to be more transparency between the faculty and the VRC. He also describes the two components of the VRC; first, it is a service center to be utilized by the veterans, and a place where they can use computers, study and complete their homework.
Secondly it is supposed to be a place of relaxation or a sanctuary for veterans, a place where they can communicate with other veterans who understand where they have been and have similar lifestyles.
“We want that safe place for vets to go but it’s also a service center,” he said.
There are plans for a new Veteran’s Resource Center. The current VRC is small, and can get quite packed during the middle hours of the weekdays. The new VRC will have a lot more space as well as provide more services for veterans. There will be more computers, and a larger lounge, and there are plans to get tutors in there as well.
The new VRC will be located right behind the Student Services Center. This will create that transparency with the faculty, as well as allow veterans to be a short walk away from administrative services. Plans for the new VRC are set for 2016.
Now that the VRC is open again, Magnuson said, “we are pleased with how we managed this,” and that a potential conduct issue had minimal impact. While this may be true, most veterans refused to comment, and one said “It’s a shame.”
Everyone seems glad that the VRC is back open, and the veterans enjoy the space that is provided for them.
One veteran said that the VRC is a safe place where they can kickback. Veterans can relate to other veterans, and help them better than anyone else. They are a family there, the same veteran added.
Article by staff writer Zachary Watson.
