A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to provide grants to institutions of higher education to establish programs for the provision of services and support to veterans who are students at such institutions, and for other purposes.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting Education for Returning 
Veterans Act of 2008''.

SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM FOR SUPPORT OF VETERANS AT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER 
              EDUCATION.

    Title VII of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1133 et 
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

  ``PART F--PROGRAM FOR SUPPORT OF VETERANS AT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER 
                               EDUCATION

``SEC. 781. GRANT PROGRAM FOR SUPPORT OF VETERANS AT INSTITUTIONS OF 
              HIGHER EDUCATION.

    ``(a) Grants Authorized.--
            ``(1) In general.--Subject to the availability of 
        appropriations, the Secretary is authorized to award grants to 
        institutions of higher education to enable the institutions of 
        higher education to establish programs that support veterans 
        who are students at such institutions by providing and 
        coordinating services that address the academic, financial, 
        physical, and social needs of such veterans.
            ``(2) Grant period.--A grant awarded under this section 
        shall be awarded for a period of 3 years.
    ``(b) Selection of Grant Recipients.--
            ``(1) Application.--An institution of higher education 
        seeking a grant under this section shall submit to the 
        Secretary an application in such form, at such time, and 
        containing such information as the Secretary may require.
            ``(2) Approval.--The Secretary shall, in consultation with 
        the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, approve or disapprove each 
        application submitted by an institution of higher education 
        under paragraph (1). In determining whether to approve or 
        disapprove an application, the Secretary shall consider the 
        following:
                    ``(A) The number of veterans enrolled as students 
                at the institution of higher education.
                    ``(B) The needs of such veterans at such 
                institution.
                    ``(C) The ability of such institution to sustain a 
                Center of Excellence for Veteran Student Success 
                described in subsection (c)(2)(A) after the completion 
                of the grant period described in subsection (a)(2).
                    ``(D) The equitable distribution of grants under 
                this section among various types and sizes of 
                institutions of higher education.
                    ``(E) The equitable geographic distribution of 
                grants under this section.
                    ``(F) The equitable distribution of grants under 
                this section among rural and urban areas.
    ``(c) Use of Grant Funds.--
            ``(1) Program required.--Each institution of higher 
        education receiving a grant under this section shall use the 
        grant to establish a program that supports each veteran who is 
        a student at such institution by providing and coordinating 
        services that address the academic, financial, physical, and 
        social needs of such veteran.
            ``(2) Required program activities.--Each program 
        established under paragraph (1) shall include the following:
                    ``(A) Establishing a Center of Excellence for 
                Veteran Student Success on the campus of the 
                institution of higher education that provides a single 
                point of contact to coordinate comprehensive support 
                services for veterans who are students, including the 
                following:
                            ``(i) Admissions.
                            ``(ii) Registration.
                            ``(iii) Financial aid.
                            ``(iv) Veterans benefits.
                            ``(v) Academic advising.
                            ``(vi) Student health.
                            ``(vii) Personal or mental health 
                        counseling.
                            ``(viii) Career advising.
                            ``(ix) Disabilities services.
                    ``(B) Establishing a support team for veterans who 
                are students, including representatives from the 
                student veteran association and veteran service office 
                of such institution of higher education, if any.
                    ``(C) Providing a full-time or part-time 
                coordinator whose primary responsibility is to 
                coordinate the program.
                    ``(D) With respect to such veterans, monitoring the 
                rates of enrollment, persistence, and completion of 
                programs of education at such institution.
            ``(3) Optional program activities.--With respect to 
        veterans who are students at an institution of higher education 
        receiving a grant under this section, a program established 
        under paragraph (1) by such institution may include the 
        following:
                    ``(A) Outreach to, and recruitment of, veterans.
                    ``(B) Supportive instructional services for 
                veterans, which may include--
                            ``(i) personal, academic, and career 
                        counseling, as an ongoing part of the program;
                            ``(ii) tutoring and academic skill-building 
                        instruction assistance, as needed; and
                            ``(iii) assistance with special admissions 
                        and transfer of credit from previous 
                        postsecondary education or experience.
                    ``(C) Assistance in obtaining student financial 
                aid.
                    ``(D) Housing support.
                    ``(E) Providing classes that are limited to 
                veterans to help them fulfill general education 
                requirements.
                    ``(F) Providing activities designed to ease the 
                transition of veterans to life on the campus of such 
                institution.
                    ``(G) Support for veteran student organizations and 
                veteran student support groups on campus.
                    ``(H) Coordination of academic advising and 
                admissions counseling with military bases and National 
                Guard and Reserve units in the area.
                    ``(I) Such other support services as the 
                institution considers necessary to ensure the success 
                of veterans in achieving the veterans' educational and 
                career goals.
    ``(d) Evaluation and Accountability Plan.--The Secretary shall 
develop an evaluation and accountability plan for programs established 
under subsection (c)(1) to measure the impact of such programs, 
including an objective measure of whether the rates of enrollment, 
persistence, and completion of programs of education at institutions of 
higher education by veterans increase as a result of such programs.''.

Summary: Supporting Education for Returning Veterans Act of 2008 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award three-year grants to institutions of higher education to establish programs that support veterans who are students by providing and coordinating services that address their academic, financial, physical, and social needs. Requires each grantee to establish a campus Center of Excellence for Veteran Student Success that provides a single point of contact for the coordination of comprehensive support services for students who are veterans. Requires the Secretary to develop an evaluation and accountability plan for measuring the effect such programs have on veterans' success in postsecondary education.