IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 491 

Encouraging each institution of higher education in the country to seek 

membership in the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Consortium. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 2, 2009 

Mr. ADLER of New Jersey (for himself, Mrs. LUMMIS, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. 

MCGOVERN, Mr. TEAGUE, and Mr. LANCE) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 

RESOLUTION 

Encouraging each institution of higher education in the country to seek membership in the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Consortium. 

Whereas in order to enhance their military effectiveness and 

to achieve their educational, vocational, and career goals, 

servicemembers should share in the same postsecondary 

educational opportunities that are available to other citizens; 

Whereas to enhance access to undergraduate educational opportunities for servicemembers, institutions should maintain a necessary flexibility of programs and procedures, 

particularly in admissions, credit transfer, and recognition of other applicable learning, including that gained in 

the military, in scheduling and format of courses, and in 


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•HRES 491 IH 

academic residency requirements to offset 

servicemembers’ mobility, isolation from campuses, and 

part-time student status; 

Whereas the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) 

Consortium, which was created in 1972 to provide educational opportunities to servicemembers who had trouble 

completing college degrees because of their frequent relocations, today includes more than 1,800 colleges and universities among its members; 

Whereas the SOC Consortium is a vehicle to help coordinate 

voluntary postsecondary educational opportunities for 

servicemembers by advocating for the flexibility needed to 

improve access to and availability of educational programs for servicemembers, helping the military and higher education communities understand and respond to 

each other’s resources, limits, and requirements for meeting the education and training needs of servicemembers, 

and strengthening the working relationships among military and higher education representatives; 

Whereas each year, hundreds of thousands of servicemembers 

and their family members enroll in associate, bachelor, 

and graduate level degree programs offered by SOC Consortium members on school campuses, military installations, and armories within the United States and overseas; 

Whereas SOC Consortium member institutions provide flexibility to servicemembers, their families, and veterans 

seeking college degrees and, in turn, these institutions 

benefit from the enrollment of mature, highly motivated 

adult students who are making use of tuition assistance 

or Montgomery GI Bill benefits to pay their education 

costs; and 


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•HRES 491 IH 

Whereas in gratitude and respect for their service to the 

United States, all institutions of higher education in the 

country should strive to provide our servicemembers with 

the tools and opportunities they need to achieve their 

educational, vocational, and career goals: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) encourages each institution of higher edu3 cation in the country to seek membership in the 

4 Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Con5 sortium; and 

6 (2) recognizes the institutions of higher edu7 cation that are currently members of the SOC Con8 sortium. 

Æ 


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