R 141939Z JAN 09
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 0024/09
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/MR//
SUBJ/SPECIAL ADMISSION PROGRAM FOR ACTIVE DUTY AND VETERANS OF THE U.S. ARMED FORCES IN CALIFORNIA//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  IN MARCH 2006, CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR ARNOLD  SCHWARZENEGGER CREATED AN EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY FOR ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY STATIONED IN CALIFORNIA AND CALIFORNIA VETERANS CALLED THE "TROOPS TO COLLEGE PROGRAM." THE PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE VETERANS TO APPLY TO CALIFORNIA INSTITUTIONS WHERE THEY WOULD RECEIVE A FIRST CLASS EDUCATION AT HIGHLY COMPETITIVE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND, UPON GRADUATION, CONSIDER ENTERING THE CALIFORNIA WORKFORCE. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THIS PROGRAM HAS ENJOYED INCREASING SUCCESS.
2.  IN AUGUST 2008, THE PRESIDENT OF SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY (SDSU) AND THE COMMANDING GENERAL, MARINE CORPS INSTALLATIONS WEST LAUNCHED A SPECIAL ADMISSION PROGRAM (SAP) FOR SELECTED MARINES SCHEDULED TO EAS IN FY 08.  THE SAP PERMITTED MCI WEST TO SCREEN AND NOMINATE THESE MARINES FOR DIRECT ADMISSION TO SDSU FOR THE FALL SEMESTER.  AS SDSU ONLY ACCEPTS AROUND 11% OF ALL APPLICANTS, THIS WAS A REMARKABLE OFFER.  THE UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS OF THIS INITIATIVE HAS CAUSED THE CHANCELLOR OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY (CSU) SYSTEM TO OFFER THIS PROGRAM AT ALL 23 CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITIES. AS A RESULT, EACH CSU CAMPUS HAS AGREED TO ACCEPT FIVE ACTIVE DUTY AND/OR VETERANS ASSIGNED ON A FAIR SHARE BASIS FROM EACH OF THE SERVICES, TO INCLUDE THE ARMY AND AIR FORCE RESERVE AND NATIONAL GUARD.  THIS PROGRAM WILL START WITH THE 2009 FALL SEMESTER.  CSU HAS ASKED MCIWEST TO TAKE THE LEAD IN COORDINATING THIS PROGRAM WITH THE OTHER MILITARY SERVICES.  MARINES INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROGRAM SHOULD PLAN ON USING THEIR CURRENT OR FUTURE GI BILL BENEFITS FOR TUITION EXPENSES.
3.  I ENCOURAGE ALL MARINES WHO HAVE EARNED AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE AND HAVE NO REMAINING ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE OBLIGATION AND WHO ARE CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS, OR MARINES PLANNING TO RESIDE IN CALIFORNIA AFTER LEAVING OUR CORPS, TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO FURTHER THEIR EDUCATION. MCIWEST WILL SERVE AS OUR EXECUTIVE AGENT ON THIS INITIATIVE AND FURTHER DETAILS OF THE PROGRAM, TO INCLUDE THE APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS, WILL BE RELEASED VIA MARADMIN.
4.  POINT OF CONTACT IS CAPT SHARON FRANCO, MCIWEST SSEC, AT (760) 725-2922 OR EMAIL AT: SHARON.FRANCO@USMC.MIL.
5.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY MR. T. R. LARSEN, DIRECTOR, PERSONAL AND FAMILY READINESS DIVISION.//