Associate Dean of Student Life Kari L. Sommers’ letter in the Chronicle, though well intentioned, wasn’t warmly received by veterans.

As a student veteran of Columbia, I understand all the offerings of the Student Diversity and Inclusion area. However, using student veterans as an added amenity SDI offers and to enrich the life of other students is not our purpose on campus. Don’t get me wrong, we will still enrich the communities we’re in regardless of where we find ourselves because we’re professionals. But taking away our space and forcing us in SDI is not in the best interest of student veterans and not what I want.

There are many issues and discussions between veterans that are beneficial and that civilians wouldn’t understand or be comfortable around. I started school with my deployment in Iraq still fresh in my mind. Columbia still provided a separate veteran space for us then, and it was a large part of why I wanted to continue attending Columbia after the break I took last year. Many student veterans start school right after they’re discharged. Having a space of our own to connect can keep new and current veterans attending Columbia and help provide continuity and support in their transition back to civilian life.

Danny Woodruff, junior radio major