August 11, 2016

Risks of Fraud in Competency-Based Education

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An audit report released earlier this month by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General could potentially trigger efforts in Congress to eliminate a critical legal requirement for college programs to receive federal Title IV student grants and loans. That would be a dangerous development, according to a long-time higher education policy expert
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August 11, 2016

College Rebuked Today By Education Dept. Is Suing Ex-Employee Who Complained to Accreditor

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As we reported this morning, the U.S. Department of Education today rejected the request of the CollegeAmerica/Stevens-Henager college chain to have its status changed from for-profit to non-profit for purposes of federal financial aid rules. The Department concluded that the chain’s conversion to non-profit status appeared primarily to benefit the for-profit chain’s owner, Carl Barney, rather
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August 11, 2016

Department of Education Rejects For-Profit College Chain’s Conversion to Non-Profit

Carl Barney CEHE

In a critical decision to protect students and taxpayers from fraud and abuse in higher education, the U.S. Department of Education this morning rejected the request of the CollegeAmerica  / Stevens-Henager college chain to have its status changed from for-profit to non-profit for purposes of federal financial aid rules. The Department concluded that the chain’s
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August 4, 2016

Twist: DeVry Goes to Court To Stop Students From Bringing Arbitration

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For years, DeVry University, like other big for-profit colleges, forced its students to sign agreements that they would take any dispute with the school to private arbitration, rather than sue in court. When, this year, it appeared that the U.S. Department of Education was moving in the direction of banning or limiting such mandatory arbitration agreements
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August 2, 2016

For-Profit Colleges Say Students Are Being Defrauded (By Someone Else)

APSCU

The for-profit colleges’ depleted trade group CECU (formerly APSCU) reports in a new filing with the government a seemingly remarkable fact: Last month, the association wrote a letter to the Department of Education, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau demanding that those agencies fight against scam websites run by shady outfits
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August 1, 2016

Obama’s Last Chance to Protect Students & Taxpayers From Predatory Colleges

ObamaFtStewart

This is the comment (pdf) I submitted today to the Department of Education regarding new rules aimed at protecting students and taxpayers from deceptive practices and other abuses by unscrupulous colleges.   Secretary John B. King, Jr. ,U.S. Department of Education   Re: Docket ID ED-2015-OPE-0103 Dear Secretary King: I thank you and the Department
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July 26, 2016

Industry’s Top Lobbyist: Stop “Assaults” On For-Profit Colleges

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Steve Gunderson, the former congressman (R-WI) who is the chief lobbyist for America’s for-profit colleges, warns in a new email, “There has never been a time when the economic, regulatory and political assaults on our sector have been stronger.” Gunderson, since 2012 the CEO of the discredited, depleted for-profit college trade group CECU (formerly APSCU),
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July 18, 2016

For-Profit Colleges Use Distortions to Enlist Students to Oppose Obama Rules

Steve-Gunderson-President-CEO-APSCU

Steve Gunderson, the former congressman (R-WI), who heads the discredited, depleted for-profit college trade group CECU (formerly APSCU), is working hard to defeat a new Obama Administration rule that would (1) provide debt relief for students who were defrauded by their schools and (2) take steps to hold fraudulent schools accountable.  In addition to efforts
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