March 20, 2013
by Allie Bidwell
Washington
A federal judge has ruled against the U.S. Department of Education on a motion asking the judge to modify part of a decision, issued last summer, that vacated key provisions of the department's controversial "gainful employment" rule.
In a ruling issued on Tuesday, Judge Rudolph Contreras of the U.S. District Court here denied the department's request for the court to reinstate the provisions that were invalidated.
The rule, which was released in June 2011, applies to most programs at for-profit institutions, and to non-degree-granting programs at public and nonprofit private institutions. Its intent is to ensure that federal student-aid dollars flowing to those programs are good investments and that the programs are preparing students for jobs that pay well.
The provisions of the rule that Judge Contreras invalidated last summer include three "debt measures" the department wants to use in determining whether programs are in fact preparing their students for gainful employment. Those measures would examine the income earned and debt repaid by students after leaving the programs, and would require institutions to meet at least one of three benchmarks in order to remain eligible to receive federal student aid.
One of the benchmarks would require that at least 35 percent of a program's graduates be actively repaying their student loans. The other two would require that the median student-debt burden of a program's graduates could not exceed 12 percent of those students' aggregate annual total income, or 30 percent of their annual discretionary income.
The Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities, the main trade group for for-profit colleges, had sued to overturn the rule, arguing that the department had exceeded its authority in issuing the rule and had arbitrarily set the benchmarks.
In his ruling last summer, Judge Contreras affirmed the department's authority to issue the rule, but agreed with the association's argument that the department had set one of the benchmarks in an arbitrary manner. The other two benchmarks were "inextricably intertwined" with the faulty one, the judge ruled, and were therefore vacated along with it.
Daren Briscoe, a spokesman for the Education Department, said on Wednesday that the department was still reviewing the details of the judge's most recent ruling and were evaluating the next steps to "continue to focus on ensuring quality and affordability."
"America's students deserve career training that is affordable and leads to a good job in their chosen field," Mr. Briscoe said. "And taxpayers rightly expect their investment in federal student aid to reap returns for our economy and our nation."
Amy Laitinen, deputy director for higher education at the New America Foundation, said in a blog post that the judge's latest decision "could make it much more difficult to bring greater transparency and accountability to higher education as a whole."
Trace A. Urdan, a senior analyst at Wells Fargo, said the ruling was "a major victory" for colleges that offer programs subject to the rule. "It now cements the vacation of the gainful-employment rule and sends the department back to the drawing board on methods for justifying gainful employment," he said in a written statement.
U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, an Iowa Democrat who is chairman of the Senate's education committee, expressed concern in 2011 that the rule, as issued, would not do enough to protect students and taxpayers from underperforming programs. On Wednesday he released a statement criticizing institutions that resist the gainful-employment rule while failing to meet its standards.
The results of preliminary data released by the department last year, he said, confirm that too many graduates of vocational programs are not making enough money to repay their loans.
"Instead of fighting in court the effort to protect students and taxpayers," Senator Harkin said, "I hope that the industry would instead take steps to reform and do a better job serving students so its colleges can meet these basic standards."
Direct link to article: http://chronicle.com/article/Judge-Refuses-to-Restore/138029/
News by cbensel: KACCS Praises Best Practices for Military and Veteran Students: Blue Ribbon Taskforce Releases Guidelines for Military and Veteran Student Success
March 4, 2013
This entry was posted in News by cbensel.
The Kentucky Association of Career Colleges and Schools applauds the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities (APSCU) for their recent release of the “Report of the APSCU Blue Ribbon Taskforce for Military and Veteran Education,” which provides recommendations and suggestions for improving the educational experience of military and veteran students. The taskforce’s recommendations come after a careful review of policies, processes and procedures employed by postsecondary institutions and corresponding services being provided to military and veteran students in higher education. The Blue Ribbon Taskforce was composed of institutional leaders of campus military programs, state leaders and representatives of Veteran Service Organizations who served as special advisors. These recommendations will help military and veteran students receive the proper training and skills necessary to succeed in the civilian workforce by leveraging the benefits they have earned through brave service to our nation while in uniform.
General James E. Shane (Ret.) of the Sullivan University System and the Blue Ribbon Taskforce Committee stated, “As a member of the APSCU Blue Ribbon Task Force, it was our goal to develop a set of guidelines which would not only assist the post-secondary institutions to develop and refine their programs for our military and veteran students, but to clearly demonstrate our commitment to assisting them in being successful in pursuit of their educational goals. The taskforce members strongly felt that all young Americans who served our country deserve a quality education and every institution should be held to a standard which exemplifies our commitment to excellence.”
The recommendations in the Blue Ribbon Taskforce address: consumer information, enrollment and recruitment; institutional commitment to provide military and veteran student support; promising practices for ensuring military and veteran student success through student services; and establishing institutional research guidelines for tracking military and veteran student success.
Kentucky career colleges and schools have been and continue to be committed to the success of military and veteran students. Sergeant Jason Stewart said of his experience as a student at National College, “It’s got deep military roots. That was part of its appeal, as well – how friendly the staff and faculty and the school itself was to veterans. The president is a veteran – Special Forces Vietnam. He’s done and seen some incredible things. They have an understanding of what it is to be a veteran and the sacrifices that come along with that.” Jason is a Business Administration-Management and Office Technology Professional Programs major.
Current student, SPC James Fleig stated, “I decided to come back to school after my deployment as it was an eye opener. I realized that by joining the military right after high school, I haven’t necessarily experienced one of life’s best offers. I spent three months doing research on colleges, trying to decide which would offer me the most in my education. ATA College has been the best experience I could ask for from a college, ranging from flexible class times to making sure that every student has the best learning capability. ATA College has worked with my military schedule and benefits with great expertise in their fields.” James is enrolled in the Limited Medical Radiography Occupational Associates Degree program.
Jason’s and James’ educational experiences are only two shared by hundreds of military students enrolled in career colleges throughout Kentucky.
The recommendations proposed by APSCU’s Blue Ribbon Taskforce can be viewed here.
This entry was posted in News by cbensel.
The Kentucky Association of Career Colleges and Schools applauds the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities (APSCU) for their recent release of the “Report of the APSCU Blue Ribbon Taskforce for Military and Veteran Education,” which provides recommendations and suggestions for improving the educational experience of military and veteran students. The taskforce’s recommendations come after a careful review of policies, processes and procedures employed by postsecondary institutions and corresponding services being provided to military and veteran students in higher education. The Blue Ribbon Taskforce was composed of institutional leaders of campus military programs, state leaders and representatives of Veteran Service Organizations who served as special advisors. These recommendations will help military and veteran students receive the proper training and skills necessary to succeed in the civilian workforce by leveraging the benefits they have earned through brave service to our nation while in uniform.
General James E. Shane (Ret.) of the Sullivan University System and the Blue Ribbon Taskforce Committee stated, “As a member of the APSCU Blue Ribbon Task Force, it was our goal to develop a set of guidelines which would not only assist the post-secondary institutions to develop and refine their programs for our military and veteran students, but to clearly demonstrate our commitment to assisting them in being successful in pursuit of their educational goals. The taskforce members strongly felt that all young Americans who served our country deserve a quality education and every institution should be held to a standard which exemplifies our commitment to excellence.”
The recommendations in the Blue Ribbon Taskforce address: consumer information, enrollment and recruitment; institutional commitment to provide military and veteran student support; promising practices for ensuring military and veteran student success through student services; and establishing institutional research guidelines for tracking military and veteran student success.
Kentucky career colleges and schools have been and continue to be committed to the success of military and veteran students. Sergeant Jason Stewart said of his experience as a student at National College, “It’s got deep military roots. That was part of its appeal, as well – how friendly the staff and faculty and the school itself was to veterans. The president is a veteran – Special Forces Vietnam. He’s done and seen some incredible things. They have an understanding of what it is to be a veteran and the sacrifices that come along with that.” Jason is a Business Administration-Management and Office Technology Professional Programs major.
Current student, SPC James Fleig stated, “I decided to come back to school after my deployment as it was an eye opener. I realized that by joining the military right after high school, I haven’t necessarily experienced one of life’s best offers. I spent three months doing research on colleges, trying to decide which would offer me the most in my education. ATA College has been the best experience I could ask for from a college, ranging from flexible class times to making sure that every student has the best learning capability. ATA College has worked with my military schedule and benefits with great expertise in their fields.” James is enrolled in the Limited Medical Radiography Occupational Associates Degree program.
Jason’s and James’ educational experiences are only two shared by hundreds of military students enrolled in career colleges throughout Kentucky.
The recommendations proposed by APSCU’s Blue Ribbon Taskforce can be viewed here.
The Kentucky Association of Career Colleges and Schools applauds the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities (APSCU) for their recent release of the “Report of the APSCU Blue Ribbon Taskforce for Military and Veteran Education,” which provides recommendations and suggestions for improving the educational experience of military and veteran students. The taskforce’s recommendations come after a careful review of policies, processes and procedures employed by postsecondary institutions and corresponding services being provided to military and veteran students in higher education. The Blue Ribbon Taskforce was composed of institutional leaders of campus military programs, state leaders and representatives of Veteran Service Organizations who served as special advisors. These recommendations will help military and veteran students receive the proper training and skills necessary to succeed in the civilian workforce by leveraging the benefits they have earned through brave service to our nation while in uniform.
General James E. Shane (Ret.) of the Sullivan University System and the Blue Ribbon Taskforce Committee stated, “As a member of the APSCU Blue Ribbon Task Force, it was our goal to develop a set of guidelines which would not only assist the post-secondary institutions to develop and refine their programs for our military and veteran students, but to clearly demonstrate our commitment to assisting them in being successful in pursuit of their educational goals. The taskforce members strongly felt that all young Americans who served our country deserve a quality education and every institution should be held to a standard which exemplifies our commitment to excellence.”
The recommendations in the Blue Ribbon Taskforce address: consumer information, enrollment and recruitment; institutional commitment to provide military and veteran student support; promising practices for ensuring military and veteran student success through student services; and establishing institutional research guidelines for tracking military and veteran student success.
Kentucky career colleges and schools have been and continue to be committed to the success of military and veteran students. Sergeant Jason Stewart said of his experience as a student at National College, “It’s got deep military roots. That was part of its appeal, as well – how friendly the staff and faculty and the school itself was to veterans. The president is a veteran – Special Forces Vietnam. He’s done and seen some incredible things. They have an understanding of what it is to be a veteran and the sacrifices that come along with that.” Jason is a Business Administration-Management and Office Technology Professional Programs major.
Current student, SPC James Fleig stated, “I decided to come back to school after my deployment as it was an eye opener. I realized that by joining the military right after high school, I haven’t necessarily experienced one of life’s best offers. I spent three months doing research on colleges, trying to decide which would offer me the most in my education. ATA College has been the best experience I could ask for from a college, ranging from flexible class times to making sure that every student has the best learning capability. ATA College has worked with my military schedule and benefits with great expertise in their fields.” James is enrolled in the Limited Medical Radiography Occupational Associates Degree program.
Jason’s and James’ educational experiences are only two shared by hundreds of military students enrolled in career colleges throughout Kentucky.
The recommendations proposed by APSCU’s Blue Ribbon Taskforce can be viewed here.
The Hill: Career colleges promise transparency, accuracy to veterans
By Former Rep. Steve Gunderson (R-Wis.)
Our bravest citizens wear our nation’s uniform and enlist in the Armed Services. They face many harsh realities both at home and abroad, making sacrifices for the good of our nation – and they ask nothing in return. Disproportionately, they suffer the consequences of a stagnant economy, which has made finding high-quality jobs difficult.
I believe we can and must do better; therefore, several months ago, the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities (APSCU) convened a Blue Ribbon Taskforce to ensure that every service member, veteran and family member utilizing their earned, postsecondary education benefits are provided with the quality education to which they are entitled at every institution of higher education.
Because military and veteran students have earned their benefits while defending our freedoms and liberties, the responsibility of postsecondary schools to ensure they are gaining the maximum return on their education investment is particularly important. That means understanding those serving in the military or who have completed their service are oftentimes non-traditional students with concerns outside the classroom, such as children and families, part- or full-time employment, even disabilities incurred while in uniform.
Since more than 325,000 veterans, their spouses and dependents choose private sector colleges and universities to gain training and skills, we felt it was important to convene a Blue Ribbon Taskforce composed of institutional leaders of campus military programs, state leaders, and representatives of Veteran Service Organizations who served as special advisors with the sole purpose of establishing a set of best practice recommendations.
The recommendations included in the report broadly address full transparency and accuracy of information in the recruitment and enrollment process; Institutional commitment supporting the military and veteran students’ academic needs; Appropriate student services reflecting the numbers and needs of the military and veteran student population; and Pursuit of outcomes data related to retention, degree completion, and other metrics for an institution’s military and veteran students, enabling institutions to learn and improve services in the future.
Relating to consumer information, enrollment, and recruitment, the taskforce recommends that colleges and universities provide students with accurate and complete information, as well as in-depth financial counseling so students fully understand all financial obligations. The taskforce also recommended that institutions take steps to develop appropriate recruiting policies, sound enrollment practices and tailored orientation programs.
The recommendations also suggest that colleges and universities actively support and promote programs and services tailored to the needs of military and veteran students. Specifically, the best practices identify good personnel practices, including faculty and campus-wide staff training on the specific needs of military and veteran students, as well as resources that are available to assist these students and their families.
The taskforce’s recommendations emphasized student services to ensure military and veteran student success. Bolstered by recent studies and anecdotal information, there is a large amount of evidence that services such as student veteran centers and academic counselors for the military are extremely beneficial. All institutions of higher education should strive to provide tailored student services to maximize military and veteran students’ opportunities to succeed.
Finally, the taskforce advises that institutions of higher learning electronically track the success of military and veteran students. Using metrics such as persistence and degree completion, institutions can determine program effectiveness, as well as areas in need of improvement and ways to better serve military and veteran students in order to ensure their success.
It is now more important than ever for all postsecondary institutions to meet a higher standard for America’s military and veteran students. Career-oriented institutions are proud to be educating America’s heroes. They are the backbone of our country, and have earned the very best postsecondary education and services we can provide.
Former Rep. Gunderson from Wisconsin is president and chief executive officer of the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities (APSCU).
Our bravest citizens wear our nation’s uniform and enlist in the Armed Services. They face many harsh realities both at home and abroad, making sacrifices for the good of our nation – and they ask nothing in return. Disproportionately, they suffer the consequences of a stagnant economy, which has made finding high-quality jobs difficult.
I believe we can and must do better; therefore, several months ago, the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities (APSCU) convened a Blue Ribbon Taskforce to ensure that every service member, veteran and family member utilizing their earned, postsecondary education benefits are provided with the quality education to which they are entitled at every institution of higher education.
Because military and veteran students have earned their benefits while defending our freedoms and liberties, the responsibility of postsecondary schools to ensure they are gaining the maximum return on their education investment is particularly important. That means understanding those serving in the military or who have completed their service are oftentimes non-traditional students with concerns outside the classroom, such as children and families, part- or full-time employment, even disabilities incurred while in uniform.
Since more than 325,000 veterans, their spouses and dependents choose private sector colleges and universities to gain training and skills, we felt it was important to convene a Blue Ribbon Taskforce composed of institutional leaders of campus military programs, state leaders, and representatives of Veteran Service Organizations who served as special advisors with the sole purpose of establishing a set of best practice recommendations.
The recommendations included in the report broadly address full transparency and accuracy of information in the recruitment and enrollment process; Institutional commitment supporting the military and veteran students’ academic needs; Appropriate student services reflecting the numbers and needs of the military and veteran student population; and Pursuit of outcomes data related to retention, degree completion, and other metrics for an institution’s military and veteran students, enabling institutions to learn and improve services in the future.
Relating to consumer information, enrollment, and recruitment, the taskforce recommends that colleges and universities provide students with accurate and complete information, as well as in-depth financial counseling so students fully understand all financial obligations. The taskforce also recommended that institutions take steps to develop appropriate recruiting policies, sound enrollment practices and tailored orientation programs.
The recommendations also suggest that colleges and universities actively support and promote programs and services tailored to the needs of military and veteran students. Specifically, the best practices identify good personnel practices, including faculty and campus-wide staff training on the specific needs of military and veteran students, as well as resources that are available to assist these students and their families.
The taskforce’s recommendations emphasized student services to ensure military and veteran student success. Bolstered by recent studies and anecdotal information, there is a large amount of evidence that services such as student veteran centers and academic counselors for the military are extremely beneficial. All institutions of higher education should strive to provide tailored student services to maximize military and veteran students’ opportunities to succeed.
Finally, the taskforce advises that institutions of higher learning electronically track the success of military and veteran students. Using metrics such as persistence and degree completion, institutions can determine program effectiveness, as well as areas in need of improvement and ways to better serve military and veteran students in order to ensure their success.
It is now more important than ever for all postsecondary institutions to meet a higher standard for America’s military and veteran students. Career-oriented institutions are proud to be educating America’s heroes. They are the backbone of our country, and have earned the very best postsecondary education and services we can provide.
Former Rep. Gunderson from Wisconsin is president and chief executive officer of the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities (APSCU).
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