In recent months federal regulators and government agencies have increased scrutiny of for-profit colleges and their interactions with servicemembers, veterans and their families. Today, lawmakers furthered that mission by introducing legislation that would restore previous limits on how much money these educational institutions can receive from the federal government via military benefits and other programs. [More]
dick durbin
Legislation Would Hold For-Profit College Leaders Accountable For Misrepresentations
By 9.30.15
Lawmakers on Tuesday continued their mission to protect consumers from unscrupulous players in the for-profit college industry by introducing legislation that would impose stiffer penalties and restrictions on the leaders of such institutions. [More]
Bill Would Restore Pell Grant Eligibility For Students Who Attended Defunct For-Profit Colleges
By 9.17.15
The Federal Pell Grant Program provides need-based grants to low-income students to help pay for college, but the funds come with limitations: They are only available for six years or 12 semesters, and when that time is up the funding is gone. So when now-bankrupt Corinthian Colleges Inc. abruptly closed its Wyotech, Heald College and Everest University campuses in April, thousands of students who relied on Pell money were left with few options for continuing their education elsewhere. A new piece of legislation aims to help these stranded students get back on track. [More]
Senators Introduce Legislation To Close Federal Funding Loophole Exploited By For-Profit Colleges… Again
By 6.24.15
Legislators continued their crusade to rein in the abuses of predatory for-profit college institutions by introducing a measure today that would close a funding loophole that often led the schools to target certain consumers in order to pad their bottom line. [More]
Senator Calls For Investigation Into Three For-Profit College Chains, Restrictions On Future Campus Sales
By 5.19.15
The struggle to protect students from potentially harmful for-profit college chains continued today as Illinois Senator Dick Durbin urged the Department of Education to investigate the business practices of three of the country’s largest propriety education companies – ITT Educational Services, Career Education Corporation, and Education Management Corporation. [More]
Attorneys General Coalition Urges Dept. Of Education To Clarify Corinthian Students’ Options
By 5.13.15
A week after nine senators urged the Department of Education to provide support to the thousands of students affected by the closure of now-bankrupt Corinthian Colleges schools — Everest University, Heald College, and WyoTech — the top prosecutors in 11 states are adding their voices to the chorus encouraging the Dept. to protect students and clarity their options following the company’s final downfall. [More]
Two Major For-Profit Education Chains Announce Closures, Sales Of Dozens Of Campuses
By 5.7.15
The for-profit education sector is getting a bit smaller after two of the largest proprietary college chains – Career Education Corporation and Education Management Corporation – revealed plans to close or sell dozens of campuses across the country. [More]
Legislation Would End Forced Arbitration In Student Enrollment Agreements
By 4.30.15
When Education Credit Management Corporation announced late last year that it would buy 56 of for-profit education chain Corinthian College Inc.’s Everest University and WyoTech campuses, consumer advocates expressed great concern that the new company – which would operate under the name Zenith – would continue the unfair practice of requiring students to sign away their right to seek any legal action against the company if they’re wronged. While ECMC ultimately said it would do away with the practice, new legislation aims to strengthen students’ legal rights when it comes to forced arbitration. [More]
Corinthian Colleges Completes Collapse, Closes Remaining Campuses Effective Immediately
By 4.26.15
Although it was nearly a year in the making, the largest collapse in U.S. higher education finally occurred Sunday, as embattled for-profit education chain Corinthian Colleges Inc. – the operator of Everest University, Heald College and WyoTech – announced it would close the remainder of its campuses effective Monday. [More]
Student Loan Borrower’s Bill Of Rights Would Reform Disclosure And Servicing Standards
By 3.24.15
In recent weeks, legislators have introduced a range of bills aimed at addressing student loans and revamping the laws governing those debts. Today, that push continued with the reintroduction of a bill that would ensure student borrowers are treated fairly and understand the range of options at their disposal. [More]
Senators Introduce Legislation To Make Private Student Loans Dischargeable In Bankruptcy
By 3.12.15
Since 2005, student borrowers have been unable to discharge their private student loans through the process of bankruptcy. But that could soon change after a group of 12 senators introduced a bill aimed at addressing the current student debt crisis by restoring the bankruptcy code to hold private student loans in the same regard as other private unsecured debts. [More]
Senators Urge FDA To Investigate Allegations That Purina’s Beneful Dry Kibble Includes Toxins
By 3.12.15
Several weeks after a lawsuit filed in California claimed that thousands of dogs became ill or died after eating Purina’s Beneful kibble, two senators are urging the Food & Drug Administration to open an investigation into the allegations. [More]
Student Aid Bill Of Rights Aims To Overhaul Federal Student Loan Repayment, Servicing Process
By 3.10.15
The way in which borrowers pay back their federal student loans – from checking the balance to filing complaints against servicers – is set to change with the signing of a presidential memorandum Tuesday. [More]
Legislation Aims To Make It Harder For Kids To Snack On Yummy-Looking Detergent Pods
By 2.26.15
Federal safety agencies and poison control centers have continuously expressed concern that the ever-popular, and convenient detergent pods are extremely dangerous to children, with more than 17,000 kids being poisoned by ingesting the detergent since they came on the scene three years ago. Today, the House and Senate took steps to ensure the single-serve detergent packs no long threaten childrens’ safety by introducing legislation that would enact stricter packaging standards for liquid detergent. [More]
Senators Introduce Bill Mandating Formation Of For-Profit College Oversight Committee
By 2.5.15
Back in October, the Department of Education finalized a new rule: career colleges — those schools that offer specialized training programs for certain occpuations — would have to do a better job actually preparing students for gainful emplotment, or they’d lose access to federal student aid. As part of those standards, the DoE rule included the creation of an oversight group. Today, two senators introduced legislation to ensure the task force is providing useful information to policymakers, parents and students.
Everest University Campuses Closing; Senator Warns Consumers Not To Enroll
By 7.9.14
Students at Everest University (also known as Everest College) – one of the schools owned by under-fire for-profit education group Corinthian Colleges Inc. – received some not so comforting news yesterday: their schools are on the chopping block as part of group’s deal with the Department of Education. And that doesn’t come a minute too soon for one legislator who is now warning consumers not to enroll at the campuses. [More]
Dick Durbin Slams Bank Of America Over $5 Debit Card Fee
By 9.30.11
Yesterday, Bank Of America announced it would begin charging a $5 monthly fee for some BofA customers who use their debit cards to make purchases. Not surprisingly, this did not go over well with Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, one of the leading proponents of swipe-fee reform. [More]
Senator Durbin To Chase CEO: You're Already Gouging The Consumer, So Stop Complaining
By 4.13.11
The main reason that JPMorgan Chase and other big banks have given for things like $5 ATM fees and prohibitive caps on debit card purchases is a soon-to-be-enacted bit of legislation known as the Durbin Amendment, which limits the amount of money banks can make off of interchange fees, the amount they charge retailers for each debit card transaction. Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has called the laws “price fixing at its worst” and “downright idiotic.” Now Dick Durbin, the Illinois senator whose name graces the legislation, has come out swinging at Dimon, telling the bank exec to quit whining and enjoy being profitable. [More]
