Rep. Virginia Foxx, a North Carolina Republican who heads the House Subcommittee on Higher Education, stated during a panel discussion on Monday, December 5, that for-profit colleges have done a better job "of being mindful about efficiency and effectiveness" than their nonprofit peers. Inside Higher Ed noted that the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, little more than a think tank and lobbying group for the for-profit colleges, hosted the panel discussion.
The panel focused on "workforce training," which is now called education. Representative Foxx also argued during the panel that the federal government has not scrutinized nonprofit colleges with the same vigor as for-profits, noting that "accountability hits the new kid on the block hardest." This is the latest talking point which has been used for some time now by Kaplan University and the University of Phoenix, to name just two predatory for-profits. The message is that "we are being victimized" by the government. These for-profit colleges have carved out an argument from whole cloth that the for-profit education sector is over-scrutinized and over-regulated while nonprofit colleges are hardly held to the same criteria. In this way, the predatory for-profits can whine that they are being unfairly singled out for scrutiny, when, in fact, they operate like criminal syndicates.
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So who is twisting arms and forcing people to got to for-profit colleges? If someone is going to pay for classes, I'd hope they would look into the school. University of Pheonix has a 9% graduation rate, so what? Don't take any classes from U of P! If a for profit school (or I would hope a non profit!) didn't follow the rules for student loan exit interviews, the gov't shouldn't give student loans to go there. Problem solved. What we don't need is more regulation from the federal government. It sounds like sour grapes because some can afford to go to a private school and some can't. The truth is, private schools cost more, but give much more $ in scholarships. (both more $ AND higher percentages). I have kids approaching college age, and it will be more affordable for them to go to a private school than a public.
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