DACC Nursing Program Loses Accredtiation

The Las Cruces Sun-News reports that Dona Ana Community College in New Mexico was denied accreditation for its nursing program, leaving many students "worried and scrambling to find out what the loss means for their academic and professional careers."

According to the Sun-News, the Georgia-based National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission announced last week on its website that it had denied accreditation for DACC's associate-degree granting program.  Graduation from an accredited nursing program typically is a pre-requisite for many certifications and hiring.   DACC has told students that, despite the failure to obtain accreditation, they remain eligible to take a national licensure exam.

Loss of accreditation is a recurring issue in post-secondary education.  The Googasian Firm, P.C., a Michigan-based law firm that has represented thousands of college students across the country in multiple class actions arising from acts by schools that have harmed students, recently filed a class action on behalf of out-of-state students affected by the Higher Learning Commission's recent actions to revoke accreditation for Mountain State University in West Virginia.  The firm also is investigating the developments with regard to accreditation at DACC's nursing program.  If you have questions or concerns about DACC's failure to obtain accreditation, you may share those concerns with attorneys at The Googasian Firm by sending an e-mail to contact@googasian.com or calling 1-877-540-8333.

West Virginia Board Seeks Oversight Of Private Colleges

The Associated Press is reporting that the State of West Virginia is seeking expanded authority over private and for-profit colleges,

The need for expanded regulation by state governments is increasingly seen as a needed response to rampant  problems in for-profit and private school education.

West Virginia's Higher Education Policy Commission reportedly has approved a rule that would require information from every state private college on student retention rates, transfers, licensure pass rates and loan  default results.  The new rule must be approved by the state Legislature.

The new rule would expand the authority of the commission, which currently only monitors 12 public and private colleges and universities.

This effort to expand oversight in West Virginia comes in the wake of the Higher Learning Commission acting to revoke Beckley-based Mountain State University's accreditation in June 2012.

Paul Hill, the chancellor of the state Commission seeking the new authority, told the Associated Press, "Some think we're over-regulating.  But with the unfortunate situation we've seen with Mountain State University, we see what can happen without oversight."

Two federal class actions against Mountain State University have been commenced following the accrediting agency's action to revoke the school's accreditation.  For additional information on the these lawsuits, go to www.mountainstatelawsuits.com  or send an e-mail to mountainstate@googasian.com.

Senate Report Blasts For-Profit Colleges

A two-year investigation by the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee has culminated in a scathing report on for-profit colleges, finding that these institutions too frequently put revenues   above education to the detriment of students charged high tuition and saddled with student loan debt.
According to one story in the Associated Press, the report from a committee chaired by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Ia.) found that, "While students are aggressively recruited, they drop out in high numbers without the degree or certificate initially sought . . . [The report] found that 54 percent of students enrolled in 2008-2009 left without a degree or certificate by mid-2010. When two-year associate degree programs were studied, 63 percent left without a degree."

DeVry Slashes Jobs and Loses Share Value

DeVry, one of the nation's largest for-profit education companies, is facing hard times.

The Downers Grove, Illinois-based company -- the parent of DeVry University and other sellers of education to adults -- announced this week that it plans to cut 570 jobs, or 5.5 percent of its total workforce, amid declining enrollment.

According to Bloomberg News, DeVry shares also lost more than a quarter of their value in early trading on July 24.

Bloomberg News also quoted an industry analyst stating that "DeVry's competitors were faster to adjust to new scrutiny of student-recruitment practices."

Virginia Union Warned By Accrediting Body

The Associate Press reports that Virginia Union University has received a warning from its accrediting body due to reported failure to comply with certain financial standards.
According to the AP, the Southeastern Association of Colleges and Schools' Commission on Colleges has identified deficiencies in the Richmond-based university's control over its financial resources, as well as its control over externally funded programs and research. Importantly, the accrediting body also faulted Virginia Union for failure to comply with federal Title IV student financial aid requirements.
The commission is scheduled to review Virginia Union's accreditation in December.
Another university, Mountain State University, based in Beckley, West Virginia, lost its accreditation earlier this month.
If you have have concerns about accreditation issues at Virginia Union or Mountain State, you may share these concerns with attorneys at The Googasian Firm, P.C., which has represented thousands of students in class actions against colleges and technical schools throughout the United States, at contact@googasian.com.

Higher Learning Commission withdrawing accreditation of Mountain State University

Mountain State University, a university based in Beckley, West Virginia with online offerings across the country, has learned that its general accreditation body is withdrawing the school's accreditation.

As reported in the Register-Herald newspaper, Mountain State is facing loss of its general accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission on August 27.  The decision by HLC follows a year-long review that resulted in a notice by the accrediting body faulting the university in areas including "lack of integrity, resources and administrative leadership."  

The HLC is requiring Mountain State to file a teach-out plan with the commission by July 23 and students must be notified of their options by July 31.  Mountain State has announced plans to appeal the decision to withdraw accreditation.  Mountain State would keep its accreditation during any appeal process, according to published reports.

Separately, The Googasian Firm, P.C., a Michigan-based law firm that has pursued claims on behalf of thousands of students harmed by school closings and deceptive practices by institutions of higher education, is investigating the impact of these developments on current students.  If you have a concern that you wish to share with a Googasian Firm attorney, call 1-877-540-8333 or contact@googasian.com.

Ashford University Suffers Accreditation Setback

Ashford University, a for-profit school owned by Bridgepoint Education, Inc., suffered a significant setback last week when its accreditation application was denied by a regional accreditor.  Bloomberg Businessweek is among the news organizations reporting how Ashford did not comply with "multiple aspects" of the accreditor's standards in areas related to student retention, maintaining a core of full-time faculty and having an independent governing board. Ashford was seeking accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.  Among the revelations in the recent reports is a large number of students dropping out of the school, which has a campus in Iowa and a significant online presence.
The Googasian Firm, P.C., a law firm specializing in pursuit of claims against for-profit schools,  is investigating the impact of Ashford's accreditation problems on current students.  If you have concerns about Ashford, you may share these concerns with Googasian Firm attorneys by calling 1-877-540-8333 or sending an e-mail to contact@googasian.com.