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Friday, July 13, 2012

Hechinger Report | For-profit colleges pumping campaign money to foes of regulation

Hechinger Report | For-profit colleges pumping campaign money to foes of regulation:


For-profit colleges pumping campaign money to foes of regulation

For-profit colleges and universities and their industry association gave at least $694,829 to political candidates through May 31, much of it to members of Congress who oppose greater regulation of the industry, including proposed curbs on aggressive recruiting of veterans with G.I. Bill benefits.
The Association of Private Sector Colleges and University, or APSCU, and its members gave to Senate and House members who have spoken out against the so-called gainful-employment regulation, under which educational programs would lose access to federal aid if their graduates fail to earn enough to repay their student loans. Last month, the federal government reported that five percent of career-training programs at both nonprofit and for-profit schools do not meet that test.
The rule is in limbo after a federal judge this month struck down the way the Department of Education calculated the ratio of debt to income, though he affirmed that it could proceed with the rest.
For-profit colleges gave financial support to lawmakers who wrote letters critical of the regulation or who attended