Our Testimony to the Veterans’ Advisory Committee on Education on Protecting Veterans’ Education Benefits
November 17, 2022 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Benefits Administration Education Service 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20420 Via electronic submission to [email protected] Re: Advisory Committee on Education Meeting November 29-30, 2022 Dear [...]
Sixth defendant in scuba fraud investigation admits filing false claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs
Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, November 14, 2022 Sixth defendant in scuba fraud investigation admits filing false claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs Dive school official caused more [...]
Republican Eagle: College provides assistance for veterans on campus
Nearly 5% of students at public community colleges are veterans, according to a 2019 report from the American Association of Community Colleges. Military veterans are more likely to complete postsecondary programs than their non-veteran peers, [...]
Coastal Courier: Patty Leon: An update on House of Prayer
On June 23, federal agents raided the House of Prayer Church in Hinesville and its other affiliated churches in North Carolina, Washington State, Augusta, Texas and California. The raids stemmed from an investigation after a [...]
Inside Higher Ed: 90-10 Loophole Closed
“We can celebrate today as the day that the loophole was finally closed,” said Barmak Nassirian, vice president of higher education policy for Veterans Education Success, which helped lead the effort to rally public support [...]
Higher Ed Dive: Education Department finalizes 90/10 rule, college ownership regulations
Another military group, Veterans Education Success, celebrated the policy shift, saying in a statement that following “years of harassment by deceptive and aggressive for-profit college recruiters, veterans, service members, and their families will no longer be viewed [...]
Military.com: Education Department Closes Loophole Advocates Say Some Colleges Used to Scam Veterans
"After years of harassment by deceptive and aggressive for-profit college recruiters, veterans, service members, and their families will no longer be viewed as nothing more than dollar signs in uniform," Veterans Education Success President Carrie [...]
Our Press Release: After Decade-Long Fight, the Department of Education Has Closed The 90/10 Loophole
Contact: Will Hubbard VP for Veterans & Military Policy Veterans Education Success After Decade-Long Fight, the Department of Education Has Closed The 90/10 Loophole Major Win for Student Veterans & Their Families WASHINGTON D.C., [...]
Military Times: Feds close 90/10 loophole involving veterans education benefits
“After years of harassment by deceptive and aggressive for-profit college recruiters, veterans, service members, and their families will no longer be viewed as nothing more than dollar signs in uniform,” Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education [...]
Senate Letter Urging the Department Of Education to Hold Predatory For-Profit College Executives Accountable for Scamming Students
October 18, 2022 Dear Secretary Cardona: We applaud the Department of Education’s (“the Department”) recent and ongoing efforts to clear the backlog of borrower defense to repayment claims that the Trump Administration allowed to accumulate. [...]
WRDW-TV (Augusta, GA): Ga. agency pulls GI Bill funding for church that was raided
Veterans Education Success, a nonprofit that helps veterans find educational opportunities, says the House of Prayer churches committed fraud by taking GI Bill funding and not providing a proper education in return. Read the full [...]
The Augusta Chronicle: State agencies withdraw GI Bill funding for House of Prayer Christian Church seminaries
The USA Today Network previously reported that Veterans Education Success, an advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C., asked the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Georgia Veterans Service to investigate alleged abuses of the [...]
Military.com: House of Prayer, a Church Accused of Squeezing Veterans for Benefits, Stripped of GI Bill Eligibility
Veterans Education Success, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group that lobbies on military education issues, told Congress that the House of Prayer's alleged scam against veterans serves as a flashpoint for the need for boosted oversight over the [...]
Bucks County Beacon: Veterans, Scams, And Higher Education In Pennsylvania
In 2017, the non-profit group Veterans Education Success (VES) filed a complaint with the FTC regarding some of Victory Media’s specific business practices. VES noted that in 2015 more than 257 schools awarded Military Friendly® status were [...]
Our Letter to the WASC Senior College and University Commission on Revised WSCUC Standards of Accreditation
October 6, 2022 President Jamienne S. Studley WASC Senior College and University Commission 1080 Marina Village Parkway Suite 500 Alameda, CA 94501 Re: Revised WSCUC Standards of Accreditation Dear President Studley, I write to respectfully [...]
Veterans and Military Organizations’ Letter on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 Amendment
October 4, 2022 Senator Tom Carper 513 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 SUBJ: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 Amendment Dear Senator Carper, The undersigned organizations serving service members, veterans, and [...]
Justice Department Announces Enforcement Action Involving Over $100 Million in Losses to Department of Veterans Affairs
Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, September 16, 2022 Justice Department Announces Enforcement Action Involving Over $100 Million in Losses to Department of Veterans Affairs The Department of Justice announced [...]
Our Nomination Letter for Debbie Cochrane for Appointment to NACIQI
September 15, 2022 The Honorable Miguel Cardona, Ed.D. Secretary of Education U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue SW Washington, DC 20202 Mr. Secretary, Responding to the Department of Education’s Federal Register notice of August [...]
Department of Veteran Affairs’ Response to our Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request for Communications Regarding the House of Prayer Bible Seminary
September 12, 2022 Walter Ochinko Sent via email to: [email protected] Dear Mr. Ochinko: This is in response to your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request dated August 17, 2022 in which you asked for a [...]
Our Letter to Department of Veterans Affairs on the GI Bill Comparison Tool Information for Wheeling University
September 12, 2022 Joe Garcia, Executive Director Education Service Veterans Benefits Administration Department of Veterans Affairs Via electronic mail RE: Wheeling University GI Bill Comparison Tool Dear Mr. Garcia, We are writing in regards to [...]
Our Statement for the Record on the Topic of “Veteran Readiness and Employment: Is VA Succeeding?”
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD HEARING ON THE TOPIC OF "VETERAN READINESS AND EMPLOYMENT: IS VA SUCCEEDING?" SUBMITTED TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 15, 2022 [...]
Our Reaction: Westwood College Borrower Defense Relief Announcement
For Immediate Release: August 30, 2022 Student Veterans Who Attended Westwood are Available for Interviews Legal Expert also Available Huge Win for Student Veterans & Other Students Borrower Defense Relief News - Department of Education [...]
Our Press Release: $386 Million Veteran Training Program Struggles to Achieve Outcomes
Contacts: Will Hubbard VP for Veterans & Military Policy Veterans Education Success PRESS RELEASE: $386 Million Veteran Training Program Struggles to Achieve Outcomes Washington, D.C., August 25, 2022 – Today, shocking revelations have come to [...]
WRGA-FM (Atlanta, GA): Radio Interview with Will Hubbard on ITT Tech Loan Forgiveness
We're very excited that the Biden administration has is taking important and long overdue steps to cancel some of these loans that these students had. Unfortunately, veterans that might have used the GI Bill are [...]
North Carolina News Network: Interview with Della Justice on ITT Tech Loan Forgiveness
Just to tell you a little bit about our organization it is Veterans Education Success. As you said, we are a nonprofit organization that works on a bipartisan basis to protect the integrity and promise [...]
CNBC: Key events on the path to student loan forgiveness, from Occupy Wall Street to the 2020 presidential primaries
Nassirian at Veterans Education Success agreed that the problems in the higher education system, namely price escalation and diminishing quality, span way beyond the for-profit sector. “Packaging people with debt that schools knew or should [...]
Sirius XM’s POTUS Politics: Interview With William Hubbard on the ITT Tech Borrower Defense Relief Announcement
They have been a long time target of what I like to call scam factories. And these are schools that are purely interested in taking advantage of their benefits, and they don't even actually care [...]
CNBC: ‘It’s frustrating and stressful.’ 40 million people are in the dark about whether or not student loan payments will resume
“The fact that they haven’t issued any guidance so close to the theoretical start date pretty much indicates yet another payment freeze is inevitable,” said Barmak Nassirian, vice president for higher education policy at Veterans [...]
The Charlotte Observer: These colleges lied to students. Their loans don’t have to be paid back, feds say
Veterans Education Success called the decision “huge news” but asked that Congress restore GI Bill benefits to defrauded veterans. “These students deserve to have their student loans canceled after having been so misled about the [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Debt Relief for All Former ITT Students
Tasha Berkhalter, a former ITT student and veteran who had a borrower-defense claim approved in 2021, said, “I chose the school because they had advertised its high-tech criminal justice program. Their initial staff told me [...]
Military Times: Plan to erase $4B in ITT student loans won’t restore GI Bill benefits
“These students deserve to have their student loans canceled after having been so misled about the education at ITT, the transferability of credits, and employment after graduation,” said Della Justice, vice president of legal affairs [...]
The Associated Press: Former ITT Tech Students Get $3.9B in Debt Cancellation
Federal officials based the decision on findings from many state attorneys general, along with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the nonprofit Veterans Education Success. Investigators found widespread evidence that ITT Tech made false claims [...]
Our Reaction: ITT Tech Borrower Defense Relief Announcement
For Immediate Release: August 16, 2022 Reaction from Veteran Advocacy Org - Veterans Education Success Huge Win for Student Veterans & Other Students Borrower Defense Relief News - Department of Education Decision Today The Department [...]
MarketWatch: Department of Education to cancel $3.9 billion in federal loan debt for former ITT students
Tasha Berkhalter, a former ITT student, shared her first hand experience with these tactics. An army veteran, Berkhalter enrolled at ITT in 2006 hoping to earn a credential that would allow her to work for [...]
Department of Justice: Universal Helicopters Inc. and Dodge City Community College Agree to Pay $7.5 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Related to Post-9/11 GI Bill Funding
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, August 15, 2022 Universal Helicopters Inc. and Dodge City Community College Agree to Pay $7.5 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Related to Post-9/11 GI Bill Funding Universal Helicopters Inc. [...]
The Chronicle of Higher Education: It’s Time to End Higher Ed’s Gimmicky Sales Tactics
By Barmak Nassirian The following op-ed was published in The Chronicle of Higher Education on August 8th. Private-public partnerships — arrangements in which college projects or services are outsourced to for-profit providers — have been all [...]
ProPublica: At Liberty University, Veterans’ Complaints Keep Coming
The complaint was one of more than a dozen provided in response to a public records request about Liberty that was filed with the Veterans Affairs department’s GI Bill Feedback Tool and shared with ProPublica. [...]
The Christian Post: House of Prayer schools allegedly bilked over $7 million from veterans for Bible study classes
In testimony on GI Bill modernization before the House Veterans Affairs Committee on Wednesday, William Hubbard, vice president for Veterans & Military Policy at Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group focused on advancing higher education success for service [...]
Military.com: Church that Allegedly Scammed GI Bill Benefits Is Proof More Oversight Is Needed, Advocate Tells Congress
An advocacy group told a House panel on Wednesday that a church alleged to have scammed veterans out of millions of dollars in service benefits should be a wake-up call for regulators of GI Bill [...]
WTOC (Savannah, GA): Churches at center of FBI raid lose recommendation, removed from VA’s school list
“We knew that this school had a troubling and problematic history. We’ve spoken with many students and whistleblowers who worked at the school and were able to detail the practices that they were taking at [...]
Our Press Release: Nationally Recognized Leader on Deceptive Trade Practices by Predatory Schools To Lead Legal Affairs Team at Veterans Education Success
For Immediate Release July 20, 2022 Nationally Recognized Leader on Deceptive Trade Practices by Predatory Schools To Lead Legal Affairs Team at Veterans Education Success Former Assistant AG in Kentucky AG’s Office for Consumer Protection, [...]
Oral Testimony of William Hubbard, Vice President for Veterans & Military Policy on the topic of “Modernizing Veteran Education In The Shadow Of Covid-19”
House Veterans’ Affairs Joint Oversight Hearing Subcommittees On Economic Opportunity and Technology Modernization Oral Testimony of William Hubbard, Vice President for Veterans & Military Policy on the topic of “Modernizing Veteran Education In The Shadow [...]
Our Written Testimony on GI Bill Modernization Before the House Veterans Affairs Committee
TESTIMONY OF WILLIAM HUBBARD, VICE PRESIDENT OF VETERANS & MILITARY POLICY SUBMITTED TO THE SUBCOMMITTEES ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND TECHNOLOGY MODERNIZATION, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PRESENTED AT THE SUBCOMMITTEE JOINT OVERSIGHT HEARING ON THE TOPIC [...]
Military.com: How a Church Allegedly Scammed Millions in VA Money from Vets
Will Hubbard, the vice president for veterans and military policy at Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group, told Military.com that regulators should have spotted the red flags with the church. "I think your average taxpayer [...]
The Century Foundation: Cosmetology Training Needs a Make-Over
This spring, the U.S. Department of Education announced that it was discharging the federal student loans of 28,000 students who attended Marinello Beauty School. In taking such action, the department was following a rule that [...]
American University Practicum Report: Student Veterans and Deceptive Schools
This report was completed as part of a student practicum in collaboration with the American University (AU) Master's of Public Policy program. We are grateful to AU and their bright students for studying these important [...]
Our Statement For The Record Committee Hearing On Pending Legislation Submitted To The Committee On Veterans’ Affairs
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD COMMITTEE HEARING ON PENDING LEGISLATION SUBMITTED TO THE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS UNITED STATES SENATE July 13, 2022 Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Moran, and Members of the Committee: We thank you [...]
The Washington Post: Biden administration wants to ease student-loan forgiveness for some
Barmak Nassirian, vice president for higher education policy at the advocacy group Veterans Education Success, said the proposed changes are a “giant step in the right direction.” Still, he is concerned the department would allow [...]
Reaction: STUDENT VETERANS WILL BENEFIT FROM STEPS PROPOSED BY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Barmak Nassirian, VP for Higher Education Policy Reaction: STUDENT VETERANS WILL BENEFIT FROM STEPS PROPOSED BY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Washington, D.C., July 6, 2022 - Today, the Department of Education released [...]
The Associated Press: More flexibility proposed for student debt forgiveness
Veterans Education Success, a nonprofit advocacy group, called it a “significant improvements over current rules,” adding that it would hold “unscrupulous schools accountable for federal losses.” Read the full story in the Associated Press here.
The News & Observer: Christian school duped veterans on GI Bill in NC, advocates say. ‘Really sickening’
Veterans Education Success, a Washington D.C.-based veterans advocacy organization, sent a letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2020 outlining a series of allegations against the church that were gathered from students and members. [...]
The Fayetteville Observer: What to know about the House of Prayer Church raided by the FBI in Fayetteville
In 2020, Veterans Education Success wrote a letter to the Veterans Administration, asking that abuse of the GI Bill program by House of Prayer Christian Church’s bible seminaries be investigated. Veterans Education Success works to [...]
WTVD-TV (Fayetteville, NC): FBI raids Fayetteville church accused of operating as a cult, targeting military members
Veterans Education Success is an advocacy group that has reportedly worked closely with former church members. "In some cases they actually target service members, coaching them on how to get out of the military with [...]
WRAL-TV (Fayetteville, NC): Fayetteville church accused of defrauding veterans, operating like a cult
House of Prayer Christian Church is less than two miles from Fort Bragg. Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group, says the church used that close proximity to prey on veterans, Eleven pages of concerning or [...]
Fox 21 News (Colorado Springs): Pending lawsuit would forgive student loan debt for veterans and other borrowers
Veterans were then deceived into enrolling in low-quality programs and taking out costly loans that accrue “mountains of debt,” according to Veterans Education Success. “This debt relief is sorely needed, and is the minimum due [...]
Army Times: Nationwide FBI raids target alleged ‘cult’ near five Army posts
It’s also not clear why authorities are investigating the organization, though non-profit Veterans Education Success wrote a letter to federal and Georgia authorities in 2020 that accused the church of operating “like a cult” and [...]
NPR: Debt relief for veterans who say they were cheated by for-profit colleges
"Well, what's the degree worth? It's not even worth the paper it's printed on. I've had an extremely hard time finding employment," says student veteran Jarrod Thoma. "This is a huge deal for many students [...]
Task & Purpose: The FBI Just Raided a ‘Cult’ Church That Allegedly Targets US Service Members
A 2020 letter from Veterans Education Success to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Georgia Department of Veterans Services detailed repeated instances of defrauding soldiers and veterans. This included misleading students enrolled in education classes at [...]
EdNC: Helping Veterans Succeed at N.C. Community Colleges
Nearly 5% of students at public community colleges are veterans, according to a 2019 report from the American Association of Community Colleges. Military veterans are more likely to complete postsecondary programs than their non-veteran peers, a 2018 [...]
ABC News 5 (Cleveland): Proposed settlement to provide relief for former for-profit college students
Nicole Wilson, an Akron native that is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and Ohio National Guard, said the proposed settlement is a massive sigh of relief. “I have children and I don’t have to [...]
WTOC (Savannah, GA): Report compiled by Veterans Education Success claims House of Prayer church committed fraud
Veterans Education Success helps former service members find opportunities to further their education. In the fall of 2020, the organization compiled a report of wrongdoings of the House of Prayer church and sent a letter [...]
USA Today: FBI raids Georgia churches near military bases, sources say church was targeting soldiers
In August 2020, Veterans Education Success, an advocacy organization based in Washington D.C., asked the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Georgia Veterans Service to investigate alleged abuses of the GI Bill program by [...]
USA Today: Despite collapsed colleges and an evidently fake school, this agency still approves millions in federal aid
A college oversight agency that signed off several large for-profit colleges accused of defrauding students, and one seemingly without students or faculty, remains in business despite the federal government's repeated attempts to limit its power. [...]
Military.com: Veterans Swindled by Shuttered For-Profit Corinthian Colleges Get Loan Debt Erased
"When Corinthian shut down, all these veterans had collection agencies coming after them for loans" they were unaware of, Carrie Wofford, president of advocacy group Veterans Education Success, said in an interview with Military.com. "Finally, [...]
University Business: Biden administration discharges $5.8 billion for defrauded loan borrowers
“This is huge news for countless thousands of students—many of them veterans—who were cheated by Corinthian College out of their GI Bill and loaded up with unfair student debt,” said Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans [...]
Our Statement on the Corinthian Colleges Borrower Defense Relief News
For Immediate Release: June 2, 2022 Contact: Carrie Wofford, Veterans Education Success President: Statement by Veterans Education Success President Carrie Wofford Borrower Defense Relief News - Department of Education Decision Today: “Great News for Half [...]
American Institutes for Research: Informing Improved Recognition of Military Learning
This report examines student veterans’ experiences with and perceptions of having their military learning recognized by a postsecondary institution. Previous research suggests recognition of military training and occupation helps to support student veterans as they [...]
Military Times: Last-minute fix allows major for-profit school to again receive GI Bill payouts
Officials from Veterans Education Success — a frequent critic of for-profit colleges — said numerous students reached out to them in recent weeks with complaints about how the situation was handled and the stress that [...]
The Hill: If you can buy a university for $1, you’ll likely get what you pay for
By Will Hubbard The following op-ed was published in The Hill. This past month, thousands of student veterans found themselves opening their email inboxes only to find out their school had lost eligibility for the GI Bill, [...]
The Washington Post: Student loan forgiveness program for military borrowers slowly improves
“The law made a promise to people that if they went into public service jobs, they would have their loans forgiven. And a lot of people went to school on that basis,” said Christopher Madaio, [...]
Higher Ed Dive: University of Arizona Global Campus regains access to GI Bill benefits
Some are concerned about UAGC regaining access. Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group, had asked the VA earlier this month to “clearly state that it will not entertain any other state approving agency’s request to [...]
Our Press Release: Student Veterans Advocate Calls on VA Review of UAGC Following AZ SAA Approval
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Despite More Than One Million Consumer Protection Violations, University of Arizona Global Campus Allowed to Resume Use of GI Bill Non-profit Student Veterans Advocate Calls on VA to Look More [...]
Our Press Release: Guidance for Student Veterans and Military-Connected Students at UAGC
Guidance for Student Veterans and Military-Connected Students at UAGC Veterans Education Success has been contacted by student veterans and other military-connected students attending the University of Arizona Global Campus seeking guidance about their options. We, [...]
GAO: Federal Student Aid: Education Needs to Take Steps to Ensure Eligible Loans Receive Income-Driven Repayment Forgiveness
To make student loans more affordable, income-driven repayment plans base monthly payments on a borrower's income and family size, and extend repayment periods. Borrowers in these plans are also eligible for forgiveness after 20 or [...]
Our Letter to Department of Veterans Affairs on the Rutgers Business School Lawsuit Allegations
April 12, 2022 The Honorable Thomas J. Murphy Acting Under Secretary for Benefits U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20571 Re: Rutgers Business School Lawsuit Allegations Dear Under Secretary Murphy, [...]
Arizona Daily Star: Advocates: Students at risk as UA Global Campus’ problems mount
“The reality is that there are thousands of schools in America and none of them are facing this unique situation that is purely based on the decisions of UAGC,” said William Hubbard, vice president for [...]
Higher Ed Dive: University of Arizona Global Campus shouldn’t get federal student aid after court ruling, groups say
Although the university said it is working with federal and state agencies to resume the funding, Veterans Education Success, an advocacy organization, urged the Department of Veteran Affairs to permanently shut off UAGC's access to [...]
Our Press Release: Analysis/Reaction: University of Arizona Global Campus Lost Access to GI Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Analysis/Reaction: University of Arizona Global Campus Lost Access to GI Bill An Estimated 3,000 Student Veterans Impacted Non-Profit Advocate, Veterans Education Success, Urges Action to Protect Current & Future Student Veterans Chandler, [...]
The Chronicle of Higher Education: Lapse in GI Benefits Highlights a Rocky Start for U. of Arizona Global Campus
The Veterans Education Success advocacy group on Tuesday sent a letter to the Defense Department, asking it to follow the VA’s lead and end the university’s eligibility for student aid — in this case the [...]
Military Times: Thousands of student veterans left in limbo after school loses GI Bill eligibility
“Veterans rely on VA’s stamp of approval when choosing a school for their GI Bill benefits,” Jennifer Esparza, legal affairs director at Veterans Education Success, said in a statement. “We urge VA to put veterans [...]
Student Advocates’ Letter to the Department of Education on Ashford University/University of Arizona Global Campus and Title IV
April 5, 2022 Secretary Miguel Cardona U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave., SW Washington, D.C. 20202 Dear Secretary Cardona: We urge the U.S. Department of Education to promptly address issues raised by the recent [...]
Our Letter to the Department of Defense on Ashford University/University of Arizona Global Campus’ Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding
April 5, 2022 Gilbert R. Cisneros Jr. Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness 1400 Defense Pentagon Washington, DC 20301 Re: Ashford University/University of Arizona Global Campus’ Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding with [...]
Higher Ed Dive: University of Arizona Global Campus loses access to GI Bill benefits
Still, it's possible that most students have already had their housing allowances dispersed this month, giving them a buffer, said William Hubbard, vice president for veterans and military policy at Veterans Education Success, an advocacy [...]
The Washington Post: What the student loan payment pause has meant to Black women
Army veteran Alphi Coleman, 38, can relate. The stress of working unfulfilling jobs to get ahead was wearing her down before the pandemic. “All I was doing was working to pay my student debt,” said [...]
Our Press Release: University of Arizona Global Campus (formerly Ashford University) Loses Access to GI Bill Funds
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts: Carrie Wofford, President Will Hubbard, VP for Veterans & Military Policy University of Arizona Global Campus (formerly Ashford University) Loses Access to GI Bill Funds VA must ensure veterans’ hard-earned GI Bill [...]
Our Letter to Department of Veterans Affairs Regarding Substantial Misrepresentations at the University of Arizona Global Campus
April 1, 2022 Thomas J. Murphy Acting Under Secretary for Benefits U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20571 Re: VA Compliance with 38 U.S.C. § 3696 regarding Substantial Misrepresentations at [...]
Phoenix New Times: University of Arizona Global Campus Loses GI Bill Funding
“Veterans rely on VA’s stamp of approval when choosing a school for their GI Bill benefits,” said Jennifer Esparza, the legal affairs director at Washington, D.C.-based bipartisan nonprofit Veterans Education Success. Esparza also attended Ashford [...]
Phoenix New Times: University of Arizona Bailed Out School Amid Losing Fraud Lawsuit, But Left Students in the Dust
“Veterans are targeted by predatory schools,” said Jennifer Esparza, the legal affairs director for Washington, D.C.-based bipartisan nonprofit Veterans Education Success, which referred more than 100 whistleblowers to Bonta for the recent trial. Esparza was [...]
Higher Ed Dive: The Ed Department brokered a deal on 90/10 rule changes. Here’s what’s inside
"The essence of the deal has to do with ineligible programs, such as corporate training programs," said Barmak Nassirian, a negotiator for student veterans. The department struck a deal with negotiators that would allow for-profit [...]
Higher Ed Dive: Ed Department Warns Colleges Against Misleading Veterans
An advocacy group, Veterans Education Success, has been pushing regulators on issues at the center of the Ed Department's warning. The group published a report Wednesday highlighting complaints from military veteran students who attended several [...]
Our Press Release: For-Profit School—Future Tech Career Institute—Has Access Cut to Veteran and Service Members’ Education Benefits
Contacts: Will Hubbard VP for Veterans & Military Policy Veterans Education Success Dr. Joe Wescott Legislative Liaison National Association of State Approving Agencies PRESS RELEASE: For-Profit School—Future Tech Career Institute—Has Access Cut to Veteran and [...]
Whistleblower Submission: Lisa Houck Testimony to the Department of Education
Good afternoon. My name is Lisa Houck, and I was employed in the admissions department at Hesser College, which was a for-profit school owned by Kaplan that is no longer open. I worked there from [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Paola Santiago Testimony to the Department of Education
Good afternoon. My name is Paola Santiago and I’m a veteran of the U.S. Army. I am here today because DeVry’s false advertising led me to waste my time and hard-earned benefits at a school [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Damian Pearsall Testimony to the Department of Education
Good morning. My name is Damian Pearsall and I’m a Navy Veteran. I graduated from the Art Institute of Indianapolis in their fashion design program. During recruitment, the school misrepresented the job prospects for its [...]
USA Today: Veterans may be tricked into taking out unnecessary student loans for college, Biden administration warns
Yet Veterans Education Success, a nonprofit advocacy group, has received reports from thousands of student veterans over the past eight years who said they were deceived into taking out student loans. “What is so frustrating to student veterans [...]
Statement by Carrie Wofford on Important Dept. Ed Bulletin And Release of New Veterans Education Success Report on Unwanted Student Loans
For Immediate Release: March 16, 2022 Contact: Carrie Wofford, President of Veterans Education Success [email protected] (202) 422-6338 Statement by Carrie Wofford on Important Dept. Ed Bulletin And Release of New Veterans Education Success Report on [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Brendan Mullican Testimony to the Department of Education
Good afternoon, my name is Brendan Mullican and I am a veteran of the U.S. Navy and served in the Iraq War. I decided to use my GI Bill benefits to earn a bachelor’s degree [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Kenneth Shaw Testimony to the Department of Education
Good afternoon, my name is Kenneth Shaw. I served in the Navy and the Army. I attended Argosy University’s Dallas campus from 2013 to 2018 in their online business program. I completed all courses in [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Bernard Hilton Testimony to the Department of Education
Good afternoon, my name is Bernard Hilton, and I'm a Marine Corps veteran having served 22 years. In 2014, I enrolled in a two-year program at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary College in Scottsdale, Arizona. One [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Allison Johnson Testimony to the Department of Education
Good afternoon. My name is Allison Johnson and I’m a veteran of the U.S. Army. I am here today because I want you to know how for-profit colleges like Keiser University take advantage of disabled [...]
Predatory Practices and Disproportionate Impacts on Student Veterans Is Revealed in New Report on College Transcript Withholding
For Immediate Release: March 14, 2022 Contact: Carrie Wofford, President of Veterans Education Success [email protected] (202) 422-6338 Predatory Practices and Disproportionate Impacts on Student Veterans Is Revealed in New Report on College Transcript Withholding New [...]
For The Record Subcommittee Hearing On Pending Legislation Submitted To The Subcommittee On Economic Opportunity Committee On Veterans’ Affairs U.S. House Of Representatives
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING ON PENDING LEGISLATION SUBMITTED TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 16, 2022 Chairman Levin, Ranking Member Moore, and Members of [...]
The Student Veteran Experience with Transcript Withholding
Colleges frequently withhold their students’ academic transcripts for balances due, even when the debt is disputed. Indeed, transcript withholding is one of the most common debt collection tactics used by colleges across all sectors. Many [...]
CBS8 (San Diego) Interview with Our Legal Affairs Director, Jennifer Esparza
I was using tuition assistance at the time, and I thought this isn't even worth that money that was going to them [Ashford University]. I didn't want to spend the time doing it anymore because [...]
Our Reaction to the Court Ruling Ordering Ashford U To Pay $22.37 Million Fine To Defrauded Students and Vets
Media Advisory & Backgrounder: Higher Ed & Veterans Story Contact: Carrie Wofford, President, [email protected] Organization that Brought Whistleblowers and Defrauded Veterans to Fraud Case, Veterans Education Success, Applauds Court Ruling For-Profit, Ashford University, Committed Extensive [...]
Our Statement for the Record: Legislative Priorities for 2022
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES SUBMITTED TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE COMMITTEES ON VETERANS AFFAIRS 117TH CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION March 1, 2022 Chairmen Tester and Takano, Ranking Members Moran and Bost, and Members of [...]
Our Oral Testimony to the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI)
James Haynes, Veterans Education Success Oral Testimony National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity February 24, 2022 Good afternoon, my name is James Haynes and I am the Federal Policy Director for Veterans Education [...]
ABC15 Arizona: For-profit schools accused of taking advantage of veterans
"We didn't know how to pay for college," said Alphi Coleman, an Army veteran who joined the military to help pay for college. "We didn't have counselors in our school to tell us how that [...]
The Florida Daily: Vern Buchanan Champions the Veterans Eligible to Transfer School Credits Act
Veterans Education Success is backing the proposal which was sent to the U.S. House Veterans Affairs Committee. So far, there is no companion measure in the U.S. Senate and no co-sponsors in the House. Read [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Linda Lopez Testimony to the Department of Education
U.S. Department of Education Negotiated Rulemaking Public Comment of Linda Lopez February 18, 2022 Good afternoon. My name is Linda Lopez. I graduated from University of Oregon at 58 years old, and I’m currently working [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Daniel Dresen Testimony to the Department of Education
Testimony of Veteran Daniel Dresen U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel February 2022 Good afternoon, my name is Daniel Dresen and I’m a US Army National Guard veteran from North Highland, California. After serving [...]
Our Testimony to the Department of Education on Negotiated Rulemaking February Public Hearings
STATEMENT REGARDING ONGOING DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION NEGOTIATED RULEMAKING February 17, 2022 Hello, and thank you for the time to present here today. My name is Will Hubbard. I am a proud Marine Corps Veteran and [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Jenica King Testimony to the Department of Education
Good afternoon. My name is Jenica King and I’m an Army veteran and the spouse of an active duty servicemember. I used my GI Bill to attend Ashford University. One reason I went there is [...]
Student Veteran Submission: John Roberts Testimony to the Department of Education
Good afternoon. My name is John Roberts, and I am an Army veteran. I was trained to fly helicopters, and when I retired, I wanted to earn my certification to fly airplanes. Liberty University was [...]
Brown University: Can Information and Advising Affect Postsecondary Participation and Attainment for Non-Traditional Students? Evidence from a Large-Scale Experiment with the U.S. Army
Non-traditional students disproportionately enroll in institutions with weaker graduation and earnings outcomes. One hypothesis is that these students would have made different choices had they been provided with better information or supports during the decision-making [...]
Statement of Carrie Wofford on the Education Department’s Approval of $415 Million in Borrower Defense Claims
For Immediate Release: February 16, 2022 Contact: Carrie Wofford, President of Veterans Education Success: [email protected] (202) 422-6338 Statement by Veterans Education Success President Carrie Wofford Huge News - Department of Education Decision Today: “Good News [...]
The Bradenton Times: Buchanan Bill Would Aide Vets on GI Bill When School Closes
William Hubbard, the Vice President for Veteran and Military Policy at Veterans Education Success said, "When a student veteran faces the collapse of their school, added layers of bureaucracy only serve to worsen an already [...]
Student Defense: Legal Memorandum: The Department of Education’s Obligation to Reform Its Financial Responsibility Oversight
In recent years, tens of thousands of students have been harmed by the closures of predatory colleges where—despite years of unheeded warnings—the closures were described as “abrupt” or “precipitous” or caused by sudden financial or [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Ryan McKenzie Testimony to the Department of Education
Good afternoon. My name is Ryan McKenzie and I’m an Army veteran who attended DeVry University online. When I contacted DeVry, I was working long hours at a factory and needed to provide a better [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Alphi Coleman Testimony to the Department of Education
Good afternoon. My name is Alphi Black and I’m an Army veteran who used my GI Bill to attend the University of Phoenix. I graduated in 2018, but this did not provide the fulfillment and [...]
NACIQI Chairmanship Letter
February 14, 2022 Ms. Lisa Brown General Counsel U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20202 Dear Ms. Brown: We write to express concerns regarding a longstanding conflict of interest that undermines [...]
The Century Foundation: Employer-Provided Tuition Benefit Programs: Is Guild As Good As It Gets?
To attract and retain workers in today’s tight labor market, the largest employers in the United States have turned to promoting college tuition and education benefits. In 2021, Amazon announced a plan to revamp its [...]
Bipartisan Policy Center: Which Colleges Are Worth the Cost?
While the federal government distributes nearly $150 billion in higher education student aid annually, regulations that hypothetically prevent low-quality institutions from benefiting from this aid rarely function as intended. Researchers have made progress in measuring [...]
USA Today: Online College Accused of Recruiting Unprepared Students, Pocketing Money – Despite Sanctions
The students interviewed by USA TODAY aren’t alone in their discontent with CTU. The advocacy group Veterans Education Success has collected about 500 complaints from veterans who attended Perdoceo schools as recently as 2021. Of [...]
Coffee Or Die: GI Bill Benefits May Soon be Less Appealing to ‘Predatory’ Schools
“It’s a very community-driven process,” said William Hubbard of Veterans Education Success, an organization that advocates for student veterans. Veterans Education Success and numerous veterans it represents have testified during the Department of Education’s rule-making process. [...]
The Capitol Forum: For-Profit Colleges Under CFPB Scrutiny for Lending Practices; Experts Expect Data Sharing with Education Department
“Essentially every for-profit institution we’ve looked at does [institutional loans],” said Christopher Madaio, vice president for legal affairs at Veterans Education Success. Depending on the circumstances, students may not fully understand that they are taking [...]
Our Statement for the Record on Securing High-Demand Jobs for Veterans
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING ON SECURING HIGH-DEMAND JOBS FOR VETERANS SUBMITTED TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 2, 2022 Chairman Levin, Ranking Member [...]
Education Counsel: Lessons from a Risk-Based Oversight Model Designed to Protect Students and Taxpayers
Over the past 20 years, many higher education institutions have closed without warning, leaving student veterans without degrees and with few options to complete their degrees and get better jobs. Partially in response to these [...]
Spectrum News 1 SoCal: Veteran Says For-Profit Trade School Took His GI Bill Funds and Left Him Career-Less
The corporation was one of many for-profit institutions that Chris Madaio with Veterans Education Success believes took advantage of a federal loophole that allowed GI Bills not to count as federal funds. He says it [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Controversial Transfer Agreement Ends
“California never should have signed a contract with a predatory for-profit college that was sued by law enforcement for high-pressure enrollment tactics and failing to disclose job prospects to student veterans and military students,” Carrie [...]
Times Higher Education: Biden Crackdown Targets For-Profit Colleges
Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success, said the overturned by the California community college system — with 1.8 million students across 116 campuses — expects more public U.S. universities to reconsider adopting the “hunter-for-profit [...]
Statement of Carrie Wofford on the Cancellation of California Community Colleges’ Agreement with For-Profit School – American Public University System (APUS)
For Immediate Release: Contact: Carrie Wofford, President of Veterans Education Success: [email protected] Veterans Education Success (VES) Statement on the Cancellation of California Community Colleges’ Agreement with For-Profit School - American Public University System (APUS) Sacramento, [...]
EdSource: Community Colleges chancellor announces end to for-profit transfer agreement
“California never should have signed a contract with a predatory for-profit college that was sued by law enforcement for high-pressure enrollment tactics and failing to disclose job prospects to student veterans and military students,” said [...]
Whistleblower Submission: Dr. Mary Ann Markey Testimony to the Department of Education
Testimony of Dr. Mary Ann Markey U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel January 2022 Good afternoon. My name is Dr. Mary Ann Markey, and I have been teaching for Grand Canyon University since 2010, [...]
American GI Forum Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Department of Rulemaking Public Comment Hearing Testimony of the American G.I. Forum on the 90/10 Loophole Luis Vasquez-Contes, National Commander Good afternoon, to the leaders and staff members of the Department of Education. My name [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Randy Diel Testimony to the Department of Education
My name is Randy Diel and I’m an Army veteran who attended American InterContinental University. As I was finishing my bachelors degree in computer information systems, the school convinced me to continue my education through [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Sean Braunstein Testimony to the Department of Education
Good afternoon. My name is Sean Braunstein. I am an Army veteran and recipient of educational benefits that I earned while serving our country on active duty. I am here to tell my story in [...]
The American Legion Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
NEGOTIATED RULEMAKING FOR HIGHER EDUCATION JOSEPH SHARPE PUBLIC COMMENT On behalf of National Commander Paul Dillard and the nearly two million members of The American Legion, we thank The Department of Education for inviting us [...]
WTKR News (Norfolk): Virginia Beach veteran says she was scammed out of GI Bill benefits
"We have gotten complaints from many, many veterans from at least 10, significantly large for-profit institutions, that many veterans are not really being told the truth," said Chris Madaio, the vice president for legal affairs [...]
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings Ashlynne Haycock, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) January 19, 4:20 PM Good Morning, my name is Ashlynne Haycock [...]
Our Letter to the Department of Education on the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSACHE)
January 20, 2022 Dr. Herman Bounds Director Accreditation Group, Office of Postsecondary Education U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202 RE: Call for Comments 86 FR 71251, Document Number 2021-27095 Submitted [...]
Our Letter to the Department of Education on the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
January 20, 2022 Dr. Herman Bounds Director Accreditation Group, Office of Postsecondary Education U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202 RE: Call for Comments 86 FR 71251, Document Number 2021-27095 Submitted [...]
National Advisory Council on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) on Accreditation to the Department of Education
January 20, 2022 Herman Bounds Director, Accreditation Group Office of Postsecondary Education U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202 Dear Director Bounds: We submit this letter on behalf of the undersigned [...]
Our Letter to the Department of Education on the Western Association of Colleges and Schools, Senior College and University Commission (WASCSR)
January 20, 2022 Dr. Herman Bounds Director Accreditation Group, Office of Postsecondary Education U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202 RE: Call for Comments 86 FR 71251, Document Number 2021-27095 Submitted [...]
The Hill: For-profit colleges prey on veterans — the Department of Education must say ‘no more’
By Will Hubbard The following op-ed was published in The Hill. For decades, for-profit colleges have used deceptive marketing to recruit veterans into expensive, practically worthless degree programs and mountains of debt. Veterans and their [...]
Veterans with Student Loans They Never Authorized or Wanted
Following publication of our report, the U.S. Department of Education reached out to request a meeting to discuss our findings. Soon thereafter, the Department sent a warning letter to all colleges and universities nationwide, available [...]
Diverse: Will a Gainful Employment Rule for For-Profit Colleges Return?
Brian Whitehead served in the U.S. Army from 2000 to 2005 before he went to ITT Technical Institute, a for-profit college chain that later closed in 2016. At ITT Tech from 2006 to 2008, he [...]
Our Letter to the Community College Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) on Their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the American Public University System (APUS)
January 14, 2022 Chancellor Eloy Oakley Deputy Chancellor Daisy Gonzales California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office 1102 Q Street, 6th Floor Sacramento, CA 95811 RE: Concerns Regarding the MOU Signed Between the CCCCO and APUS Dear [...]
DoD Response Letter to our Executive Order Suggestions
JAN 10, 2022 Ms. Carrie Wofford President Veterans Education Success 1501 K Street NW Washington, D.C. 20005 Dear Ms. Wofford: Thank you for your recent communication dated October 5, 2021, to the Honorable Gilbert Cisneros, [...]
Our Comment on Record Keeping at Flight Schools
January 7, 2022 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Education Service 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20420 Via electronic submission Re: Agency Information Collection Activity: Record Keeping at Flight Schools, 86 FR 61855 Dear Sir [...]
Brookings Institute: Where have all the GI Bill dollars gone? Veteran usage and expenditure of the Post-9/11 GI Bill
The Post 9/11 GI Bill (PGIB) was one of the largest expansions of financial aid for veterans and their families. However, how veterans use these benefits and the institutions they attend are not well documented. [...]
Our Statement Honoring Senator Johnny Isakson
Honoring Senator Johnny Isakson (1944-2021) Veterans owe a debt of gratitude to Sen. Isakson for his many years of leadership -- frequently reaching beyond the politics of the day -- to improve the way in [...]
Statement of Will Hubbard on Congressional passage of the REMOTE Act
Statement of Will Hubbard Vice President for Veterans & Military Policy, Veterans Education Success on Congressional passage of the REMOTE Act For Immediate Release Contact: Will Hubbard, Vice President for Veterans & Military Policy: [email protected] [...]
Our Student Advice Column in Military.com: What Vets and Service Members Need to Know About Public Student Loan Forgiveness
By Jennifer Esparza The following blog was published by Military.com. Service members and veterans may be able to get their school debt forgiven because of temporary changes to a program designed to forgive student loans [...]
Our Nomination Letter to the Education Department for the Negotiated Rulemaking Committee on Institutional and Programmatic Eligibility
Vanessa Gomez U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave. SW, Room 2C179 Washington, DC 20202 Docket ID ED-2021-OPE-0077 Dear Ms. Gomez, The undersigned veterans and military service organizations write to make the following nominations for [...]
WCJT News (Jacksonville): Despite promises of relief, one Jax veteran still struggles to receive an education
According to Chistopher Madaio, vice president for legal affairs at Veterans Education Success, for-profit colleges often seek out veterans because of their GI money — federal dollars from the Post 9/11 GI Bill that funds [...]
Our Letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs on the SAA Rule, RIN 2900-AQ89
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Education Service 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20420 Via electronic submission Re: State Approving Agency Jurisdiction Rule, RIN 2900-AQ89 Dear Sir or Madam, Thank you for the opportunity to [...]
Diverse Issues in Higher Ed: Tense Negotiations of Income-Drive Repayment Plans for Student Loans Continue
"They’re making every effort on every other front,” said Barmak Nassirian, vice president for higher education policy at Veterans Education Success, a bipartisan advocacy and research group focused on improving higher education quality for veterans [...]
Student Veteran Submission: David Apperson Testimony to the Department of Education
Testimony of David Apperson U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel December 2021 Good afternoon. My name is David Apperson, and I’m a former firefighter, law enforcement officer, and U.S. Army veteran from Lindale, Texas. [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Dylan Contrino Testimony to the Department of Education
Testimony of Veteran Dylan Contrino U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel December 2021 My name is Dylan Contrino and I’m here to tell you about my experience at Lincoln Technical as a student veteran. [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Dru Macasieb Testimony to the Department of Education
Testimony of Veteran Dru Macasieb U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel December 2021 Good afternoon. My name is Dru Macasieb and I’m a veteran from San Diego, CA. I’m here to tell you about [...]
KGTV News (San Diego): San Diego vets set to lose thousands of dollars in GI bill housing benefits
“I spent one entire year in Afghanistan,” student and Army veteran Dru Macasieb told ABC 10News. Macasieb added, “I don't like how veterans are being treated or the stigma of this is 'free money,' because [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Jesus Abarca Testimony to the Department of Education
Testimony of Veteran Jesus Abarca U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel December 2021 Good afternoon. My name is Jesus Abarca and I’m here today to tell you about my experience at Lincoln Technical as [...]
The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS): Accountability That Works: Restoring Gainful Employment and Strengthening Higher Education Accountability Measures
Across higher education sectors, too many students experience inconsistent programmatic quality and varying graduation rates, all while taking on loan debt that burdens them for years to come. These challenges grow as more institutions increase [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Jodie Parks Testimony to the Department of Education
Testimony of Veteran Jodie Parks U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel December 2021 Good afternoon, my name is Jodie Parks and I’m a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. I’m here today to respectfully [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Mikeal Swenson Testimony to the Department of Education
Mikeal Swenson, Army Veteran Testimony U.S. Education Department December 6, 2021 Good afternoon. My name is Mikeal Swenson. I served in the U.S. Army for 6 and a half years, and I was deployed twice [...]
Center for Responsible Lending Report: The State of For-Profit Colleges
Data in this research provides a snapshot of the for-profit sector at a critical moment, as federal student loan payments have been paused during the pandemic. Because of the payment pause, sector-by-sector comparisons related to [...]
Military.com: Student Veterans Battle for GI Bill Benefits at MIT, Another School Fighting the VA
Will Hubbard, vice president for veterans and military policy for Veterans Education Success, a GI Bill advocacy group in Washington, D.C., told Military.com that the MIT and Howard situations are a bad combination of the [...]
Our Letter Support The Build Back Better Bill’s Investments In Higher Education
November 17, 2021 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi Speaker United States House of Representatives S-221, The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable Chuck Schumer Majority Leader United States Senate S-221, The Capitol Washington, DC 20510 Dear [...]
Our Statement for the Record: Committee Hearing To Consider Pending Legislation Submitted To The Committee On Veterans’ Affairs U.S. Senate
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD COMMITTEE HEARING TO CONSIDER PENDING LEGISLATION SUBMITTED TO THE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS U.S. SENATE November 17, 2021 Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Moran, and Members of the Committee: We appreciate the [...]
Department of Veterans Affairs: GI Bill Procedural Update – Prohibitions on Advertising, Sales, and Enrollment Practices
Greetings Educational Institutions, Section 1020 of P.L. 116-315, Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, and section 7(a)(5) of P.L. 117-16, Training in High-demand Roles to Improve Veteran [...]
Republic Report: California Opens Fraud Trial Against College Now Owned by Arizona
The advocacy group Veterans Education Success has received more than 100 complaints from Ashford students, with concerns covering recruiting, the quality of education, tuition costs, transferability of credits, and job placement. Read the full story at [...]
Lee Daily: Student Loan Forgiveness Education Department Erased $2 Billion in Debt for 30,000 Borrowers
The former director of military and consumer protection at Veterans Education Success, Mike Saunders said “As the burden of student loan debt has impacted ever-larger swathes of American society, the U.S. military has seen more [...]
CBS News: Lender charged 200% interest to military families for pawn loans, CFPB says
U.S. military families are being socked with annual interest rates sometimes exceeding 200% on pawn loans they've taken out from a Texas company, a violation of a federal law that caps how much lenders can [...]
The Los Angeles Times Editorial: USC tarnishes its reputation again, this time with for-profit recruitment tactics
Editorial: USC tarnishes its reputation again, this time with for-profit recruitment tactics BY THE TIMES EDITORIAL BOARD NOV. 12, 2021 It can be hard to keep up with the scandals and missteps at USC. In just the [...]
CNBC: Struggles for veterans with student debt continue under Biden administration
“We want them to get through the borrower defense backlog,” said Christopher Madaio, vice president for legal affairs at the nonprofit Veterans Education Success. Many other defrauded veterans need more guidance and support just applying [...]
The New York Times: Democrats’ Bill Would Deny For-Profit College Students Extra Aid
The problem of high debt and low wages is by no means limited to proprietary schools. But unlike other sectors, for-profit colleges are beholden to shareholders and have been found to hike up tuition to match [...]
Background on the Protect the GI Bill Act: Understanding Section 1016 In 2016, a unanimous Congress enacted the Career Ready Student Veterans Act, preventing GI Bill funding to be wasted at education programs which leave [...]
Press Release: AG Healey Secures Over $1 Million In Relief For Students Under Settlement With For- Profit School In Pittsfield
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 8, 2021 AG HEALEY SECURES OVER $1 MILLION IN RELIEF FOR STUDENTS UNDER SETTLEMENT WITH FOR- PROFIT SCHOOL IN PITTSFIELD The Mildred Elley School Resolves Allegations that it Failed to Follow [...]
Wall Street Journal: USC Pushed a $115,000 Online Degree. Graduates Got Low Salaries, Huge Debts
The nonprofit school used its status-symbol image to attract students across the country, including low-income minority students it targeted for recruitment, often with aggressive tactics. Most students piled on debt to afford the tuition, which [...]
Our Press Release: Local Veterans Testify to Education Department to Call for New Solutions to Help Veterans Scammed by For-Profit Colleges
STORIES OF HOW NEW SOLUTIONS ARE BEING DEVELOPED TO HELP VETERANS SCAMMED BY FOR-PROFIT COLLEGES I’m writing to share elements of a compelling story I hope you’ll consider doing on the issue of veterans’ being [...]
The Arizona Daily Star: Accreditor: UA Global Campus’ Academic Improvement Plan ‘Seriously Inadequate’
Chris Madaio is vice president of legal affairs for Veterans Education Success, a national advocacy group for student veterans. He said the organization has received more than 100 complaints from veterans about Ashford and warned [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Greg Engle Testimony to the Department of Education
Testimony of Greg Engle U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel November 2021 Good afternoon. My name is Greg Engle and I’m a veteran from Orlando, Florida. I spent 10 years active Air force and [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Joshua Queen Testimony to the Department of Education
Testimony of Joshua Queen U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel November 2021 My name is Joshua Queen, and I am an Air Force veteran. I grew up poor and in an environment surrounded by [...]
Our Media Advisory: CA Attorney General Trial Starts Monday 11/8 Against For-Profit College Ashford U For Defrauding Students – Especially Veterans
Media Advisory & Backgrounder: Higher Ed & Veterans Story Contacts: Carrie Wofford, President, [email protected] Christopher Madaio, VP for Legal Affairs, [email protected] CA ATTORNEY GENERAL TRIAL STARTS MONDAY 11/8 AGAINST FOR-PROFIT COLLEGE ASHFORD U FOR [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Christopher Glock Testimony to the Department of Education
Testimony of Christopher Glock U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel November 2021 Good afternoon. My name is Chris Glock and I am a veteran from Colorado. I joined the Marine Corps following 9/11 and [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Jarrod Thoma Testimony to the Department of Education
Jarrod Thoma Testimony U.S Education Department November 2021 Good afternoon, my name is Jarrod Thoma, I am a Veteran of the U.S. Army, from Colorado Springs, Colorado. Thank you for the opportunity to offer my [...]
Our Letter to the Education Department on Keeping the 90/10 Loophole Closed
November 3, 2021 U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave. SW, Room 2C188, Washington, DC 20202 Submitted via electronic portal Re: Negotiated Rulemaking Committee; Public Hearings (Docket ID ED-2021-OPE-0077) To Whom It May Concern: In [...]
NowThis News: What the Student Loan Forgiveness Reboot Means For You
"My total principle balance was about, I think, $76,000 to get through my undergraduate degree. After all the payments and all of the time, I owe $104,000," says veteran Jeffrey Spencer. "Congress made a promise, [...]
Letter from Rep. Takano to the Department of Education About Closing the 90/10 Loophole
November 3, 2021 RE: Docket ID: ED-2021-OPE-0077 Dear Secretary Cardona, We write to submit comments on the U.S. Department of Education’s (Department) regulatory agenda to close the 90/10 loophole. Following Congressional action to close the [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Kolin Wilkins Testimony to the Department of Education
Testimony of Veteran Kolin Wilkins U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel October 2021 My name is Kolin Wilkins. I medically retired from the US Army in 2015 and currently live in Texas. I enrolled [...]
Swords to Plowshares Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Good afternoon, to the officials and staff of the Department of Education. My name is Victor Inzunza. I'm a Marine Corps veteran and I serve as a Policy Analyst at Swords to Plowshares. Our agency was [...]
Blue Star Families Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Good morning, officials and staff of the Department of Education. My name is Nick Wooldridge, and I am the Policy and Outreach Fellow at Blue Star Families. I am speaking on behalf of the families [...]
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Of America (IAVA) Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Statement of Kaitlynne Hetrick, Executive Vice President, Government Affairs of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Of America before the Department of Education October 27, 2021 Good Morning, on behalf of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America’s [...]
The American Legion Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Remarks from David Proferes Policy Coordinator, Veterans Employment & Education Division The American Legion Before the Public Hearing “Negotiated Rulemaking for Higher Education 2021-22” October 26th, 2021 On behalf of National Commander Paul Dillard and the [...]
Children’s Advocacy Institute Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
TESTIMONY OF CHILDREN’S ADVOCACY INSTITUTE URGING STRONG REGULATIONS FROM U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO PROTECT FOSTER YOUTH FROM PREDATORY USE OF CHAFEE/ETV BENEFITS October 26, 2021 Thank you for your diligent work to promulgate strong [...]
Travis Manion Foundation Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Hugo Lentze, Travis Manion Foundation October 27, 10:06 AM Good morning, and thank you for the chance to be here today. My name is Hugo Lentze, and I have the honor of serving as the [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Carlette Satterwhite Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Testimony of Carlette Satterwhite U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel October 2021 Good afternoon, my name is Dr. Carlette Satterwhite, and I’m a veteran from Austin, Texas. I’m here today to tell you about [...]
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Ashlynne Haycock, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) October 27, 10:15 AM Good Morning, my name is Ashlynne Haycock and I serve as the Deputy Director of Policy at the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors [...]
Military Officers Association of America Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Cory Titus, Military Officers Association of America October 27, 10:18 AM Good morning to the Department of Education officials and staff. My name is Cory Titus, and I am the Military Officers Association of America’s [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Jonathan Banasihan Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Jonathan Banasihan, Veteran Good afternoon, my name is Jonathan Banasihan. I am a Navy veteran with deployments in operations supporting Iraq and Afghanistan. I am here to express my support for the closure of the [...]
American G.I. Forum Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Luis Vasquez-Contes, American G.I. Forum October 26, 2:36 PM Good afternoon, to the leaders and staff members of the Department of Education. My name is Luis Vasquez-Contes, and I’ve had the honor of serving in [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Jesse Cruz Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Testimony of Jesse Cruz U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel October 2021 Good afternoon. My name is Jesse Cruz and I’m a U.S. Army veteran from Atascosa, Texas. I decided to use my GI [...]
Jewish War Veterans Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Ken Greenberg, Jewish War Veterans October 26, 2:36 PM Thank you to the officials and staff of the Department of Education. My name is Ken Greenberg and I am the National Executive Director of the [...]
Our Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
William Hubbard, Veterans Education Success October 26 2:26 PM Hello, and thank you for the time to present here today. I’m grateful for the opportunity to speak with the hard-working staff and leadership of the [...]
Our Media Advisory: Veterans Organizations To Push Back Against For-Profit Colleges As Dept Of Ed Implements Closing Of Loophole That Incentivizes For-Profit Colleges To Prey On Veterans
VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS TO PUSH BACK AGAINST FOR-PROFIT COLLEGES AS DEPT OF ED IMPLEMENTS CLOSING OF LOOPHOLE THAT INCENTIVIZES FOR-PROFIT COLLEGES TO PREY ON VETERANS INDIVIDUAL VETERANS WHO WERE SCAMMED OUT OF GI BILL BENEFITS BY FOR-PROFIT [...]
Our Blog in Military.com: What to Do About Your GI Bill or Veterans Education Benefits If Your School Closes
By William Hubbard The following blog was published by Military.com. If you're a veteran and you just found out your school (or program) is closing, or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has disapproved [...]
Inside Higher Ed: New Law Threatens International Recruiting Model
“Engaging in processes that we view as unacceptable or corrupt here in the U.S. just because those practices are taking place overseas will change the nature of the university itself,” said Barmak Nassirian, a longtime [...]
Our Interview on the Policy Vets Podcast with Former Secretary Shulkin
Our Vice Presidents, Chris Madaio and Will Hubbard, joined former VA Secretary David Shulkin and Policy Vets Executive Director Lou Celli on their podcast to talk about our work standing up for the GI Bill and [...]
Our Letter to the VA Advisory Committee on Education
October 18, 2021 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Education Service 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20420 Via electronic submission to [email protected] Re: Advisory Committee on Education Meeting October 19-20 Dear Members of [...]
News Nation USA: Student Loan Reforms Stand on Horizon in Negotiated Rulemaking
“Every one of the issues on the table is critically important and quite consequential for specific segments of the borrower population,” said Barmak Nassirian, vice president for higher education policy at Veterans Education Success, a [...]
Our Letter with Executive Order Ideas to Protect Service Members and Veterans in Higher Education
MEMORANDUM TO: The Honorable Susan Rice, Director, Domestic Policy Council The Honorable Thomas J. Murphy, Acting Under Secretary for Benefits, Department of Veterans Affairs The Honorable Gilbert Cisneros, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and [...]
Summary of Veteran and Servicemember Student Complaints about Perdoceo Education Corporation
I. Introduction This memo analyzes and provides representative examples of over 500 complaints from military-connected students who attended schools owned by the Perdoceo Education Corporation, formerly known as the Career Education Corporation and referred to [...]
Our Letter To Congress Supporting the Promoting Advancement for Transit Help (PATH) to College Act
The Honorable Peter DeFazio Chairman U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 The Honorable Sam Graves Ranking Member U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure United States Senate Washington, [...]