1250 H Street NW Suite 700, Washington, DC 20005
January 7, 2020
Department of Veterans Affairs
810 Vermont Avenue, NW
(005R1C) VACO
Washington, DC 20420
Via email: [email protected]
This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I request that a copy of the following documents be provided to Veterans Education Success:
- All documents and communications Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) possesses regarding any meetings, written interactions, emails, or other correspondence between VA and Career Education Colleges and Universities (CECU) between January 1, 2019 and January 1, 2020.
- Specifically, we are looking for records of interactions pertaining to any actual or potential adverse actions (such as sanctions, suspensions, fines, preliminary findings from the FTC) against a CECU college or education company by the VA or any other federal agency, as well as any discussions regarding CECU member schools’ eligibility for VA educational benefit programs. This includes interactions and communications with VA’s Office of General Counsel.
I request a waiver of all fees for this request. Disclosure of the requested information is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operation of the government and is not primarily in our commercial interest as we are a nonprofit organization that advocates on behalf of military-connected students. The information sought would illuminate how the VA interacts with an organization whose members are large recipients of GI Bill benefits, and this information would help the public understand better how the VA administers education benefits.
If the waiver of fees is not granted and fees exceed $25, please contact me immediately. If you need to discuss this request, you can reach me at (702) 234-5956, or by email at [email protected]. Thank you for your consideration of our request.
Sincerely,
Aniela K. Szymanski
Senior Director of Legal Affairs
VES FOIA CECU