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 communications and documents the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) possesses regarding any meetings, written interactions, emails, or other correspondence between VA and the University of Phoenix (UOP) or its owners Apollo Global Management, The Vistria Group, or any other owner or representative acting on behalf of UOP or its owners between January 1, 2019 and January 1, 2020.
  • Specifically, we are looking for records of communications and interactions pertaining to any actual or potential adverse actions (such as sanctions, suspensions, fines, preliminary findings from the FTC) by the VA or any other federal agency, as well as any discussions regarding UOP’s 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 the largest recipient of GI Bill benefits since the program’s inception, and this information would help the public understand better how the VA administers education benefits.[1]

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

 

[1] See United States v. The University of Phoenix, et. al, civil action no. 2:19-cv-05772-ESW, D. Ariz., December 10, 2019, available at https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/university_of_phoenix_ftc_v_uop_complaint_signed.pdf, 17.

 

VES FOIA UOP