We collaborate with our veteran & military allies to maximize our collective advocacy impact, offering policy recommendations to Congress and federal agencies.
OUR LETTERS TO CONGRESS
Coalition 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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 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 LETTERS TO VA
Our Letter to VA Regarding Living Arts College Closure
January 10, 2022 Timothy D. Freeman, Executive Director North Carolina State Approving Agency Via email Joseph L. Garcia, Executive Director Education Service Veterans Benefits Administration Via email Re: Living Arts College Closure Dear Mr. Garcia [...]
Our Letter to VA with Additional Information Regarding Bay State College
January 9, 2023, George O’Connor Assistant Commissioner for Academic & Veterans Affairs Department of Higher Education Commonwealth of Massachusetts Via email Joseph L. Garcia, Executive Director Education Service. Veteran Benefits Administration Via email Re: Bay State College Dear Mr. O’Connor and Mr. Garcia...
Our Letter to VA Regarding the 85/15 Rule Federal Register Notice
We write to submit comments on the Department’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on the above-referenced 85/15 Rule published in the October 12, 2022 issue of the Federal Register.
Letter to VA Regarding Bay State College
November 21, 2022 George O’Connor, Assistant Commissioner for Academic & Veterans Affairs Department of Higher Education Commonwealth of Massachusetts Via email Joshua Jacobs, Senior Advisor for Policy Performing the Delegable Duties of the Under Secretary [...]
Letter to VA Regarding Florida Career College
November 21, 2022 Betsy Wickham, Bureau Chief State Approving Agency Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs Via email David Salgado, Director Veterans Education Program Texas Veterans Commission Via email Joshua Jacobs, Senior Advisor for Policy Performing [...]
Letter to VA Regarding Full Sail University
November 21, 2022 Betsy Wickham, Bureau Chief State Approving Agency Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs Via email Joshua Jacobs, Senior Advisor for Policy Performing the Delegable Duties of the Under Secretary for Benefits Veterans Benefits [...]
OUR LETTERS TO THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
Letter to NC-SARA re: Proposal to Elevate SARA’s Consumer Protection Standards
The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), administered by the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA), lowers barriers for schools to offer online programs in multiple states, easing the way for institutions to expand the reach of their online programs. SARA’s impact is immense - almost 6 million students were enrolled in online programs at more than 2,300 SARA participating schools in Fall 2020, including 1.6 million students enrolled in online programs based outside of their state.1 Every state except for California is a SARA member. 2 However, the agreement’s standards set an extremely low bar for consumer protection, leaving millions of online students vulnerable to abuse by unscrupulous schools.
Our Letter to the Department of Education on the Council on Occupational Education.
VES advocacy letter on behalf of students and veterans in higher education in response to the call for third-party comments announced on November 14, 2022, in the Department of Education’s Notice Accrediting Agencies Currently Undergoing Review for the Purpose of Recognition by the U.S. Secretary of Education. 1 Our comments concern the Council on Occupational Education (“COE”) and the senior Department official’s (SDO) decision letter dated October 27, 2021, requiring COE to come into compliance with 34 C.F.R. Part 602 within 12 months and to submit a compliance report within 30 days thereafter.
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 [...]
OUR LETTERS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
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 [...]
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 [...]
Our Letter to DoD & ED Asking Them to Improve PSLF
May 7, 2021 The Honorable Miguel Cardona Secretary of Education Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue SW Washington, DC 20202 Secretary Lloyd Austin US Department of Defense 1000 Defense Pentagon Washington, DC 20301-1000 [...]
Our Letter to President Biden – Ideas for an Executive Order
February 17, 2021 President Joseph R. Biden The White House Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Biden: Thank you for committing to protect veterans, servicemembers, and military families from predatory colleges that deceive them [...]
Coalition letter to the Biden Transition Team regarding for-profit college influence
December 1, 2020 Ted Kaufman 1401 Constitution Ave., NW Washington, DC 20230 Cathy Russell 1401 Constitution Ave., NW Washington, DC 20230 Dear Mr. Kaufman and Ms. Russell, As organizations working on behalf of students, veterans, [...]
Letter to Congress: Stars and Stripes Funding for Fiscal Year 2021
September 16, 2020 The Honorable Richard Shelby The Honorable Patrick Leahy Senate Committee on Appropriations Room S-128, The Capitol Washington, D.C. 20510 Stars and Stripes Funding for Fiscal Year 2021 Dear Chairman Shelby and Vice [...]
OUR LETTERS TO CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION AGENCIES
Letter of Support from Veterans Groups for Rohit Chopra to Head Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
February 10, 2021 The Honorable Sherrod Brown, Chairman, U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Room SD-534 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Patrick J. Toomey, Ranking Member, [...]
MSO/VSO Letter Supporting the Reinstatement of Supervisory Exams for Military Lending Act Compliance
January 27, 2021 President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear President Biden: The undersigned military and veterans service organizations represent millions of current and former servicemembers, [...]
Our Public Comment to the OCC about “Fair Access to Financial Services”
January 4, 2021 Chief Counsel’s Office Comment Processing Office of the Comptroller of the Currency 400 7th Street SW, Suite 3E-218 Washington, DC 20219 Re: Proposed “Fair Access to Financial Services,” Docket ID [...]
Our Public Comment About the Role of Supervisory Guidance to CFPB
January 4, 2021 Director Kathleen Kraninger Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 1700 G Street NW Washington, DC 20552 Re: Role of Supervisory Guidance, Docket No. CFPB-2020-0033 or RIN 3170-AB02 Dear Director Kraninger: [...]
Our Comment on Time-Barred (“Zombie”) Debt Collection
August 4, 2020 Director Kathleen Kraninger Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 1700 G Street NW Washington, DC 20552 Re: Proposed Time-Barred Debt Disclosures, Docket No. CFPB-2020-0010 or RIN 3170-AA41 Dear Director Kraninger: [...]
21 Military & Veteran Organizations’ Letter to CFPB on Debt Collection
Veterans Education Success organized and led a letter from 21 national military and veteran service organizations to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau regarding its proposed changes to debt collection rules.
OUR LETTERS TO THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
Our Testimony to the Federal Trade Commission during July Open Commission Meeting
James Haynes, Veterans Education Success FTC Testimony Federal Trade Commission July 1, 2021 Good afternoon, my name is James Haynes and I am here today on behalf of Veterans Education Success. Student veterans have long [...]
Our Memorandum to the Federal Trade Commission regarding Ashford University
MEMORANDUM REGARDING ASHFORD UNIVERSITY TO THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION Veterans Education Success presents the following information for consideration by the Federal Trade Commission. Veterans Education Success is a non-profit organization that works [...]
Press Release: Veterans Education Success Petitions the Federal Trade Commission to Investigate For-Profit Colleges and Controversial Lead Generators
For Immediate Release Contact: Aniela Szymanski, Senior Director of Legal Affairs and Military Policy | aniela@vetsedsuccess.org June 24, 2020 Veterans Education Success Petitions the Federal Trade Commission to Investigate For-Profit Colleges and Controversial Lead [...]
Our FTC Petition: Lead Generators
Complaint, Request for Investigation, Injunction, and Other Relief Submitted by Veterans Education Success Pursuant to the Commission’s Rules, 16 C.F.R. § 2.2, Veterans Education Success respectfully requests that the Commission institute an investigation of businesses [...]
Our FTC Petition: Army.com and Partner Schools
Complaint, Request for Investigation, Injunction, and Other Relief Submitted by Veterans Education Success Pursuant to the Commission’s Rules, 16 C.F.R. § 2.2, Veterans Education Success respectfully requests that the Commission institute an investigation of schools [...]
OUR LETTERS TO THE STATES
Our Testimony to the California Senate Judiciary Committee on Assembly Joint Resolution No. 12
William Hubbard, Veterans Education Success Testimony California Senate Judiciary Committee July 2021 Good afternoon to the Honorable Members and your staff: I speak with you about Assembly Joint Resolution No. 12, and wish to register [...]
Letter from The Nation’s Leading Military and Veteran-Serving Organizations to California Legislators on Assembly Joint Resolution No. 12
Good morning, Nearly 20 veterans organizations oppose AJR-12, and for good reason. This is contrary to information shared by the California-Accredited Law Schools and their lobbyists (ref. letters attached). Despite all the arguments their lobbyists [...]
Coalition Letter: Support for California’s SB-802
The Honorable Jose Medina Assembly Higher Education Committee Legislative Office Building, Room 173 Sacramento, California 95814 RE: SUPPORT for SB 802 as Amended 5/5/2021 Dear Chair Medina: We represent a group of student, veteran, consumer, [...]
Letter to VA and Louisiana State Approving Agency about US K9 Unlimited
We alerted VA and state authorities about a K9 training school that allegedly mistreated and threatened student veterans, purposefully structured programs to get as much money out of veterans' GI Bill benefits as it could, [...]
Our letter to NC-SARA re: state reciprocity rules to protect student veterans
Our letter, with our higher education allies, to the NC-SARA leadership regarding state reciprocity rules to protect student veterans.
Letter to California’s Attorney General about Lambda School
We alerted the California Attorney General about Lambda School, an online tech school that relies on income sharing agreements (ISAs) to operate. Lambda promised that its ISAs were an "investment" in students and that it [...]
OUR LETTERS TO OTHERS
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 [...]
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 [...]
Our Letter to Howard University Regarding the DC SAA Suspension Lift
August 31, 2021 Sent via email Dr. Glenn Phillips Howard University 2400 Sixth Street NW Washington, D.C. 20059 Dear Dr. Phillips, We are pleased that the suspension imposed by the Washington, D.C. State Approving Agency [...]
Statement from 50+ Veterans Organizations on the Situation in Afghanistan
RE: Situation in Afghanistan As events rapidly unfold in Afghanistan, the news may be distressing to many service members, Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors. You are not alone. The undersigned organizations care for, represent, [...]
Our Letter to President Biden – Ideas for an Executive Order
February 17, 2021 President Joseph R. Biden The White House Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Biden: Thank you for committing to protect veterans, servicemembers, and military families from predatory colleges that deceive them [...]
Comment from Nine Higher Education Groups on the Higher Learning Commission’s Proposed Standards and Policy Revisions
Dr. Barbara Gellman-Danley President Higher Learning Commission 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604 May 25, 2020 Dear Dr. Gellman-Danley and the Higher Learning Commission, Thank you for the opportunity to provide comment [...]
OUR ADVOCACY
See how we are working to advance higher education success, protecting the integrity and promise of the GI Bill.
