Profiteering Colleges Scrutinized
Profiteering Colleges
Since I have worked for two for-profit schools, each having some of the issues mentioned in this and previous editorials, I thought I would pass this along to my friends and colleagues with experience working in this field. The days spent complaining about students that were admitted without any hope of success, re-admitted after demonstrated inadequate social and academic preparation, problems with transportation, problems with child care services, and the like--all without any genuine effort to address these issues in a systemic manner--reminded me of how much stress and strain we experienced. Then, at least at some of these schools, there is the use of credit reporting services to hunt down students that had withdrawn or dropped out to solicit their re-enrollment only to incur greater debt and experience failure again. Add to that the practice of these schools of having faculty members call every student that misses even one class period to chase them down and assure that attendance policies are strictly adhered to so that even marginal students can be PUSHED through a program. Additionally, there were a number of students who were unable to be placed in internship or externship programs because of their lack of capacity, academic standing, clinical skill and ability or problems with their criminal records... all of which was known prior to completion of the full program.
The other feature of a vast majority of these for-profit colleges is the trend to offer programs that really do not generate employability, or at least employability at a livable wage. In the past many of these schools were involved in welding and other industrial skills. But as these skills became less in demand, many schools shifted to either automotive mechanics or computer technologies. While some of these schools offering computer technology curricula provided programs in networking or computer repair, these skills became in less demand and they shifted to Medical Assisting, Medical Office Administration, Massage Therapy or Pharmacy Technician programs. As the Medical Assisting job market is becoming flooded with graduates of a number of these schools--some better than others in terms of academic standards, but hardly any achieving any real claim for academic rigors--there has been a shift to Insurance Coding & Billing. Even the Medical Office Administration programs have been down-sized and re-focused on billing and coding. The Pharmacy Tech programs result in jobs that barely pay more than the newly implemented minimum wage allowances and, despite the demand, do not provide a return on investment given the amount of money charged for these programs. Not only that, but the hospital pharmacies and the larger pharmacy chains (i.e. Walgreens, CVS, Rite-Aid) prefer pharmacy technicians that undergo their own version of the training.
Above and beyond all of this is the fact that a large number of students completing these medical programs of study in many of these for-profit schools cannot pass the standard registration or certification exams to earn the required credentials to work in the field. More often than not, those that do take and pass these exams only sit for the lowest levels or "brands" of credentials.
Now I have worked at two of these types of colleges. At both of these institutions it was not the quality or effort of the faculty that was at fault, but the policies and practices of the corporations running the show. The teachers I worked with and supervised (at my second job with one of these schools) made every effort to provide quality instruction. The first institution like this I worked at had what I would consider a top-notch faculty that put the students and the professional requirements of the field in the forefront. Many faculty, in both places, would work with students for hours after classes were over. Efforts were made to assist students in every aspect of their lives, often requiring referrals for many problems and issues that arose during their tenure as students. Most, if not all, of the faculty would bend over backwards to assure that the quality of instruction provided everyday was of high caliber and presented in such a way as students understood the material and learned effectively... BUT THEIR EFFORTS WERE OFTEN UNDERMINED BY CORPORATE POLICIES, PRACTICES AND THE UNDYING FOCUS ON THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR. In fact, I would state that these corporate policies and practices sabotaged many of the efforts made by the faculty.
The tragedy of these schools do not end at the failure of many students, or the number of students that end up owing huge sums of money after completing the programs, or the number of students that cannot find employment after graduating, or the scandal of potential losses experienced by the US Department of Education financial aid programs. The real tragedy continues into the doctor's offices when even one un-accomplished student ends up working in a doctor's office, clinic or hospital. One such soul works for my own physician. She cannot take a blood pressure properly, cannot relate to patients effectively or professionally, and places the lives of patients--especially those with hypertension, risks of stroke or cardiac conditions--at extreme risk. But that is not the end of the tragedy. It continues in the form of higher costs for medical care, more manipulation of the health care system by insurance companies and unprofessional physicians (and they do exist), and the additional tax burdens we all bear because of the domino effect that results from these schools taking advantage. But that still doesn't end the tragedy because in the long run we still need qualified technicians, mechanics, medical assistants, billing and coding specialists, computer professionals and the like... and we may not get them because far too many of these schools are out for the quick buck rather than making a profit by producing a quality end-product... a fully qualified and expertly able graduate.
Since I have worked for two for-profit schools, each having some of the issues mentioned in this and previous editorials, I thought I would pass this along to my friends and colleagues with experience working in this field. The days spent complaining about students that were admitted without any hope of success, re-admitted after demonstrated inadequate social and academic preparation, problems with transportation, problems with child care services, and the like--all without any genuine effort to address these issues in a systemic manner--reminded me of how much stress and strain we experienced. Then, at least at some of these schools, there is the use of credit reporting services to hunt down students that had withdrawn or dropped out to solicit their re-enrollment only to incur greater debt and experience failure again. Add to that the practice of these schools of having faculty members call every student that misses even one class period to chase them down and assure that attendance policies are strictly adhered to so that even marginal students can be PUSHED through a program. Additionally, there were a number of students who were unable to be placed in internship or externship programs because of their lack of capacity, academic standing, clinical skill and ability or problems with their criminal records... all of which was known prior to completion of the full program.
The other feature of a vast majority of these for-profit colleges is the trend to offer programs that really do not generate employability, or at least employability at a livable wage. In the past many of these schools were involved in welding and other industrial skills. But as these skills became less in demand, many schools shifted to either automotive mechanics or computer technologies. While some of these schools offering computer technology curricula provided programs in networking or computer repair, these skills became in less demand and they shifted to Medical Assisting, Medical Office Administration, Massage Therapy or Pharmacy Technician programs. As the Medical Assisting job market is becoming flooded with graduates of a number of these schools--some better than others in terms of academic standards, but hardly any achieving any real claim for academic rigors--there has been a shift to Insurance Coding & Billing. Even the Medical Office Administration programs have been down-sized and re-focused on billing and coding. The Pharmacy Tech programs result in jobs that barely pay more than the newly implemented minimum wage allowances and, despite the demand, do not provide a return on investment given the amount of money charged for these programs. Not only that, but the hospital pharmacies and the larger pharmacy chains (i.e. Walgreens, CVS, Rite-Aid) prefer pharmacy technicians that undergo their own version of the training.
Above and beyond all of this is the fact that a large number of students completing these medical programs of study in many of these for-profit schools cannot pass the standard registration or certification exams to earn the required credentials to work in the field. More often than not, those that do take and pass these exams only sit for the lowest levels or "brands" of credentials.
Now I have worked at two of these types of colleges. At both of these institutions it was not the quality or effort of the faculty that was at fault, but the policies and practices of the corporations running the show. The teachers I worked with and supervised (at my second job with one of these schools) made every effort to provide quality instruction. The first institution like this I worked at had what I would consider a top-notch faculty that put the students and the professional requirements of the field in the forefront. Many faculty, in both places, would work with students for hours after classes were over. Efforts were made to assist students in every aspect of their lives, often requiring referrals for many problems and issues that arose during their tenure as students. Most, if not all, of the faculty would bend over backwards to assure that the quality of instruction provided everyday was of high caliber and presented in such a way as students understood the material and learned effectively... BUT THEIR EFFORTS WERE OFTEN UNDERMINED BY CORPORATE POLICIES, PRACTICES AND THE UNDYING FOCUS ON THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR. In fact, I would state that these corporate policies and practices sabotaged many of the efforts made by the faculty.
The tragedy of these schools do not end at the failure of many students, or the number of students that end up owing huge sums of money after completing the programs, or the number of students that cannot find employment after graduating, or the scandal of potential losses experienced by the US Department of Education financial aid programs. The real tragedy continues into the doctor's offices when even one un-accomplished student ends up working in a doctor's office, clinic or hospital. One such soul works for my own physician. She cannot take a blood pressure properly, cannot relate to patients effectively or professionally, and places the lives of patients--especially those with hypertension, risks of stroke or cardiac conditions--at extreme risk. But that is not the end of the tragedy. It continues in the form of higher costs for medical care, more manipulation of the health care system by insurance companies and unprofessional physicians (and they do exist), and the additional tax burdens we all bear because of the domino effect that results from these schools taking advantage. But that still doesn't end the tragedy because in the long run we still need qualified technicians, mechanics, medical assistants, billing and coding specialists, computer professionals and the like... and we may not get them because far too many of these schools are out for the quick buck rather than making a profit by producing a quality end-product... a fully qualified and expertly able graduate.
The Democratic leadership in Congress plans to make college affordability a central theme of this legislative session. The pending bills that would increase federal aid to low-income students and lower the costs of student loans are good, as far as they go. But Congress must do more to ensure that scarce federal aid dollars are legitimately spent and not gobbled up by for-profit diploma mills that bilk the government and students alike.
Legitimate, well-run commercial colleges provide a crucial service for poorly prepared students who do not qualify for admission to traditional colleges. But not all schools are up to the job. Some rake in state and federal aid by recruiting marginally literate students who have no hope of ever graduating. Students who exhaust their aid find themselves burdened with debt and no closer to the degrees or the better lives they had hoped for.
The full scope of the problem is not yet known. But Congress got a glimpse of it two years ago, when the Office of the Inspector General at the United States Education Department reported that nearly three-quarters of its investigations had focused on problems at profit-making schools.
These problems have been especially evident in the state of New York, which has the most generous need-based student aid program in the nation. Faced with documented cases of student exploitation, the State Board of Regents declared a temporary moratorium last year on the opening of any more for-profit colleges, then beefed up the regulations governing their operation.
The Regents have closed down one commercial college and sanctioned three others, which could be closed if they do not meet performance targets. They are now scrutinizing the University of Phoenix, the for-profit giant that has been trying for years to enter the lucrative New York market. At issue are questions about academic quality, graduation rates and a pending federal lawsuit that charges the university with fraudulently obtaining hundreds of millions of dollars in aid.
New York’s Board of Regents is right to keep a close eye on these schools. And as Congress prepares to reauthorize the Higher Education Act, it needs to take a harder look at for-profit colleges to make sure that students and the government are getting what they pay for.
posted by Jim Downey at 9:17 AM
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