May 25, 2018

Warren Applauds Department of Education Advisory Panel for Setting Up Committee to Examine For-Profit Conversions

Senator Warren Previously Urged the Committee to Scrutinize For-Profits Converting to Non-Profit Status

Washington, DC - United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released the below statement following the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity's (NACIQI) announcement that it will set up a subcommittee to examine for-profit college conversions:

"Sham for-profit colleges are champing at the bit to convert to sham non-profit colleges so they can dodge accountability for cheating students. This issue is urgent, and I'm glad the Education Department's accreditation advisory panel is investigating this scheme."

In January 2018, Senator Warren sent a letter to NACIQI pressing it to discuss for-profit college converting to non-profit and tax-exempt status at its next meeting. Following Senator Warren's letter, NACIQI added the topic to its agenda. After discussion on the subject, Vice Chair Mr. Frank Wu made a motion to set up a subcommittee to examine NACIQI's jurisdiction around substantive change at institutions, including for-profit colleges seeking sectoral conversions.

Senator Warren also previously sent a letter with Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and colleagues to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) urging it to closely scrutinize applications of for-profits trying to convert to non-profit and tax-exempt status. 

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