March 08, 2019

Rep. Takano Statement on Closure of Dream Center For-Profit Colleges

Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. Mark Takano released this statement following the closure of 22 Dream Center Education Holdings, LLC for-profit college campuses.

“More than 10,000 students across the country had their dreams stifled by yet another set of for-profit college closures, including students at the Art Institute of California, Inland Empire campus. Now these students who were pursuing an education and hoped to earn a degree have been left with burdensome debt and credits they cannot transfer, with almost no opportunity for recourse.

“The sudden shuttering of Argosy campuses can be added to the troubling list of for-profit closures that have caused harm to thousands of students, including ITT Technical Institutes, Corinthian Colleges, and more recently, Education Corporation of America. And it follows the disturbing trend of for-profits engaging in risky behavior with encouragement from Trump’s Department of Education. The warning signs of Argosy’s financial troubles were there, but Secretary Betsy DeVos and the Department chose to ignore the red flags and failed to hold them accountable.

“Under this Administration, students are being harmed and their future career aspirations have been unfairly put on hold, while taxpayers are stuck with the bill. I will be requesting more information about the students affected, including the number of student veterans who were deceived and preyed upon by this for-profit chain. Americans know that defrauding our veterans is wrong and won’t tolerate an industry that profiteers off loopholes in the law at the expense of our students and our veterans. This Congress, I will continue to be an advocate for students and student veterans and hold the Administration and the predatory for-profit college industry accountable."

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