As reported in Reuters--"Judge Rosemary Collyer of D.C. District Court said the agency failed to explain why it banned the schools from offering bonuses to recruiters based on the number of students they enroll who graduate. The court asked the Department to amend the rules." Therefore, if the bonus is based on graduation rate, then two thoughts spring to mind. First, UoP's graduation rate is dismal, thus there should be few (if any) who earn a bonus. Second, add a punitive side to those recruited on the current UoP model of a pulse and access to Title IV/GI Bill money. Students recruited who do not graduate prompt a penalty to the school. The penalty could kick in below a certain graduation rate--say 35 or 40%. If the school willfully recruits those who have no chance of graduation, then at some point, the bonus should flow the other direction--UoP pays back the money earned (earned is very loose term). Heck, why not do this to any/all schools? Certainly, there would be ramifications to such a change but it is an interesting thought experiment. For UoP, this would not mandate a change from open enrollment, but might reinforce a more realistic evaluation of student capability (and perhaps add remedial courses to the curriculum). If UoP actually wants to support the mission of the school—to provide “…access to higher education opportunities that enable students to develop knowledge and skills necessary to achieve their professional goals, improve the productivity of their organizations and provide leadership and service to their communities” then do something to meet the mission. Return to the model that served the school in the past and abandon the gold digging approach that places short-term gain above long-term viability. Trouble is, this change would require actual leadership and courage, two traits lacking in the current regime.
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This is why for-profit has no business in education. There are no checks and balances. There is no integrity.
42059, spot on! Don't know how this will be received, but I doubt that the "right thing" will be done. Going away from open enrollment would be such a positive step but no one is dumb enough to think that will EVER happen. Maybe making those pathway diagnostics actually count for something (certain score required for admission) rather than being a rubber stamp?
horrible place to work. just the worst thing to have on your resume.
horrible place to work. just the worst thing to have on our resume.
You are correct--it could--and under the current regime maybe it would, but that underestimates the integrity of many of the instructors. I do not think the school could convince all of its current instructors to "pass em all." Sure, some would--heck there are some instructors who care only about income augmentation, but this is not unique to UoP. I think there are still plenty of instructors who care about the students and try their utmost to retain some semblance of rigor. Of course the solution to that is a putsch of anyone left with integrity--but that be another huge red flag for DoE.
This gives Apollo Group and University of Phoenix an incentive to make the classes so easy that anyone can pass them. Corinthian Colleges (Wells Fargo) and EDMC (Goldman Sachs)have gone down that road and are now zombie colleges.
Sadly, the regime in power can't see the forest for the trees.
Executives think ANYONE should go to school, even the mentally challenged. Disgusting.