Senators Introduce Bill to Protect Students of For-Profit Programs

Today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in introducing the Students Before Profits Act of 2015, a bill to protect students from deceptive practices and bad actors in the for-profit college sector. The bill ensures students have access to important and accurate information, strengthens oversight and regulation, and holds for-profit schools and their executives accountable for violations and poor performance.

Read the press statements from Sen. Chris Murphy and from Sen. Dick Durbin.

And the statements from our partners:

Student Debt Crisis Executive Director Natalia Abrams:

“If our government is to truly hold for-profit colleges accountable, it must start at the source- executives who willingly choose profits over students. It’s important to keep in mind, college isn’t a faceless institution, policies are created by real people who must be held accountable if they commit financial crimes against students. Student Debt Crisis is encouraged by The Students Before Profit Act precisely because it places responsibility in the hands of these schools’ leaders. ”

The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS):

“The Students Before Profits Act should be a wake up call to the executives and board members who have profited at the expense of students, veterans, and taxpayers.  It gives the Education Department additional common-sense tools to require owners and executives to assume personal liability for their actions, to crack down on cohort default rate manipulation, and to fine schools and their executives who knowingly misrepresent their programs or engage in unfair, deceptive or abusive acts or practices.”

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