CECU Daily Update Email

Education Politics and Policy
U.S. Department of Education Rated Among Top Agencies on “Invest In What Works” Federal Standard of Excellence
The U.S. Department of Education’s leading efforts to use evidence and data in its management, budget, and policy decisions have been recognized in Results for America’s 2019 Invest in What Works Federal Standard of Excellence.
 
Chairman Scott Threatens to Subpoena Secretary DeVos to Testify About Department’s Refusal to Provide Debt Relief to Defrauded Students
Today, Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) sent a letter to Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos threatening to subpoena her testimony after she declined a formal invitation to appear at a Committee hearing scheduled for Tuesday, November 19.
 
Durbin, Blumenthal, Brown Call On Devos To Immediately Cooperate With Investigation Into Department’s Role In Dream Center Accreditation Misrepresentation
DeVos has failed to substantively respond to July 17 letter from Scott concerning the Department’s role in providing accreditation misrepresentation at DCEH. 

​Legal and Regulatory Issues
Final Federal Regulations for State Authorization Released! – WCET Frontiers
These regulations are the final form of the proposed regulations regarding state authorization and accreditation issues released by the Department of Education in June 2019. This is the first of two posts to address the new regulations.
 
DeVos Defeats Lawsuit Over Campus Sex Assault Policies – Courthouse News Service
A federal judge on Friday struck down a lawsuit challenging Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ revised guidelines for handling on campus sexual assault, which opponents say weaken protections for victims. 

​Member Spotlight
Pima Medical Institute Houston Instructors Earn Prestigious Awards from the Career Colleges and Schools of Texas (CCST) During National Conference
Pima Medical Institute’s Houston Campus recently attended the annual conference for the Career Colleges and Schools of Texas (CCST.) At the conference, Dr. John Puryear and the Dental Hygiene program walked away with prestigious honors.
 
ECPI University Ranked #1 for Military and Veteran Education for Second Straight Year
Each year, Military Times ranks the best colleges and universities for veterans and military service members, and for the second straight year, ECPI University has been ranked number one in the nation. 

CECU Webinars
Understanding the Entry-Level Driver Training Regulation
Join Don Lefeve, President of the Commercial Vehicle Training Association as he covers the new Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) rule, taking effect February 7, 2020. This webinar will discuss how the changing requirements impact both the student and instructor, as well as regulation requirements, state requirements and potential issues at the state level.
Presenter: Don Lefeve - President, Commercial Vehicle Training Association
Date: Wednesday, November 6th
Time: 2pm EST
Register Now!
 
Accreditation and State Authorization Webinar: Overview of the U.S. Department of Education’s final rule on accreditation and related matters
Today, the U.S. Department of Education released its official final rule on accreditation and related matters, including state authorization requirements for institutions offering distance education or correspondence courses. The final rule culminates over a year of robust discussion and debate which sought to balance the need for eliminating burdensome federal regulations, promoting innovation in higher education, and maintaining educational quality. The final regulations increase student access, improve teach-outs for students at closed or closing institutions, restore focus and clarity to the accreditor recognition process, and integrate risk-based review of accreditors. Join CECU Senior VP of Policy and Research Nicholas Kent for this exclusive 60-minute webinar for an overview of how the final regulations will impact accreditors, institutions, and students when they go into effect next year.
Presenter: Nicholas Kent, Senior VP of Policy and Research, CECU
Date: Tuesday, November 19th
Time: 2pm EST
Register Now!
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​Education News
UPDATE: SMWC won’t have to repay $42 million in federal aid – Tribune Star
A nine-year saga has finally come to a close for Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, which announced today its challenge of a federal audit has been successful, and it will not have to repay $42 million in federal student aid funding.
 
Your Interview With AI – Inside Higher Ed
Getting a job increasingly requires going through an interview on an AI platform. Some colleges are trying to prepare their students for these nonhuman interactions, but many institutions are just getting acclimated to this new technology. 

Veterans for Career Education (VCE)
(Video) U.S. Army Retired Sergeant First Class (SFC) Marion Jerdee served over 20 years and is now going back to get her A&P certification at the Aviation Institute of Maintenance. Jerdee gave many years of her life serving our country and believes that she has earned the right to choose where she uses her GI bill benefits.
 
Click here to watch the video.
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​Financial Aid and Student Loan Issues
‘The fabric of America is being destroyed.’ Why this ex-Trump official says student debt needs to be cancelled – CNBC
As the head of student loan debt at the U.S. Education Department, Wayne Johnson discovered some people had balances of more than $1.5 million.