Proposed Borrower Defense to Repayment Rule Protects Students, and Schools, and Taxpayers

​Following the release of the proposed borrower defense to repayment rule for public comment, Steve Gunderson, President and CEO of Career Education Colleges and Universities, released the following statement:
 
“After much stakeholder engagement, the rule carefully developed and put forth by the Department stands on two strong pillars: protection for all parties involved and respect for due process. There should be no doubt that this rule will help students who are victims of fraud find relief, and ensure colleges and universities are part of a fair and objective adjudication process.
 
“Since the concept of the rule was first proposed, our position has remained unchanged: any student at any institution who is a victim of fraud must be protected, and there must be a clear and uniform process for seeking and receiving relief. Earlier iterations of the rule did not respect the letter nor the intent of the law. Carte blanche approval of batches of applications would only serve to cutoff access and opportunity for future students. A deliberate and responsive process – as prescribed by this rule – ensures opportunity, access, and justified outcomes for students.
 
“The Department has undertaken a thoughtful and deliberate approach to this rule, and we applaud their hard work on this important matter. We hope that going forward all stakeholders in higher education will work together around the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. We need to advance public policy that can stand the test of time regardless of which party controls the government.
 
“This is a critical moment for higher education. Since the last reauthorization of HEA - the entire landscape and demand for postsecondary education has dramatically changed, yet the overarching federal law remains, for the most part, unchanged since 2008. It is time for Congress and the Administration to lead the way on comprehensive reauthorization that empowers all stakeholders to create an American workforce for the 21st Century.”