APSCU Statement on the Conclusion of Negotiated Rulemaking

March 18, 2016 - Washington, DC - Much like the gainful employment regulation before it, the likely action by the U.S. Department of Education on defense of repayment is nothing more than a very thinly vailed attempt to deny higher education access and opportunity to new traditional students that rely on our institutions. Effort like these put the future of career education in America at risk.

Department or advocate claims to the contrary are misleading.
 
Despite efforts by the Department, and its ideological allies, to try and pass arbitration as nefarious and anti-student– the fact is arbitration is used all across the country, every day by parties on all sides of all issues. Every American carrying a credit card today has agreed to arbitration in the event there is a dispute between the cardholder and their bank. To portray arbitration as exceptional or highly unique to higher education is ridiculous.
 
This latest regulatory effort is just an another attempt to pretend to be on the side of students, but really the Department is advancing an ideological effort instead of working cooperatively with the Congress and higher education stakeholders to advance meaningful reauthorization of Higher Education Act reauthorization.