29.12.2016 Views

ECONOMIC REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

2hzAyD3

2hzAyD3

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

tactics (consistent with a 2010 Government Accountability Office report)<br />

that misled prospective students about program costs, the availability of aid,<br />

and information about student success rates and the school’s accreditation<br />

status.<br />

In 2010, the Obama Administration released a comprehensive set of<br />

rules—known as Program Integrity and Improvement rules—to strengthen<br />

the Department of Education’s authority to protect students from aggressive<br />

recruiting practices fueled by incentive compensation; to take action against<br />

colleges engaging in deceptive advertising, marketing and sales practices;<br />

and to clarify minimum requirements for states to oversee postsecondary<br />

programs and handle student complaints. The Obama Administration is<br />

also proposing new Borrower Defense to Repayment regulations to protect<br />

borrowers and taxpayers against fraud, deception, and other misconduct by<br />

postsecondary institutions. The proposed regulations would create a clear,<br />

consistent, and transparent process for borrowers who have been harmed<br />

by their school’s misconduct to seek debt relief. In addition, the proposed<br />

regulations include measures that would require new warnings to help<br />

students steer clear of poorly performing for-profit schools and financially<br />

risky schools. They would also end the use of both so-called “pre-dispute,<br />

mandatory arbitration agreements” and of class action bans that prevent<br />

students from having their day in court.<br />

These regulations build upon a record of action by this Administration<br />

that has encouraged states to step up oversight in their role as authorizers,<br />

encouraged accreditors to focus on student outcomes, and created a new<br />

Student Aid Enforcement Unit to respond more quickly and efficiently to<br />

allegations of illegal actions by higher education institutions.<br />

Next Steps<br />

Despite the substantial progress made by the Obama Administration<br />

to expand a high-quality college education to all Americans, some challenges<br />

remain.<br />

First, the costs of college remain too high for too many individuals,<br />

especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Expanding this<br />

Administration’s work to provide free community college for responsible<br />

students will be a critical next step to make sure that all Americans can access<br />

a college education. However, at the same time, policymakers, community<br />

colleges, and other stakeholders will also have to work to improve student<br />

success at community colleges so that students who enroll receive the supports<br />

needed to complete a degree that raises their labor market prospects.<br />

346 | Chapter 5

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!