For-profit schools serve students
Miami Herald, The (FL) - Monday, October 11, 2010
The Oct. 4 Daily Q web vote on more federal scrutiny of for-profit colleges was relevant in light of the national media attention and negative publicity about the private-education sector. The results of the voting (Yes 103, No 12) were not surprising, given the findings of the recent Government Accountability Office report on questionable recruiting practices by a small percentage of private, postsecondary schools.
Why not create a web vote asking readers if the government should more closely scrutinize all educational institutions, including the nonprofit, public-education sector, which received more than $5.5 billion in state funding for 2010-2011?
For-profit schools are regulated far more intensely than their nonprofit counterparts. Mandatory graduate placement rates -- 70 percent for private schools -- arent even monitored outside of for-profit schools.
Our sector could not have grown if we were not offering an exceptional product because the dollar would simply be taken elsewhere if we did not satisfy our customers -- students. Why havent the media published any of our success stories or accounts of positive actions by privately owned schools in the sector? In Florida alone, private colleges account for more than 55 percent of the workers in the healthcare industry and employ 50,000 workers.
In todays economic climate, do we really want to limit student choice and stunt job production? We may not have a football team, but we still create experts in their field and right now, this is just what this country needs.
LIZ MARTINEZ, corporate director of community relations, Dade Medical College, Miami
Why not create a web vote asking readers if the government should more closely scrutinize all educational institutions, including the nonprofit, public-education sector, which received more than $5.5 billion in state funding for 2010-2011?
For-profit schools are regulated far more intensely than their nonprofit counterparts. Mandatory graduate placement rates -- 70 percent for private schools -- arent even monitored outside of for-profit schools.
Our sector could not have grown if we were not offering an exceptional product because the dollar would simply be taken elsewhere if we did not satisfy our customers -- students. Why havent the media published any of our success stories or accounts of positive actions by privately owned schools in the sector? In Florida alone, private colleges account for more than 55 percent of the workers in the healthcare industry and employ 50,000 workers.
In todays economic climate, do we really want to limit student choice and stunt job production? We may not have a football team, but we still create experts in their field and right now, this is just what this country needs.
LIZ MARTINEZ, corporate director of community relations, Dade Medical College, Miami
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