The decline in for-profit higher education during the Obama Administration and its prospects in the Trump Presidency

Abstract

The fortunes of the for-profit higher education industry rise and fall with the political tides in the United States. During the 8 years of the George W Bush Administration (Republican), the for-profit sector of US higher education prospered. The following two terms of the Obama Administration (Democrat) resulted in the loss of all the ground gained during Mr Bush’s two terms in office. Indeed, the US Department of Education, led by Secretary Arne Duncan, aggressively attacked the for-profit higher education providers. This attack took two very effective forms: the wielding of ‘gainful employment’ regulations to sever the eligibility of for-profit corporations to receive federal financial aid funding for admitted students, and the withdrawal of authority from the for-profit sector’s accrediting agency. This article argues that, if the past is predictive, the prospects for the for-profit higher education providers are bright under Mr Trump.

Keywords

Corinthian Colleges education policy for-profit higher education ITT University of Phoenix

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