Education for Sale: The Effect of Unregulated For-Profit Schools on Black and Latino Students and the Need for Reformation

Abstract

For centuries, the establishment of traditional non-profit universities has been in place. Now, millions of non-traditional students are utilizing the newer phenomenon of for-profit universities as an alternative to higher education. Among the numbers are single mothers, working people, and low-income individuals from the African-American and Latino community who all believe that for-profit universities offer the flexibility they need to obtain a degree. Supporters of these schools argue that for-profit universities use a non-traditional approach required to accommodate the unmet needs of students who enroll in the academic programs. However, statistical data indicates that such schools have high drop out rates and unbelievable default rates yet still account for the highest percentage of financial aid distributed to universities in the nation. These factors combined, make it easy to imagine how low-income students such as African American and Latino students, are getting poorer while for-profit universities get richer. The rapid progression of such universities has led to growing concerns about the legitimacy of these schools and their value to students who choose to utilize them. Taxpayers, government entities, and higher education boards alike are all involved in the quest to decide if for-profit universities are fulfilling their obligation of providing students with higher levels of educational attainment. Most worry that, with revenue at the top of their priorities, for-profit universities are neglecting education in exchange for profit increase. This comment seeks to analyze the necessity of regulating practices instituted at for profit universities such that these universities lessen the negative effects on African-American and Latino students who attend these universities by addressing the following: 1.) The historical development of for-profit universities and the business practices, which have increased concern about the need for reform 2.) The attempted implementation of policy regulations concerning for-profit Universities and previous jurisprudence, which references judicial findings relative to the implementation of such regulation 3.) The efforts necessary to bring about regulatory progression in the for-profit sector and 4.) The importance of implementing new regulations, which uphold the integrity of the Higher Education Act.