Welcome to Higher Ed on the Hill presented by CASE. We break down the top issues that are driving higher education policy on the Hill.

May showcased the Department of Education’s bias against career colleges. Education Undersecretary James Kvaal and COO of the Federal Student Aid Richard Cordray testified before the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development and defended policies that target career colleges.

Former CFPB Chief Richard Cordray stole the show. Besides requesting budget increases and declaring his department makes decisions unilaterally, he refused to answer questions as to why the department has singled out career colleges. Per this Fox News report, Cordray has a history of targeting career colleges, and favoring far-left actors to influence policy.

FOXX SIGHTING: Reps. Foxx & Comer: Biden Administration Hijacking the Court System to Enact a Radical Student Loan Cancellation Agenda: “Facts surrounding the Sweet v. Cardona litigation suggest the Biden administration may be working indirectly through the settlement to bypass lawful processes to fulfill student loan bailout promises made by the President.”

What’s New? Cosmetology College Blames Impending Closure on 90/10 Rule: Queen City College, a roughly 40-year-old barber and cosmetology school in Tennessee, announced last week that it will close in early 2025, saying it cannot meet the requirements of impending government regulations. In an email, Brandie Gross, chief administrator and institutional director at the college, cited upcoming changes to the 90/10 rule as the reason for closing.

What We Watched: 

• Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development to hosted “Post Secondary Innovation: Preparing Today’s Students for Tomorrow’s Opportunities” on Wednesday, June 14.
• Recap here

 

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The Biden Administration is selectively promoting Borrower Defense to Repayment (BDR) loan forgiveness at career colleges and continues to look the other way as traditional school advertise 98% placement rates that often include volunteer work.

CASE believes that the federal government should apply BDR equally across all types of colleges. Read these student loan stories to see why loan forgiveness can’t just look the other way.