Durbin Asks Illinois VA to Act After For-Profit College is Cut Off By Department of Education
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs – the State Approving Agency for GI Bill benefits in Illinois – to review the Department of Education’s finding about Skokie, Illinois based Computer Systems Institute (CSI) and take action to protect Illinois’ student veterans.
After finding that CSI was submitting false job placement data, the Department of Education had the for-profit college’s participation in the Title IV federal loan program terminated. CSI, which received $20 million in 2014-2015 through the Title IV program, has 2,600 active students at locations in Chicago, Gurnee and Elgin. In Fiscal Year 2014, 43 students using Post 9/11 G.I. Bill benefits attended CSI, accounting for more than $520,000 in benefits paid to the school.
“As the State Approving Agency for G.I. Bill benefits in Illinois, I ask that you take action to protect our state’s student veterans in light of [the Department of Education]’s findings and decision to terminate the school’s Title IV participation,” said Durbin. “I appreciate your consideration of this request and look forward to your prompt reply.”
Last week, Durbin sent a letter to the Department of Education calling on the agency to provide federal student loan relief to students. That letter can be found HERE.
Text of the letter
February 9, 2016
The Honorable Erica Jeffries
Director
Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs
833 South Spring Street
P.O. Box 19432
Springfield, IL 62794
Dear Director Jeffries:
I write today about the Department of Education’s (ED) recent decision to terminate Computer Systems Institute’s (CSI) participation in the Federal Student Financial Assistance Programs (Title IV).
Computer Systems Institute, based in Skokie, Illinois, operates locations in Chicago, Gurnee, and Elgin with some 2,600 active students. On February 1, ED announced it had denied CSI’s recertification application for continued participation in Title IV from which the company received $20 million in 2014-15. The Department found that “CSI submitted false job placement data to its accreditor to maintain the accreditation of its schools, and disclosed false job placement data to current and prospective students.”
The Department of Veterans Affairs G.I. Bill Comparison Tool notes that in Fiscal Year 2014, 43 students using Post 9/11 G.I. Bill benefits attended CSI, accounting for more than $520,000 in benefits paid to the school. As the State Approving Agency for G.I. Bill benefits in Illinois, I ask that you take action to protect our state’s student veterans in light of ED’s findings and decision to terminate the school’s Title IV participation.
I appreciate your consideration of this request and look forward to your prompt reply. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Richard J. Durbin
United States Senator