How Washington Created a Monster

• In Event: 69.030 - Critical Perspectives on the Future of For-Profit Higher Education: Reconsidering Institutional and Policy Factors

Abstract

In this paper, the author examines and analyzes the methods and means that the for-profit college industry has used to gain access to federal student grants and loans -- and to block or weaken legislation and regulations aimed at holding poorly-performing schools accountable. Drawing on a wide range of government documents, interviews, and media reports, the paper looks at how the for-profit college industry uses intensive lobbying, issue advertising, celebrity endorsements, campaign contributions to politicians, donations to non-profit groups, sponsorship of policy events hosted by media outlets, and other means to influence the policy debate in Washington, and how these industry efforts have affected policy struggles, including the Obama Administration's effort to issue the "gainful employment" rule for career colleges.

Author

• David Halperin, David Halperin