Letter to the Honorable Erica Jeffries, Director of Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs - Protecting Student Veterans

Letter

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 Senato

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