Following Alarming Report, Durbin Calls For Defense Department Investigation Into University Of Phoenix Marketing Practices

Press Release

Following the publication of an article by Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting that documents University of Phoenix's deceptive marketing practices and its infringement on military trademarks, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) -- Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense -- called on the Department of Defense to investigate the allegations made in the report and take immediate action to bar the company from further access to service members until the issues are resolved.

"The University of Phoenix is a for-profit company that makes much of its money off of service members and veterans, including $1.2 billion in GI Bill benefits alone since 2009. In return, the company offers degrees of questionable value, below-average graduation rates, and a student loan default rate almost forty percent higher than the national average," Durbin wrote.

"As multiple witnesses documented at a March 2013 hearing of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, these profit motives drive many for-profits to engage in aggressive, deceptive, or abusive marketing and recruiting practices. In response, the President issued Executive Order 13607 and the Department issued DoDi 1322.25 to protect service members from abuse. It is clear from the article that the Department has not taken this threat or its own regulations seriously."

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