05/01/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/01/2024 06:47
The Biden-Harris Administration today announced the approval of more than $6.1 billion in automatic student loan relief to nearly 317,000 borrowers who enrolled at any Art Institute campus on or after Jan. 1, 2004, through Oct. 16, 2017. The U.S. Department of Education (Department) found that The Art Institutes and its parent company, Education Management Corporation (EDMC), made pervasive and substantial misrepresentations to prospective students about postgraduation employment rates, salaries, and career services during that time. In October 2017, EDMC sold its remaining Art Institute campuses, and all existing Art Institute campuses closed under separate ownership in September 2023. Today's action brings the total amount of student relief approved by the Biden-Harris Administration to almost $160 billion for nearly 4.6 million borrowers.
"For more than a decade, hundreds of thousands of hopeful students borrowed billions to attend The Art Institutes and got little but lies in return. That ends today-thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration's work with the attorneys general offices of Iowa, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania," said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. "We must continue to protect borrowers from predatory institutions-and work toward a higher education system that is affordable to students and taxpayers."
The Department independently reviewed evidence provided by the attorneys general offices of Iowa, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania, which conducted multi-year investigations into, and brought lawsuits against, The Art Institutes and EDMC. The attorneys general of Pennsylvania and Iowa provided materials obtained from investigations into these entities, including internal employment data, admissions training manuals, and the school's employment advertisements. The Massachusetts attorney general provided information obtained during an investigation into the New England Institute of Art-the Massachusetts Art Institute campus-including internal employment verification forms, other internal records of graduate employment outcomes, advertisements, and statements from former students and employees.
Today's announcement is another example of the strong partnerships between the Department and state attorneys general and their shared commitment to protecting federal student loan borrowers from predatory schools.
"The Art Institutes preyed on the hopes of students attempting to better their lives through education," said Federal Student Aid Chief Operating Officer Richard Cordray. "We cannot replace the time stolen from these students, but we can lift the burden of their debt. We remain committed to working with our federal and state partners to protect borrowers."
Based on the evidence, the Department found that The Art Institutes engaged in widespread and pervasive substantial misrepresentations that deceived students about the value they would be receiving from their education:
The Art Institutes communicated these substantial misrepresentations to prospective students through its website and print materials, and school personnel distributed misleading information to prospective students before and during the admissions process. The school's misconduct harmed borrowers by burdening them with high amounts of debt without the advertised employment opportunities or salaries necessary to pay. Many Art Institute borrowers also dropped out of their programs and defaulted on their loan payments. Even if borrowers did complete their programs, they did not receive the promised career services, which hindered their ability to obtain employment.
This group discharge will provide relief automatically to borrowers harmed by The Art Institutes' actions, including borrowers who have not yet applied for borrower defense. The Department will begin notifying eligible borrowers today that they are approved for discharges. Borrowers do not need to take any action. The Department will take immediate steps to pause loans identified for discharge so borrowers do not make further payments. This ensures that they will not face any further financial demands from these loans during the time needed to process their discharges. When their discharges are processed, borrowers will see any remaining loan balances adjusted and credit trade lines deleted. Payments borrowers made to the Department on their related federal student loans will also be refunded.
Borrowers who want to learn more about borrower defense can do so at StudentAid.gov/borrower-defense.
The Biden-Harris Administration remains committed to using all available tools to deliver the federal student loan relief that borrowers and their families deserve. In total, the Administration has approved almost $160 billion in relief for nearly 4.6 million borrowers, including: