The Federal Trade Commission recently announced a legal settlement with the University of Phoenix that includes nearly $200 million in repayment to students, many of which are veterans and military students. The FTC found UOP’s advertising and marketing materials, that were targeted for active duty service members, veterans, and military spouses, were deceptive.
In 2015, the Department of Defense put the University of Phoenix on probation for six months because the company’s misleading recruiting on military bases. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is required to protect veterans from deceptive recruiting practices by predatory colleges. On May 16, 2016, the Fleet Reserve Association signed onto a letter to then VA Secretary Robert McDonald, along with 23 other organizations and again on February 14, 2019, onto a letter to VA Secretary with 34 other organizations, that urged the Secretary to provide more robust regulation to protect military and veteran students using the Post 9/11 GI Bill program. Veteran’s Service Organizations will continue to monitor the Post 9/11 GI Bill program and work to improve other education benefit programs while opposing the shifting of significant costs to active duty beneficiaries. For more information, contact Sandra at the Veterans Service Office at 602 Strong Ave on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 3pm, or call 365-3612.
Sandra G. Van Zant, Veterans County Service Officer
