Two Minnesota for-profit institutions have been placed on probation by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), restricting their access to certain federal military educational benefits, The Star Tribune reported. Globe University and its sister school, the Minnesota School of Business, were not in compliance with the agency's Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) either because of a loss of accreditation, or because the DoD is investigating a complaint about the school.
In July, Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson sued the two for-profit schools, accusing them of using high-pressure sales tactics to mislead criminal justice and other students about their job prospects after graduation.
According to the institutions, the DoD's move was a direct reaction to the Minnesota attorney general's lawsuit, which it called "an unnecessary enforcement action." The agency's decision may have stemmed from additional complaints as well, though.
"While there should be an assumption of innocence until any wrongdoing is proven, unfortunately the Department of Defense has chosen to respond to the Attorney General’s lawsuit in this way," the schools said in a statement.
Institution on a probation status are not authorized to sign new students using various federal military tuition assistance programs. However, current students receiving Department of Defense tuition assistance will be permitted to complete courses already in progress and enroll in new courses deemed to be part of that student’s established academic program, Lt. Cmdr. Nate Christensen, a Defense Department spokesman, told the Tribune.
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