The largest for-profit college in the country is closing immediately, but it’s not clear how many Iowa students may be affected. I-T-T Technical Institutes offered courses on-line and has operated attendance centers in the Des Moines suburb of Clive and Cedar Rapids, but the Cedar Rapids campus was closed and the Clive campus already had been targeted for closure.
I-T-T lost its accreditation and is under investigation for fraud. The U.S. Department of Education in August announced the school could not enroll students who were depending on federal financial aid. Federal grants and loans were I-T-T’s main source of revenue. Attorneys general from 20 states — including Iowa — have been investigating complaints against the school.
More than 40-thousand students had enrolled in I-T-T courses for the quarter that started this month. It’s unclear how those students can transfer credits to other schools or even if that’s possible.
I-T-T offered courses in business, information technology, nursing and health sciences. Federal officials say students who were defrauded by the school can apply for loan discharges.
(Radio Iowa)