Baker College has agreed to pay a $2.5 million fine for misrepresenting the job placement rates and potential salaries of its graduates, according to a settlement with the U.S. Department of Education.
The private college settled with the department’s Federal Student Aid Office over violations of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
The department found the school published inaccurate or misleading career outcome rates on its websites and marketing material for several years.
In a statement, College President and CEO Jacqui Spicer said the school did not commit any misrepresentations and the resolution “contains no admission of wrongdoing.”
“The DOE did not assert that the College provided false information, as part of our marketing and recruitment data. The DOE identified certain instances in which our materials had what the DOE viewed as insufficient background or explanation which presented the potential for a statement to be misinterpreted.”
In addition to the fine, the school must commit to providing marketing materials to the DOE for review for a period of three years.
Baker College has five locations throughout lower Michigan.
You can read the college President's entire statement blow:
Official Statement from Baker College:
“The Department of Education has concluded its investigation into Baker College’s marketing and recruitment data with a focus on career outcomes. The College maintains that we did not commit any misrepresentations and the resolution agreement contains no admission of wrongdoing.
Notably, the DOE did not assert that the College provided false information, as part of our marketing and recruitment data. The DOE identified certain instances in which our materials had what the DOE viewed as insufficient background or explanation which presented the potential for a statement to be misinterpreted. Baker College is committed to continuous improvement and meeting and exceeding DOE’s expectations and has already taken steps consistent with that commitment.
Throughout this process we have cooperated fully and worked closely with the DOE, and the investigation raised no other areas of concern. We believe the resolution enables us to move forward so we can focus on what matters most: offering a supportive and innovative education that empowers students to improve their lives and make a difference in the world.”
Dr. Jacqui Spicer
Baker College, President & CEO
