Contact: Katryn Conlin, Communications Director
651-385-6364, [email protected]
For Immediate Release
Minnesota State College Southeast taking steps to help students affected by for-profit college closures
Winona and Red Wing, MN (September 19, 2016) -- With the closing of several national and regional for-profit colleges, thousands of students have been left wondering how they can complete their educational programs and take care of past student loans.
Recently ITT Technical Institute announced that it is closing 130 campuses in 38 states, after the U.S. Department of Education barred the company from admitting students who receive federal financial aid.
Minnesota State College Southeast is already hearing from students who are affected by for-profit college closures, and administration is taking steps to be ready to help these students.
"We will make it as easy as possible for students from closed colleges to transfer to MSC Southeast," says MSC Southeast Director of Admissions Gale Lanning. "They will follow the same pathway as any student transferring to the college, plus we are dedicating staff to answering their questions about the process and making a smooth transition."
"It's a complicated situation for students caught up in a college closure," says Vice President of Student Affairs Nate Emerson. "The Department of Education offers federal student loan forgiveness if they haven't completed their programs, but they will lose their ITT college credits and have to start over. Alternatively, students can transfer their credits to an institution like ours and continue in a comparable program."
The financial aid department has designated a staff member to answer questions, and MSC Southeast is gearing up to assist with transferring course credit. "Students may need to submit a course outline or course syllabus for transfer review," says Registrar Mary Johnson. "We will do what we can to find appropriate course equivalents for students transferring in from a closed college."
Helpful Resources
https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/about/announcements/itt
https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/about/announcements/itt/faq
ITT Closure Website: http://itt-tech.info/
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About Minnesota State College Southeast
Minnesota State College Southeast is a two-year technical and community college that prepares students for a lifetime of learning by providing education for employment, skill enhancement, retraining, and transfer, to meet the needs of students and the community. The Winona campus opened in 1949, merging with the Red Wing campus in 1992 and updating its name to Minnesota State College Southeast in 2016 with the change of mission to offer both technical training and the associate of arts degree. Minnesota State College Southeast is a member of Minnesota State. For more information, visit www.southeastmn.one.