Dive Brief:
- Former for-profit education lobbyist Taylor Hansen resigned from his assignment at the U.S. Department of Education Tuesday, three days after his ties to the for-profit lobby were revealed, according to an article from ProPublica.
- Some cite Hansen's influence on the agency as correlating to recent roll-backs of the gainful employment rule, which was high on Hansen's agenda when he worked as a lobbyist for the industry.
- Hansen was not the only new department hire with ties to the for-profit industry, and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), has been very critical of the role of these individuals in the department, as well as the terms of their hire which circumvent congressional approval.
Dive Insight:
Many expect significant deregulation of the higher education industry under the Trump/DeVos Department of Education. And while many institutions — for-profit as well as traditional — might be breathing a sigh of relief over the delayed rollout over the gainful employment provisions, administrators will still need to be cognizant of the value proposition associated with their institutions. Even if the federal government is not penalizing poor showing in employment and social mobility of their graduates, states are increasingly turning to outcomes-based funding models. And not only that, but with the proliferation of information available online, students and families are also basing enrollment decisions on the same.
The best course of action is for institutions to continue working with local industry leaders and major employers in the region to develop pipelines for internships and post-graduate employment. The ability to market these partnerships during the recruitment process could help ensure institutions meet their enrollment targets, and better position the institutions to compete in an increasingly crowded marketplace.