Brown Mackie College

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Brown Mackie College
Brown Mackie College logo
TypePrivate for-profit college system
Active1892 (1892)–2017 (2017) (124–125 years)
PresidentDanny Finuf (1995–2016)
Students7,773 (2016)[1]
Location, ,
United States
Websitebrownmackie.edu

Brown Mackie College was a private for-profit college system in the United States. The colleges offered bachelor's degrees, associate degrees, and certificates in programs including early childhood education, information technology, health sciences, and legal studies. Brown Mackie's schools were most recently owned by Education Management Corporation (EDMC).

In 2016, 22 of 27 Brown Mackie campuses closed as Brown Mackie's parent company faced major legal and financial problems related to consumer fraud.[1][2][3][4][5] The Akron campus was closed in September 2016 and the remaining campuses were sold to the Dream Center Foundation in 2017.[3][6]

Several Brown Mackie colleges were nationally accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, which subsequently lost its accreditation power.[7]

History[edit]

Brown Mackie College was founded in 1892 in Salina, Kansas[8] as the Kansas Wesleyan School of Business.[9] In 1938, two of its former instructors, Perry E. Brown and A. B. Mackie, incorporated the school as The Brown Mackie School of Business.[10] The school was licensed by the Kansas Board of Regents to grant associate degrees in 1986.[11]

Between the 1930s and 1990s the school in Salina, and other schools that would later carry the Brown Mackie name, were managed by several different organizations before being purchased by American Education Centers (AEC) in 1993.[12] In 2003, Education Management Corporation (EDMC) acquired eighteen schools from AEC, including the original Brown Mackie College, and rebranded them all under the Brown Mackie name the following year.[8] Throughout the mid-to-late 2000s, the university system was expanded with the construction of new Brown Mackie colleges.[8] EDMC reported that it owned 28 Brown Mackie College campuses and enrolled 17,000 students in May 2013.[13]

In June 2016, EDMC announced plans to close all but four Brown Mackie campuses due to severe drops in enrollment following lawsuits that cost the college system millions, damaged its reputation, and puts its accreditation in jeopardy.[14][1] Enrolled students were allowed to finish their degrees prior to closing.[15]

Legal issues[edit]

In 2007, two whistleblowers filed a lawsuit claiming that Brown Mackie recruiters received perks based on the number of students they were able to enroll, regardless of whether the student's success or completion of the program.[16][17][18][19][20] Though the company denied these allegations, EDMC and the Obama administration reached a $95.5 million settlement with the Justice Department in 2015.[17]

In 2011, another lawsuit was filed once again alleging Brown Mackie illegally incentivized meeting recruitment goals.[21] This case reached a settlement in 2015 wherein EDMC agreed to reform recruiting practices, including disclosure of the transferability of Brown Mackie credits, more accurate representations of expected graduate outcomes, and more detailed information about taking out federal loans to help pay for a Brown Mackie education.[21][17] Brown Mackie was also required to forgive $102.8 million in loans for students who enrolled briefly between 2006 and 2014 and were given misleading information about taking out federal loans.[22][21][23] More than 80,000 students were impacted by this settlement.[22] Each qualifying former student and each of the credit reporting agencies were to be notified of the settlement, and the settlement will be paid through 2022.[24]

In 2016, eleven former Brown Mackie nursing students in Tucson, Arizona, sued the school for consumer fraud. The plaintiffs alleged that the poor training they received left them unable to be gainfully employed.[5] The plaintiffs expected to graduate in 2015 until a state nursing board investigation found some of the school's faculty were unqualified and were using veterinary supplies to teach students how to care for human patients.[5] The Arizona State Board of Nursing barred the Brown Mackie students from taking the practical nurses licensing exam and ordered the school to retrain the students at the company's expense.[25] Brown Mackie was barred from enrolling new nursing students for two years following the incident, though the college system was shut down before the program could resume.[26]

In 2022, Brown Mackie was one of 153 institutions included in student loan cancellation due to alleged fraud. The class action was brought by a group of more than 200,000 student borrowers, assisted by the Project on Predatory Student Lending, part of the Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School. A settlement was approved in August 2022, stating that the schools on the list were included "substantial misconduct by the listed schools, whether credibly alleged or in some instances proven."[27][28] In April 2023, the Supreme Court rejected a challenge to the settlement and allowed to proceed the debt cancellation due to alleged fraud.[29]

Academics[edit]

Brown Mackie colleges offered degrees at the bachelor's and associate level as well as academic certificates.[30] Areas of study at the schools included nursing, early childhood education, business and technology, healthcare and wellness, legal studies and construction trades.[31]

Beginning in the spring of 2012, Brown Mackie began replacing traditional textbooks with digital textbooks as part of their new Student Advantage Program, which outfits incoming students with iPads in an effort to save students about $200 each term.[32][33] Within a year, 13,000 students had opted in.[34][30]

In 2014, Brown Mackie teamed up with the Smart Horizons and Cengage to help nontraditional, low-income students, such as high school dropouts, finish their high school degree.[35] The program was offered on eight Brown Mackie campuses, including Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Miami, Phoenix, St. Louis, North Canton, and Louisville.[36]

Some campuses offered options for distance education.[37]

Campuses[edit]

Athletics[edit]

The official name for the Brown Mackie College – Salina teams was the Lions.[86] The Lions participated in three sports, baseball, basketball, and softball.[86] They were part of the National Junior College Athletic Association and were an affiliate member of the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference.[87]

The Kansas City campus briefly fielded athletic programs under the nickname "Cougars."

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Smith, Ashley A. (2016-06-15). "Ever-Shrinking For-Profit". Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2018-06-09.
  2. ^ Fleisher, Chris (2015-01-12). "Brown Mackie College in Kentucky stops accepting students as EDMC moves to close campus". Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2018-06-09.
  3. ^ a b Smith, Ashley A. (2017-03-06). "New Nonprofit Owner for EDMC". Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  4. ^ US Department of Justice (2015-11-16). "For-Profit College Company to Pay $95.5 Million to Settle Claims of Illegal Recruiting, Consumer Fraud and Other Violations". Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2018-06-09.
  5. ^ a b c "Brown Mackie legal complaint". tucson.com. 2015-11-16. Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2018-06-09.
  6. ^ Kiska, Paul (2017-09-02). "College closing leaves students in limbo, worried about how they will finish their degrees". Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  7. ^ Thomasan, Andy (2016-09-22). "Education Dept. Revokes Recognition of Embattled Accreditor of For-Profit Colleges". Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2018-06-09.
  8. ^ a b c "Brown Mackie College To Close". KSAL staff. 2016-06-10. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  9. ^ Thibodeaux, Debra (2009-02-02). "Brown Mackie College making Phoenix debut". Phoenix Business Journal. Archived from the original on 2015-02-20. Retrieved 2013-06-18.
  10. ^ "Career college officially announces Boise branch". Idaho Business Review. 2008-06-10. Archived from the original on 2015-02-20. Retrieved 2013-06-18.
  11. ^ "Brown Mackie College to Grant Associate Degree". The Courtland Journal. 1986-05-08. p. 5. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2013-06-14.
  12. ^ "About Us – Brown Mackie College". Brown Mackie College. n.d. Archived from the original on 2016-03-17. Retrieved 2013-06-18.
  13. ^ Besler, Ann (2013-05-02). "EEDMC reports third-quarter loss". Archived from the original on 2016-05-30. Retrieved 2013-06-14.
  14. ^ Kieler, Ashlee (2016-06-10). "For-Profit Brown Mackie College Ceasing Enrollment, Phasing Out Most Locations". Archived from the original on 2021-06-27. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  15. ^ a b "Brown Mackie College Atlanta" (PDF). 2012-10-03. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  16. ^ Greenblatt, Mark (2012-11-26). "Whistle-Blower: For-Profit College Operator Allegedly Inflates Job Placement Rates". ABC News. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  17. ^ a b c "US reaches $96M settlement in for-profit education case". 2015-11-16. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  18. ^ "Brown Mackie parent company will pay $95.5 million to settle suit". 2015-11-16. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  19. ^ Crotty, James Marshall (2013-01-16). "Kentucky Attorney General Takes Spencerian College To Woodshed Over Phony Job Placement Claims". Forbes. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2014-04-23.
  20. ^ "Indiana joins suit against Brown Mackie College parent firm". 2011-06-15. Archived from the original on 2014-06-06. Retrieved 2014-04-23.
  21. ^ a b c Wolfson, Andrew (2015-11-15). "Brown Mackie forgives $4.5M in Ky. loans". Archived from the original on 2022-09-11. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  22. ^ a b Woodworth, Whitney M. (2015-11-16). "$2.7M in debt forgiveness coming to Arizona for-profit college students". Archived from the original on 2022-09-11. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  23. ^ Pagonakis, Joe (2017-07-08). "Akron single mother fights college loan fees from Brown Mackie College parent company". Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  24. ^ Wiley, Eric (2016-09-07). "Brown Mackie to forgive loans of qualifying, former students". Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  25. ^ Carol Ann, Alaimo (2016-09-19). "Brown Mackie Tucson nursing students may get compensation". Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  26. ^ "Arizona nursing school by Brown Mackie College rebuked by State authorities". 2015-08-04. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  27. ^ "Government's Consolidated Opposition to Motions to Intervene" (PDF). Retrieved 2023-04-15.
  28. ^ Turner, Cory; Carrillo, Sequoia; Salhotra, Pooja (2022-08-05). "200k student borrowers are closer to getting their loans erased after judge's ruling". National Public Radio. Retrieved 2023-04-15.
  29. ^ Hurley, Lawrence (2023-04-13). "Supreme Court allows $6 billion student loan debt settlement". NBC News. Retrieved 2023-04-15.
  30. ^ a b Aldridge, James (2012-04-26). "Brown Mackie eliminating printed textbooks in favor of iPad". Archived from the original on 2013-02-19. Retrieved 2013-06-14.
  31. ^ "Areas of Study – Brown Mackie College". Brown Mackie College. n.d. Archived from the original on 2016-02-07. Retrieved 2013-06-18.
  32. ^ "Brown Mackie College System of Schools Announces Conversion to E-textbooks and iPad for Students Nationwide". 2012-11-08. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  33. ^ "Education Management's Brown Mackie converting to 100% e-textbooks, iPads". 2012-11-12. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  34. ^ Furhman, Toni (2013-02-14). "Making the iPad the Center of the Academic Experience". Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  35. ^ Matas, Alison (2014-05-28). "Brown Mackie College launches high school diploma program". Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  36. ^ "Brown Mackie College and Smart Horizons Career Online Education to help adults complete high school diplomas". n.d. Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2018-06-09.
  37. ^ "What's New in Distance Education?" (PDF). 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  38. ^ Robinson-Avila, Alison (2010-03-28). "Brown Mackie readies its campus". Archived from the original on 2016-09-23. Retrieved 2018-06-09.
  39. ^ Cooper, Robin K. (2016-09-06). "ITT Tech ceases operations, closes 130 campuses including one in Albuquerque". Archived from the original on 2022-09-11. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  40. ^ "Brown Mackie College Albuquerque" (PDF). 2012-09-15. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  41. ^ Davis, Janel (2016-08-12). "Brown Mackie College closing most campuses, including Atlanta location". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  42. ^ "Brown Mackie College Birmingham" (PDF). 2012-10-03. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  43. ^ Bennett, Jim (2019-03-05). "Ever wonder what happened to Birmingham's forgotten colleges?". Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  44. ^ "Education Management LLC Announces The Opening Of Brown Mackie College – Boise". 2008-06-12. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  45. ^ "Brown Mackie College Update – Aug 31, 2016". 2016-08-31. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  46. ^ "Brown Mackie College Cincinnati" (PDF). 2012-10-03. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  47. ^ Filby, Max (2017-03-20). "Cost of ITT Tech implosion surpasses $141 million for taxpayers". Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  48. ^ "Brown Mackie College Dallas/Ft. Worth" (PDF). 2012-10-03. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  49. ^ Ayala, Eva-Marie (2018-07-19). "Dallas-area university is closing after group that bought for-profit schools finds it 'unsustainable'". Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  50. ^ "Brown Mackie College Findlay" (PDF). 2012-10-03. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  51. ^ Kilma, Jeff (2017-04-03). "Brown Mackie College Closes Its Doors". Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  52. ^ "Brown Mackie College Fort Wayne" (PDF). 2012-10-03. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  53. ^ Duffy, Jamie (2016-06-04). "Brown Mackie to close in 2018". Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  54. ^ "Brown Mackie College Greenville" (PDF). 2012-10-03. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  55. ^ a b Landrum, Cindy (2016-06-24). "Greenville among Brown-Mackie College campuses no longer accepting students". Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  56. ^ "Brown Mackie College Hopkinsville" (PDF). 2012-10-03. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  57. ^ "Education Management LLC Announces the Opening of Brown Mackie College – Indianapolis". 2007-09-26. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  58. ^ Briggs, James (2016-06-11). "Brown Mackie College to close Circle Centre location in Downtown Indy". Archived from the original on 2021-09-17. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  59. ^ "Brown Mackie College Kansas City" (PDF). 2012-10-03. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  60. ^ a b c d e "Closed school information". n.d. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  61. ^ "Brown Mackie College Louisville" (PDF). 2012-10-03. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-05-17. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  62. ^ "Brown Mackie College Merrillville" (PDF). 2012-10-03. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  63. ^ Pete, Joseph S. (2019-06-06). "Brown Mackie to close Merrillville campus". Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  64. ^ "Brown Mackie College Miami" (PDF). 2012-10-04. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  65. ^ Torres, Andrea (2016-06-11). "Brown Mackie College to close 22 campuses". Archived from the original on 2021-06-29. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  66. ^ "Brown Mackie College Michigan City" (PDF). 2012-10-04. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  67. ^ Vivian, Krystal (2016-06-14). "Brown Mackie closure impacts 178 South Bend students". Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  68. ^ "Brown Mackie College North Canton" (PDF). 2012-10-04. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  69. ^ a b Baker, Dierdre (2017-01-31). "Brown Mackie College changes hands". Archived from the original on 2021-11-08. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  70. ^ "Brown Mackie College Northern Kentucky" (PDF). 2012-10-04. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  71. ^ "Brown Mackie College Announces Opening of New Oklahoma City School". 2011-05-09. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  72. ^ "Brown Mackie College – Phoenix" (PDF). 2012-10-04. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  73. ^ "Brown Mackie College Quad Cities" (PDF). 2012-10-04. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  74. ^ "Brown Mackie College Salina" (PDF). 2012-10-04. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  75. ^ "Brown Mackie to close all locations". 2016-06-24. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  76. ^ "Brown Mackie College San Antonio" (PDF). 2012-10-04. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  77. ^ Mosbrucker, Kristen (2016-10-28). "Fallout of for-profit closures matters, as coding schools enroll students". Archived from the original on 2022-09-11. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  78. ^ "Brown Mackie College South Bend" (PDF). 2012-10-04. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  79. ^ Fosmoe, Margaret (2016-06-14). "Brown Mackie students make new plans as school sets to close". Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  80. ^ "Brown Mackie College St. Louis" (PDF). 2012-09-25. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  81. ^ "Brown Mackie College ceases operations in St. Louis". 2016-06-12. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  82. ^ "Education Management LLC Announces Renaming of Chaparral College as Brown Mackie College – Tucson". 2007-09-15. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  83. ^ Alaimo, Carol Ann (2021-06-13). "Tucson College will close next year along with two other for-profits". Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  84. ^ "Brown Mackie College – Tulsa" (PDF). 2014-08-01. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-05-17. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  85. ^ Martin, Paige (2016-06-11). "Brown Mackie College ceases enrollment, plans to close campuses". Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  86. ^ a b "Salina Athletics". Archived from the original on 19 March 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  87. ^ KJCCC Members Archived June 13, 2010, at the Wayback Machine

External links[edit]