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Kaplan University

Coordinates: 26°8′N 80°12′W / 26.133°N 80.200°W / 26.133; -80.200
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Kaplan University
TypePrivate online for-profit university subsidiary
Active1937–2018
Parent institution
Kaplan Higher Education Corporation, Graham Holdings Company
PresidentDr. Betty Vandenbosch
Academic staff
Nearly 3,600
Students30,000 online and campus-based students[1]
Location
Davenport
,
Iowa
,
United States (with main administrative building in Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
Campus14 campuses in Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, and Wisconsin and 1 Kaplan University Learning Center in Maryland[2]
WebsiteKaplanUniversity.edu
A Kaplan University campus in Maine

Kaplan University (KU) was a Private online for-profit university owned by Kaplan, Inc., a subsidiary of the Graham Holdings Company. It was predominantly a distance learning institution, maintaining 14 ground locations across the United States. The university was named in honor of Stanley H. Kaplan,[3] who founded Kaplan Test Prep.[4] It was regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, one of the seven major accrediting bodies in the U.S.,[5] but the degrees in certain programs did not have the field-specific accreditation needed for graduates to obtain certification.[6]

In 2017, Purdue University announced the acquisition of Kaplan University with the aim of changing it into a nonprofit online institution known as Purdue University Global.[7][8][9] The acquisition, announced in April 2017, was completed in March 2018.[10]

History

The American Institute of Commerce (AIC) was established in 1937 in Davenport, Iowa as a workforce preparatory school. In 1999, after six decades of growth in Iowa, the U.S. Department of Education selected the school as 1 of 15 to receive a grant that would enable it to offer courses online. Around this time, AIC and four other Iowa colleges were acquired by Quest College and renamed to Quest Education Corporation. In November 2000, Kaplan Inc. purchased the college, and changed its name to Kaplan College.[11] Beginning in September 2004, Kaplan, Inc. divided its programs into two different offerings: Kaplan University which specialized in online bachelor's and graduate degrees, and Kaplan College, which offered classroom-based instruction and was largely vocational in nature and focused on associate degrees and certificates. In 2015 Kaplan, Inc. sold all 38 Kaplan College campuses to Education Corporation of America. Kaplan College is now known as Brightwood College.[12]

In October 2007, all seven Iowa and Nebraska-based Hamilton College campuses merged with and began operating under the Kaplan University brand.[13][14]

Concord Law School merged with Kaplan University in October 2007, changing its name to Concord Law School of Kaplan University. The school, established in 1998, was the first fully online law school in the United States.[15] The American Bar Association does not accredit online programs but students with non-ABA-accredited law degrees are allowed to take California's bar examination and practice law once admitted to the bar.[16][17]

2017 purchase by Purdue University

Following several years of significant enrollment decline, Graham Holdings sold Kaplan University to the Purdue University system for one dollar in March 2018, who rebranded the institution as Purdue University Global. In exchange, Purdue agreed to employ Kaplan, Inc. as the exclusive provider of nonacademic functions for thirty years, with a six year buyout option, and Kaplan, Inc. agreed to assume responsibility for liabilities resulting before the transaction.[18] According to the contract terms, Kaplan receives 12.5 percent of the university's revenue, as long as funds are available after all operating expenses and guaranteed payments to Purdue have been covered.

Offerings and admissions

The university, which had its main campus in Davenport, Iowa and its headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, was accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. At the time of its acquisition by Purdue, it served approximately 33,000 students: roughly 75% female, 60% over age 30, and 25% who are military affiliated. More than 50% are the first generation in their family to go to college.[19]

Kaplan University had an open admissions policy.[20][failed verification] Applicants were eligible for both Pell grants and federal student loans. The university offered members of the military discounted tuition rates as well as college credit for some of the military education they may have received while in the service.[21]

Academics

Kaplan University was academically organized into eight schools:[22][23]

According to Kaplan's annual academic report, the University awarded more than 12,000 degrees and certificates a year. More than 40 percent of its faculty have a Ph.D.[19]

Many of its offerings relied on competency based education to offer credits to students who can demonstrate they have mastered certain learning outcomes through professional and military training.[33]

The university's school of nursing was awarded a national professional accreditation for its Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in April 2006 from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The School of Nursing was granted additional programmatic accreditations from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) in June 2016, including for its doctoral and master's programs.[34] In addition, its other schools earned programmatic accreditation. For example, Kaplan University's School of Business was granted accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) in 2013.[35]

Learning science research

Kaplan University used its access to a large and diverse pool of at-risk students to conduct teaching experiments to adjust its online programs. It partnered with researchers from Harvard and Stanford who found that the online medium allowed for better analysis of learning outcomes and experimental teaching practices.[36]

Rankings

Each year, U.S. News & World Report ranks 300 online degree programs. Kaplan University's ranking ranged from number 56 to number 156 since 2013.[37]

Criticisms

See also: Brightwood College § Criticisms

False Claims Act lawsuit

On August 17, 2011, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida issued a series of rulings in three related cases based on the federal False Claims Act. The cases included three separate complaints by three former Kaplan University employees, Messrs. Wilcox, Gillespie, and Diaz. The court dismissed the claims brought by Wilcox in their entirety. (Diaz v. Kaplan Univ., No. 09–20756–civ, 2011 WL 3627285, (S.D.Fla. Aug. 17, 2011)).[38] Wilcox was later, and separately, convicted for making threats against Kaplan employees. (U.S. v. Wilcox, 1:08-cr-00256, U.S. District Court, Northern Division of Illinois (Chicago)).[39] The court also dismissed in part Gillespie’s complaint, and, on July 16, 2013, the court entered summary judgment in favor of the company on all remaining claims in the Gillespie complaint. (Diaz v. Kaplan Univ., No. 09–20756–civ, 2011 WL 3627285, (S.D.Fla. July 16, 2013)).[40] Gillespie appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit and, on March 11, 2015, the appellate court issued a decision affirming the lower court’s dismissal of all of Gillespie’s claims. (Urquilla-Diaz v. Kaplan University, No. 13-13672 (11th Cir. 2015)).[41]

On Diaz’s compliant, the court dismissed the entire False Claims Act claim and on October 31, 2012, the court entered summary judgment in favor of Kaplan as to the sole remaining employment claim in the Diaz complaint. Kaplan also received a judgment for costs against Diaz based on his frivolous employment claims. (Urquilla-Diaz v. Kaplan University (1:11-cv-23394)).[42] However, Diaz appealed and, on March 11, 2015, the Appellate Court affirmed the dismissal of three of the four Diaz claims, but reversed and remanded on the claim that incentive compensation for admissions representatives was improperly based on enrollment counts. (Urquilla-Diaz v. Kaplan University, No. 13-13672 (11th Cir. 2015)).[43] Kaplan filed an answer to Diaz’s amended complaint, and a summary judgment briefing schedule has been set.

On July 7, 2011, the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada dismissed another False Claims Act case brought by another former employee of a Kaplan nationally accredited campus, Mr. Jajdelski, in its entirety and entered a final judgment in favor of Kaplan. The claim found that Jajdelski had failed to present evidence the company received student aid funds for "phantom students". (Jajdelski v. Kaplan, Inc., 834 F. Supp. 2d 1182 (D. Nev. 2011)).[44] Like the other cases, the federal government has repeatedly declined to intervene. On February 13, 2013, the U.S. Circuit Court for the Ninth Judicial Circuit affirmed the dismissal in part and reversed the dismissal on one allegation under the False Claims Act relating to eligibility for Title IV funding based on claims of false attendance. (CHARLES JAJDELSKI V. KAPLAN. INC., No. 11-16651 (9th Cir. 2013).[45] The surviving claim was remanded to the District Court, where Kaplan was again granted summary judgment on March 9, 2015. (U.S. EX REL. JAJDELSKI v. KAPLAN, INC.)[46] The plaintiff appealed, and on March 22, 2017, a Ninth Circuit panel upheld a lower court's ruling in favor of Kaplan.[47]

Degree credibility and debt load

In 2010 Kaplan and other for-profit education companies came under scrutiny from the U.S. Congress due to concerns that the industry leaves too many students with heavy debts, and with credentials that are of little help in finding jobs.[48] Much of the report focused on Kaplan College programs, which are no longer a part of Kaplan University. Although the report was critical of Kaplan Inc., Senator Tom Harkin, then chair of the investigating committee noted "Kaplan stands alone among the large, for-profit education companies for having taken what are, in my opinion, real and significant steps to reduce high withdrawal rates and high default rates by implementing the Kaplan Commitment program."[49]

References

  1. ^ "Graham Holdings Company Reports Second Quarter Earnings | Graham Holdings Company". www.ghco.com. Archived from the original on 2020-08-14. Retrieved 2021-10-14.
  2. ^ "Campus Experience". Archived from the original on 2016-04-20. Retrieved 2016-04-13.
  3. ^ "Kaplan Inc. - SHK". Kaplan.com. Archived from the original on 2013-11-27. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
  4. ^ "Test Prep Pioneer Stanley Kaplan Dead At 90". NY1. 2009-08-24. Archived from the original on 2009-09-29. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
  5. ^ "Accreditation". Kaplan University. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012.
  6. ^ "Former Students Accuse Kaplan of Misleading Them About Accreditation". www.chronicle.com. 2011. Archived from the original on 2021-03-09. Retrieved 2020-08-21.
  7. ^ "Purdue Buys Kaplan University, Will Create New Nonprofit Chain | Inside Higher Ed". Archived from the original on 2017-08-09. Retrieved 2017-05-04.
  8. ^ "Regulatory Hurdle for Purdue-Kaplan Deal - Inside Higher Ed". Archived from the original on 15 July 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  9. ^ Purdue University (March 5, 2018). "Purdue University receives HLC approval for Purdue Global". Archived from the original on March 6, 2018. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
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  11. ^ "History". Kaplan. Archived from the original on 2017-04-27. Retrieved 2017-04-27.
  12. ^ "Education Corp. Buys 38 Kaplan College Campuses - Inside Higher Ed". Archived from the original on 3 October 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  13. ^ "Hamilton College and Kaplan University merge; name change coming". Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier. Archived from the original on 2021-10-14. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
  14. ^ "Kaplan University-Davenport Campus | Overview | Plexuss.com". plexuss.com. Archived from the original on 2021-10-14. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
  15. ^ "Accreditation". Concord Law School. Archived from the original on 2016-07-02. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
  16. ^ "Distance Education | Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar". Abanet.org. Archived from the original on 2010-07-26. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
  17. ^ "Law Schools". Archived from the original on January 7, 2010. Retrieved 2008-08-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
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  19. ^ a b "Academic Report: The Year in Review 2015–2016" (PDF). Kaplan University. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-04-20. Retrieved 2017-04-27.
  20. ^ National Center for Education Statistics (2012). "College Navigator – Kaplan University". Archived from the original on April 10, 2015. Retrieved January 25, 2012.
  21. ^ "University Corner: Kaplan University". Military Advanced Education. 4 (2). KMI Media Group. March–April 2009. Archived from the original on October 6, 2011. Retrieved August 1, 2011.
  22. ^ "Online University Degree Programs: Accredited Online Degrees & Online Certificates | Kaplan University". Kaplanuniversity.edu. 2013-07-17. Archived from the original on 2014-04-10. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
  23. ^ "Kaplan University Online : Kaplan University Online Website". May 13, 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-05-13.
  24. ^ "Business Programs". kaplanuniversity.edu. 2013-07-17. Archived from the original on 2013-11-01. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
  25. ^ "Information Technology Programs". kaplanuniversity.edu. 2013-07-17. Archived from the original on 2013-09-10. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
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  33. ^ "Flexible Learning Options and Competency-Based Education". Competency-based Education. Kaplan University. Archived from the original on 2017-05-10. Retrieved 2017-04-27.
  34. ^ "Kaplan University's School of Nursing MSN-Nurse Practitioner Program and Doctor of Nursing Practice Program Earn National Accreditation from CCNE". Businesswire. Archived from the original on 2016-06-17. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
  35. ^ "Kaplan University's School of Business Granted Accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)". Kaplan Newsroom. Archived from the original on 2016-09-18. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
  36. ^ Brown, Jessie (October 6, 2016). "Engineering Learning at Kaplan University" (PDF). Ithaca S+R. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 4, 2016. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
  37. ^ "For Second Consecutive Year Kaplan University Ranks among the Best Online Bachelor Degree Programs by U.S. News & World Report - Kaplan Online Newsroom". newsroom.kaplan.edu. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  38. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-03-29. Retrieved 2017-03-28.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  39. ^ News, Bloomberg. "Ex-Kaplan dean convicted of e-mail, web threats". Archived from the original on 18 May 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  40. ^ "Title" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-03-29. Retrieved 2017-03-28.
  41. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-12-29. Retrieved 2017-03-28.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  42. ^ "Docket for Urquilla-Diaz v. Kaplan University - CourtListener.com". CourtListener. Archived from the original on 14 October 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  43. ^ "Urquilla-Diaz v. Kaplan University, No. 13-13672 (11th Cir. 2015)". Archived from the original on 2017-08-30. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  44. ^ Travis, Scott. "UPDATED: Kaplan University whistleblower lawsuit dismissed". Archived from the original on 18 May 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  45. ^ "CHARLES JAJDELSKI V. KAPLAN. INC., No. 11-16651 (9th Cir. 2013)". Archived from the original on 2017-08-30. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  46. ^ Judge, KENT J. DAWSON, District. "U.S. EX REL. JAJDELSKI v. - Case No. 2:05... - 20150311c55 - Leagle.com". Archived from the original on 14 October 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  47. ^ "9th Circ. Nixes Kaplan FCA Suit Over Fake Enrollments - Law360". www.law360.com. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  48. ^ Lewin, Tamar (November 9, 2010). "Scrutiny Takes Toll on For-Profit College Company". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 15, 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
  49. ^ "Drowning in Debt: Financial Outcomes of Students at For-Profit Colleges". Government Printing Office. Archived from the original on 7 September 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2017.

26°8′N 80°12′W / 26.133°N 80.200°W / 26.133; -80.200

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