Minnesota examines complaints at Walden U., once tied to Bill Clinton

I believe it was P.T. Barnum who said something like: "For every buck there is a schmuck" or something similar. Perhaps Bill Clinton's secret saying goes: "For every scheme, I have a dream."

The for-profit Walden University is under review by Minnesota education officials regarding their online PhD programs. The school has ties to Bill Clinton.

"We have seen an increased number of complaints related to dissertation at Walden University," said Sandy Connolly of the Minnesota Office of Higher Education on NBC News.

Clinton was paid as "honorary chancellor" $17.6 million over five years and he stepped down last year, just prior to Hillary's presidential campaign run.

The review of the school included interviews with students who felt victimized by Walden's practices and were burdened with school loans.

Elizabeth Talbot, manager of Institutional Legislation and Licensing at the Office of Higher Education in Minnesota said the agency is conducting a "qualitative and a quantitative analysis" of the complaints her department has received and comparing those complaints to the Walden marketing material. In other words, they're checking for false advertising by the school.

"I want to make sure the proof is in the pudding that their marketing claims match with student outcome," she said. "Is it a policy issue, a cultural issue or is it something more nefarious? And we don't know until we complete the program review."

Some students complained that they were misled as to how long it would take for their dissertations to be approved. Many had ended up with more debt than they anticipated.

A spokesperson for Walden and Bill Clinton declined to comment.

In spite of the $22 million Bill earned from for-profit education institutions overall, his lovely and talented wife, Hillary, has been a huge critic of for-profit schools while Bill profited from them. One school in particular she criticized most recently was Trump University.

Thanks for all your help this election, Bill, especially on Obamacare.


Tweet