New U.S. System Aims to Help Veterans Report Complaints About Colleges

The federal government on Thursday started an online complaint system that will make it easier for veterans, members of the armed services, and their families to report problems with colleges that receive funds from veteran and military education-benefits programs.

The announcement followed a 2012 executive order by President Obama that set out stiffer rules for those institutions, including that they provide more information to veterans. The order also directed the federal government to take steps to stop deceptive practices aimed at veterans by institutions that receive funds from federal programs like the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The online reporting system, which is modeled after one in place at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, is one such step.

“Our service members and their families now have an easier and efficient way to provide feedback on their civilian educational experiences, which will ensure we have the right information to identify and address any negative practices,” said Jessica L. Wright, acting under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness.

While the complaint system does not take aim at a specific sector of colleges, for-profit institutions enroll a larger proportion of veterans than nonprofit ones do. For-profits have also been the object of persistent criticism by lawmakers and policy experts who have accused them of focusing on veterans for their federal benefits.

In a statement on Thursday, the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities, the for-profit sector’s main trade group, voiced support for the new system, saying it would “remove the guesswork for veterans and service-member experiences” and would give lawmakers “information to craft policy that resolves issues based on verifiable evidence.”

Under the new system, when a student submits a complaint, federal agencies will contact the institution and forward the complaint to the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Sentinel Network, where it will be viewable by state and local law-enforcement authorities. Resolutions of complaints will also be recorded.

Students may submit complaints through the Department of Defense and GI Bill websites.