Dive Brief:
- A panel of education experts convened at the Cato Institute this week says that a return of for-profit education providers is imminent under President-elect Donald Trump, who strongly favors a reduction of federal oversight in higher education.
- While total deregulation is unlikely, the panelists said, several initiatives and policies that will come before the review of Congress could dramatically shift.
- Panelists also guessed that Trump's pick to oversee the U.S. Department of Education would likely be a person with a K-12 background, and not higher education.
Dive Insight:
Of the sparse insight Trump allowed into his domestic policies, higher education was among the few topics that actually earned extensive remarks. His views on affordability, the individual responsibility of institutions to help students graduate without crushing loan debt, and the government's role in ensuring manageable repayment options are a part of the platform many in higher education agree with.
But predictions continue to build about the resurrection of for-profit education — within which Trump has an intimate connection with his own business — and what effects it could create for the industry. While traditional institutions took a hit with the rise of for-profit education, will they be so lucky the next time around with more stringent student loan options and an increase in the value of alternative credentialing options?
