Mt Sierra College Vice President Says State is Overcharging Students

The California agency charged with protecting students enrolled in for-profit schools and colleges is overcharging students state-mandated fees by up to 2 ½ times, according to an email sent out by Mt. Sierra College Vice President, John Davis on Thursday.
The agency BPPE (Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education) mandated fees for students attending for-profit schools to be paid to the state. The intended purpose is to protect students by having a fund available in the event a school was to go out of business. The fund would be drawn upon to pay for students remaining education. When a student enrolls in a college they are required to pay a STRF (Student Tuition Recovery Fund) fee for all four years tuition. However, when a student takes the summer off and enrolls in the fall term for the second year they are required to again pay the STRF fee for the remaining three years of tuition. If the student takes the summer off the follow year they pay STRF fee for the remaining two years, etc. Doing the math, students who take summers off, end up paying STRF fees for 10 years of tuition when they only actually attend and pay tuition for four years. Additionally, whenever a student changes his or her major the state again charges STRF fees for the remaining tuition until graduation. This is in addition to the STRF fees required when the student takes a summer off.
The state agency BPPE requires the STUDENTS must pay these STRF fees – the college or institution is not permitted to pay STRF fees for the students. This does not help students who are already struggling to make ends meet.

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