Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
BOSTON (AP) — A for-profit school will pay students $3.75 million to resolve allegations of misrepresenting job placement numbers and using deceptive enrollment tactics, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley said Friday.
The money will be used to pay down student federal loans and private loans for students who attended programs at Salter College's West Boylston campus and The Salter School campuses in Fall River and New Bedford.
The consent judgment filed in Suffolk Superior Court Thursday requires the schools to make appropriate disclosures on their website and in advertisements and pre-enrollment materials. The schools will also provide career counseling seminars.
Coakley alleged Salter used misleading recruitment tactics to obtain tuition payments and fees from students, including misrepresenting the historical success of students in finding jobs in their fields of study, such as programs for medical assistant, medical billing and coding, and health-claims specialist.
At least 600 students alleged to be harmed by Salter's tactics are expected to be eligible for loan relief.
Salter Schools Chief Executive Gary Camp said in a statement that the schools dispute Coakley's allegations, but wanted the resolution to benefit current and former students.
"Being able to offer job seekers career counseling seminars over the course of a year can give students the tools they need to reach career success," Camp said.
The seminars will be held in 2015 and offered to all current and former students.
Salter Schools also agreed to change certain practices relating to admissions, placement and certification.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
