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FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — Fresno's Heald College campus could be shut down within months if a buyer isn't found by as early as next week, officials said.
Campus President Carolyn Pierce cried as she broke the news to more than 100 students and staff on Wednesday, the Fresno Bee reported (http://bit.ly/1IvGkfk ).
Pierce said she first heard of the mid-April deadline just hours earlier.
Heald's parent company, Corinthian Colleges, agreed to sell most of its schools as part of deal with the Education Department reached last year following a lawsuit by the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that cited the for-profit company used a "predatory lending scheme."
Corinthian was also sued by California Attorney General Kamala Harris. That lawsuit remains ongoing.
Pierce said Harris has scared away many potential buyers of the school.
Harris' spokeswoman, Kristin Ford, said in a statement Heald College's sale doesn't require the state's approval and pointed out the state attorney general's office sued Corinthian Colleges Inc. in 2013 alleging major violations of California consumer protection and false advertising laws across Corinthian's Heald, Everest and Wyotech brand schools.
"Alleged violations include misrepresenting job placement rates, misusing official U.S. military seals, lying about the transferability of course credits and specifically targeting veterans and vulnerable, low-income Californians," she said.
Heald's 900 students are in finals this week.
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Information from: The Fresno Bee, http://www.fresnobee.com
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