Fortis College Explained

Fortis College
Type:Private for-profit college
Established:2008
City:32 campuses
State:Online[1]
Country:United States
Website:www.fortis.edu

Fortis College (also Fortis Institute and Fortis College of Nursing in some locations) is a private for-profit college with multiple campuses throughout the United States. It was established in 2008 and is operated by Education Affiliates and owned by JLL Partners.[2]

Education Affiliates and JLL Partners

See main article: Education Affiliates. Education Affiliates (EA) operates Fortis College and Fortis Institute, and is headquartered in Nottingham, Maryland. EA is an investment of JLL Partners[3] and was incorporated in 2004.[4] Its other schools include ASPE Training, All-State Career School, DriveCo CDL Learning Center, Saint Paul's School of Nursing, Georgia Driving Academy, and the Denver School of Nursing.[5] [6] [7]

History

Growth (2008 to 2013)

From 2008 to 2013, Fortis College and Fortis Institutes grew from one school in Phoenix, Arizona to more than 40 schools in 17 states.[2] Fortis purchased other for-profit schools including: Virginia Career Institute, Capps College, North Florida Institute, Medix School, AMTI, National Institute of Technology, RETS College, Gulf Coast College, Florida Career Institute, Technical Career Institute, Berdan Institute, Tri-State Business Institute, and MedVance Institute.[2]

Downsizing (2013 to present)

Revenues:

[8]

Enrollment losses and unprofitability have resulted in campus closures in Florida, Maryland, Ohio,[9] Pennsylvania.[10] and Texas. These loses have been ameliorated by the transfer of students from other for-profit colleges that have closed their doors.[11]

In 2015, Education Affiliates, the parent company of Fortis, "agreed to pay $13 million to the United States to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to the Department of Education for federal student aid for students enrolled in its programs."[12] Part of the $13 million settlement provided for repayment of $1.9 million that resulted from Education Affiliates "awarding federal financial aid to students at its Fortis-Miami campus based on invalid high school credentials issued by a diploma mill."[13]

In 2016–17, 21 Fortis locations were unprofitable: Centerville, Cincinnati, Columbia, Cutler Bay, Cuyahoga Falls, Grand Prairie, Houston, Indianapolis, Norfolk, Phoenix, Richmond, Baltimore, Birmingham, Cookeville, Erie, Forty Fort, Lawrenceville, and Nashville.[14]

In 2020 and 2021 Fortis received more than $50 million in stimulus funds.

At least a dozen locations are under US Department of Education heightened cash monitoring for financial irresponsibility.[18]

Academics

Fortis offers Associate of Art degrees and certificates.[19]

Accreditation

Fortis Colleges and Fortis Institutes are institutionally accredited by the following institutional accreditors:[20]

Additionally, a number of Fortis Colleges and Institutes received institutional accreditation from the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). ACICS lost recognition as an institutional accreditor from the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) in 2017 and from the US Department of Education in 2022.

In September 2018, the Orange Park, Florida campus voluntarily withdrew from ACICS.[21]

In April 2019, ACICS renewed Fortis' accreditation for its Norfolk, Virginia campus until September 30, 2019, but continued its compliance warning. According to ACICS, Fortis did not adequately maintain student records related to admissions and student progress.[22]

Faculty

Faculty at Fortis are primarily adjunct professors. The percentage of instructors that are full time range from 10 percent to 40 percent, depending on the campus.[20] Fortis College in Mobile, Alabama has 3 full-time instructors and 34 part-time instructors. Fortis Institute in Wayne, New Jersey has 12 full-time instructors and 25 part-time instructors.

Students

Fortis schools have racially and ethnically diverse student populations. The demographic breakdown of the Phoenix campus is 34 percent White, 34 percent Hispanic, 22 percent Black, 4 percent unknown, 2 percent American Indian/Alaska Native, 2 percent two or more races, 1 percent Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and 1% Asian. The breakdown of the Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio campus are 56 percent White, 31 percent Black, 5 percent Asian, 4 percent unknown, 2percent two or more races, and 1 percent Hispanic.[23]

College costs and student outcomes

According to the US Department of Education's College Scorecard, the average annual cost of attending Fortis College ranges from $16,958 to 30,687.[24]

Gainful employment

According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, the following programs failed gainful employment standards. In failing programs, graduates have loan payments exceeding 12 percent of total earnings or 30 percent of discretionary income.[25]

Locations

Fortis College

Fortis Institute

[20]

Closed locations

[28]

Department of Education heightened cash monitoring

The following Fortis schools are on US Department of Education heightened cash monitoring as of December 2018.[30] Financial responsibility numbers are at the lowest level, -1.[18]

References

  1. Web site: Fortis College Online . 2010-09-03 . 2010-10-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101006013158/http://fortisonline.edu/ . dead .
  2. Web site: Our Legacy. fortis.edu.
  3. Web site: Education Affiliates. jll-partners.
  4. Web site: Education Affiliates LLC Company Profile | Baltimore, MD | Competitors, Financials & Contacts - Dun & Bradstreet. hoovers.com.
  5. Web site: Our Schools | Education Affiliates. edaff.com.
  6. Web site: For-profit education company goes on buying spree for trade schools . October 24, 2005 . bizjournals.com. 2019-10-20.
  7. Web site: JLL Partners | New York | Current Investments. jll-partners. 2019-05-11. 2016-08-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20160827150633/http://www.jllpartners.com/current-investments. dead.
  8. Web site: The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. nces.ed.gov.
  9. Web site: Bio-Med expanding in Ravenna. Diane Smith. Reporter. Record-Courier. 2019-03-05. 2019-03-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20190306044012/https://www.record-courier.com/news/20190206/bio-med-expanding-in-ravenna. dead.
  10. Web site: Assignment . Weekend . Erie's Fortis Institute to close its doors . Yourerie.com . 2018-07-18 . 2019-10-20 . 2019-05-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190508181414/https://www.yourerie.com/news/local-news/erie-s-fortis-institute-to-close-its-doors/1309822431 . dead .
  11. Web site: The largest Pa. for-profit school's closure left 1,510 students without diplomas. Now the AG wants answers. | Debt Valley. Bob Fernandez, Erin. Arvedlund. inquirer.com.
  12. Web site: For-Profit Education Company to Pay $13 Million to Resolve Several Cases Alleging Submission of False Claims for Federal Student Aid. June 24, 2015. justice.gov.
  13. Web site: Education Affiliates Agree to Pay $13 Million for Allegedly Violating the False Claims Act by Submitting False Claims for Federal Student Aid. The National Law Review.
  14. Web site: The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. nces.ed.gov.
  15. Web site: Seltzer . Rick . How Much Stimulus Will Your College Receive? . www.insidehighered.com . Inside Higher Education . 4 August 2021.
  16. Web site: Seltzer . Rick . How Much Will Your College Receive in Coronavirus Stimulus Funding, Part 2? . www.insidehighered.com . Inside Higher Education . 4 August 2021.
  17. Web site: AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT OF 2021: SIMULATED DISTRIBUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUNDS . www.acenet.edu . American Council on Education . 4 August 2021.
  18. Web site: Which Colleges Failed the Latest Financial Responsibility Test?. Author. Robert. April 15, 2019.
  19. Web site: Programs. fortis.edu.
  20. Web site: College Navigator - Search Results. nces.ed.gov.
  21. Web site: ACICS | Voluntary Withdrawal of Accreditation. 2019-05-06. 2019-04-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20190428043201/http://www.acics.org/commission%20actions/content.aspx?id=4946. dead.
  22. Web site: info . acics.org . 2019-10-20 . 2019-05-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190506161901/http://www.acics.org/uploadedFiles/Actions/00010770_00011124_FortisCollege(VA)_RA-CCW.pdf . dead .
  23. Web site: Search | College Scorecard. collegescorecard.ed.gov.
  24. Web site: Search | College Scorecard. collegescorecard.ed.gov.
  25. Web site: Here Are the Programs That Failed the Gainful-Employment Rule. Fernanda. Zamudio-Suaréz. January 9, 2017. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
  26. Web site: Fortis in Erie cleared of claims, warned over others. Ed. Palattella. GoErie.com. 2019-03-05. 2019-03-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20190306044038/https://www.goerie.com/news/20180914/fortis-in-erie-cleared-of-claims-warned-over-others. dead.
  27. Web site: Data . www2.ed.gov . 2019-10-20.
  28. Web site: PEPS Closed School Monthly Reports. www2.ed.gov.
  29. Web site: Campuses. fortis.edu.
  30. Web site: Heightened Cash Monitoring. October 18, 2021. Federal Student Aid. March 5, 2019. April 27, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170427180525/https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/about/data-center/school/hcm. dead.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Fortis College".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.