Harkin Seeks Data on For-Profit Schools After Hearing

Senator Tom Harkin will request information from 30 U.S. for-profit colleges and consider new legislation for the sector after a government investigator described fraud, lying and high-pressure sales tactics used by education-industry recruiters, the Iowa Democrat said today.

Harkin, chairman of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee, said he will ask publicly traded and closely held companies to disclose graduation rates, loan defaults among former students and recruitment practices. He called for more hearings as early as September, and said a legislative package may be possible by the end of the year.