Dampening Innovation, One Institution at a Time - Justin Draeger, Inside Higher Ed

The recommended penalties placed on Western Governors University will have a dampening effect on any institution that is pursuing new or modified learning models, argues Justin Draeger. What’s the fastest way to stifle innovation? Declare a higher education institution ineligible for federal financial aid, recommend it return hundreds of millions of dollars and watch other colleges and universities duck for cover.  Western Governors University, a well-known nonprofit, online education provider, is under pressure to return $713 million in federal financial aid after the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General said in an audit report that the university is ineligible to participate in Title IV programs because of not meeting certain standards. https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2017/09/29/how-education-departments-approach-western-governors-university-could-impede-higher