College officials at five institutions have received consulting fees from the lender J.P. Morgan Chase, Rep. George Miller, a Democrat of California, revealed today.
The officials — Melissa Smurdon of Butler University, Lynette Viskoski of Centenary College of Louisiana, Mark Martin of Lawrence Technological University, Louise Strauser of Lyon College, and Tyrone Thornton of Xavier University of Louisiana — signed contracts with J.P. Morgan Chase from 2005 to 2007 under which it provided technology support, conference presentations, and software installations, among other services, documents provided by Mr. Miller’s office show. All of the individuals except Mr. Thornton — a controller — work in their colleges’ financial-aid offices.
Mr. Miller also released documents showing that Chase had spent more than $70,000 on a luxurious harbor cruise in New York City for 200 attendees of the 2004 conference of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.
Mr. Miller, who is chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives education committee, has been conducting an investigation into conflicts of interest in the student-loan industry. His committee will hear testimony on Thursday from the secretary of education, Margaret Spellings, about the department’s oversight of the student-loan programs. —Kelly Field
