A for-profit university and a state college in Florida have decided to dial back the tensions that erupted between them this fall, culminating in a lawsuit filed last month by the former against the latter. In what many had seen as a publicity gambit, the for-profit institution, Keiser University, had accused the president and a vice president of Florida State College at Jacksonville of smearing Keiser in e-mail messages bad-mouthing the for-profit higher-education sector to investors and others. Even though Keiser is not publicly traded, its chancellor has been an outspoken critic of proposed Education Department regulations affecting for-profit colleges. In a news release issued today, the two institutions said they had “agreed to put their differences behind them” and to dismiss the lawsuit. They also stated that they “hold each other in high esteem.”
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6 Responses to For-Profit University Drops Lawsuit Against Public College
ugacampuslife - November 10, 2010 at 4:31 pm
Interesting that Keiser University would venture a frivolous lawsuit given the tenous position of “some” of the for-profit institutions, of late. Even so, what part of the truth in the message of the VP from Florida State College at Jacksonville did they want to contest with a lawsuit. The information in the editoria was accurate.
willynilly - November 10, 2010 at 9:02 pm
It was never a smear campaign. Every statement made my representatives of FSC at Jacksonville was factual. The old adage is still true; “The Truth Hurts”, but perhaps in this case it is modified slightly. The truth certainly embarassed Keiser to the point where they foolishly filed a meritless lawsuit. It’s a good thing that smarter and calmer minds prevailed over Keiser’s impetuous Chancellor.
cwinton - November 11, 2010 at 12:06 am
Perhaps this action by Keiser has something to do with the fact that the Florida Attorney General, quite likely because Keiser’s rather spurious lawsuit brought them to his attention, has added Keiser to the list of for-profits the state has under investigation for the kind of bait and switch recruiting tactics they have been employing.
jffoster - November 11, 2010 at 11:22 am
Fitting that the Keiser should ask for an armistic just before 11 November.
commserver - November 11, 2010 at 1:50 pm
It is obvous that in many cases the best defense is a good offense. That seems to be the case here.
firstsai93 - November 11, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Keiser is employing a very clever strategy. Now that the policical landscape has changed, the for-profits see great opportunity in landing a decisive blow against public higher education, by offering state legislatures an opportunity to transfer the costs of higher education from the taxpayer to the student.