The Back Story
Sharing a story that should have never happened
Founded over 30 years ago ... Living Arts first graduating class of five students sent three to California to work on the first Star Wars digital series. A new era in digital art education was born.
Today, a destructive US Department of Education led by the Biden administration has dictated that Living Arts (and several other schools) must cease operations. This is a story that should never have happened in America. Plan to read the story below.
The Back Story
This website page would not exist today if we could somehow have predicted that the ill practices of government in 2016 would repeat in 2022.
The actions of 2016 reported then are far less cruel than the damages delivered in 2022 by the Biden administration to no-fault, performing institutions.
Plan to follow story posted here on how the Washington DC "elite" is destroying valued communities of schools, students, faculty, and staff nationwide.
Return to 2016 to understand a government body ready to bring all of education under a central delivery authority - Published September 16, 2016 by Indianapolis Star online
Obama administration rushed to close ITT, then shrugged
If you want to know why people in business hate government, look at the Obama administrations shutdown of ITT Technical Institute.
Wait, you might say, ITT Educational Services, Inc. voluntarily ceased operations as its financial condition became untenable.
Yes, that's true. Before that, though, the government made it impossible for ITT to do business, and then washed its hands, basically saying, "we'll see what happens." while knowing exactly what was going to happen.
The Obama administration killed ITT without acknowledging what it was doing, making it the latest for-profit trophy college in a case that also includes Corinthian Colleges and Brown Macki College. That's why people who are sympathetic to business - consider the governments handling of ITT to be cynical and disingenuous.
Obama broadens 2016 attack and fails
In 2016 the Obama administration began the process of challenging 100 year old accreditor ACICS (Association of Independent Colleges and Schools) the non profit body who makes Federal Financial Aid available. Forward to 2019 and Living Arts and other institutions were then forced by Obama to each find new accreditor. SOLUTION! TRUMP WAS ELECTED AND REVERSED ALL OBAMA ACICS DISTRUCTION and 2019, AND RETURNED LIVING ARTS TO HEALTH. Is was too late to assist ITT and they had closed.
Accrediting Council of Independent Colleges and Schools
A BREAKTHROUGH
MEDIA ARTS DEGREE EXPERIENCE ONLINE
2022
Biden Administration repeats ACICS attack & adds impossible demands on ACICS schools
August 25, 2022 Department of Education announced burdens on all ACICS schools
READ the impossible demands placed on all ACICS schools ... to retain Financial Aid for students.
+ No programs not completing by February 2024 can no longer be offered. This simply means Living Arts was prohibited from offering any Raleigh campus degree programs. Similarly, High Point campus could not start programs that do not complete by the 2024 date above.
+ All ACICS schools must post a Letter of Credit to be to continue to receive Financial Aid for students. Living Arts was assigned $377,727 as an amount to be held by DOE for up to three years. History has shown that DOE has often found ways to disrespect and never return LOC funds.
How does the above
impact students, faculty & staff?
Living Arts College proposed in October and November that the Department of Education fund existing students to allow Living Arts to complete studies. On November 29th, 2022 DOE responded saying that is would cease funding if the College did not begin to post the $377,727 LOC (see above). Living Arts had requested that any LOC must detail return of funds specifics. DOE never responded to this request. They expected the College to simply send them cash-on-demand totaling $377,727. DOE ceased funding Financial Aid monies then due to the school on Friday, December 2nd without official notice. Inquiries to the DOE regarding the funding freeze went unanswered for two weeks. The College was strangled financially from that point forward, ceasing classes year end 2022.
Main campus
classes ended December 13th 2022
Living Arts College Raleigh completed classes December 13th. This ended scheduled degree program delivery. DOE simply ignored their own published rules the would have allowed the College to effectively deliver a teach out service to students. Under Federal Student Aid documentation, a school may receive 120 days of continued Financial Aid teach out support. DOE as noted above added an LOC requirement for any student assisted teach out period. As a result, 120 day support was been denied. The schools, as a result was forced to close.
High Point campus
ended classes December 22nd 2022
Living Arts College High Point completed classes December 22nd. This ended all scheduled program delivery at this branch campus. Again, under existing Federal Student Aid documentation, a school can receive 120 days of continued Financial Aid support subject to added conditions for teach out. Again, a student assisted teach out was made impossible.
Keeping good company:
At the time of ceasing classes Living Arts was a candidate for application for accreditation by respected global accreditor - Southern Association of Colleges.
Living Arts College is a higher performing institution
Living Arts College meets a think-higher set of quality standards that include: 100% and near 100% for recent placement reporting for degree programs:
Animation & Game Design | Digital Filmmaking | Audio & Design | Interactive Media Design | Digital Photography | Interior Design ... with retention at Standard and Repayment Default rate at a very respectable 6%
