BY HANNAH BROADBENT and APRILL EMIG | The Statesman
Students are the ultimate voice for or against UMD. Recently some ex-faculty have spoken loud, sharing their complaints through lawsuits. Others are vocalizing their support for or disappointment with UMD through testimonies. As of Thursday, Oct. 15, 13 former education majors are suing the university.
The graduates are accusing the university of fraud and are each requesting $50,000 in damages.
Included in the lawsuit is negligence and misrepresentation of the university’s renowned hybrid licensure program, the Integrated Elementary and Special Education (IESE) teaching program.
The Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, Andrea Schokker, commented on the issue via email.
“All students that have graduated from UMD in the Education Programs who qualified for licensure have been granted full licensure. All program updates have been provided to the Board of Teaching. Throughout this process UMD has kept students informed of the situation.”
According to an article by KBJR, published in January 2015 when the issue surfaced, education students had to put prospective jobs on hold due to the school’s paperwork glitch. This forced students to apply for an $80 temporary license.
According to UMD’s One Stop Office, tuition at UMD is $13,082 a year and the College of Human Services Profession (CHSEP), which houses the IESE program, charges $241.00 per semester in collegiate fees. For four years of schooling, CHSEP students pay $54,256.
The story will be updated as more information becomes available. Check out theumdstatesman.com for further details.