CONSUMER PROTECTION STRATEGIES - A LITERATURE REVIEW AND SYNTHESIS - IMPROVING THE CONSUMER PROTECTION FUNCTION IN POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION

• NCJ Number: 58872
• Author(s): C B HELLIWELL; S M JUNG
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 72 pages
• Contract Number(s): 300-75-0383
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Corporate Author: American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences
• Sale Source: National Technical Information Service
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE NATURE OF CONSUMER PROTECTION NEEDS IN POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION AND POSSIBLE IMPROVEMENT MECHANISMS ARE EXPLORED, AND ABUSIVE PRACTICES OF SCHOOLS RECEIVING FEDERAL AID ARE CONSIDERED.

Abstract

LITERATURE WAS REVIEWED TO OBTAIN INFORMATION CONCERNING THE FOLLOWING AREAS: (1) PROPOSED AND ACTUAL LEGISLATION, REGULATIONS, AND GUIDELINES REGARDING SCHOOL ELIGIBILITY FOR FEDERAL AID AND SCHOOL PRACTICES; (2) SAMPLE INSTRUMENTS AND MATERIALS FOR USE IN DEVELOPING DATA COLLECTION FORMS TO ASSESS CONSUMER PROTECTION NEEDS AND POSSIBLE IMPROVEMENT MECHANISMS; (3) STUDIES, DESCRIPTIONS, ANALYSES, AND BIBLIOGRAPHIES ON ELIGIBILITY AND THE OPERATION OF ELEMENTS IN THE ELIGIBILITY SYSTEM; (4) DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE BROAD ISSUE OF CONSUMER PROTECTION; AND (5) ARTICLES FROM THE PRESS CITING CONSUMER ABUSES. NEARLY 60 DOCUMENTS WERE ABSTRACTED, AND APPROXIMATELY 50 ADDITIONAL SETS OF MATERIAL WERE REVIEWED. TOPICS OF SIGNIFICANCE DISCUSSED IN THE LITERATURE REVIEW ARE ABUSES OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION CONSUMERS, CONSUMER PROTECTION NEEDS (REDRESS AND INFORMATION), EXISTING SYSTEMS OF POSTSECONDARY GOVERNANCE AND INSTITUTIONAL ELIGIBILITY AS RELATED TO CONSUMER PROTECTION, THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION CONSUMER PROTECTION, THE ROLE OF INSTITUTIONS AND ACCREDITING AGENCIES IN CONSUMER PROTECTION, MONITORING AND ENFORCEMENT OF CONSUMER ABUSES, TERMINATION OF SCHOOL ELIGIBILITY FOR FEDERAL FUNDS, AND THE NEED FOR IMPROVED COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION TO MINIMIZE CONSUMER PROBLEMS IN POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION. NO EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE IS CITED IN THESE ARTICLES TO SUGGEST THE ACTUAL EXTENT OF PRESUMED INSTITUTIONAL ABUSE OR THE DEGREE TO WHICH CONSUMERS PERCEIVE VARIOUS INSTITUTIONAL PRACTICES TO BE ABUSIVE. CONGRESSIONAL AND REGULATORY COMMISSION HEARINGS, MEDIA EXPOSES, AND SCANDALS ABOUT HIGH LOAN DEFAULT RATES PROVIDE INTERESTING CASE STUDIES AND CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE BUT VERY LITTLE COMPREHENSIVE DATA. REGULATORY BODIES HAVE A TENDENCY TO IGNORE THE IMPORTANCE OF ELIGIBILITY LIMITATION AND SUSPENSION DECISIONS. THERE IS LIMITED SENSITIVITY TO THE FACT THAT EDUCATION IS A SPECIALIZED AND INTANGIBLE SERVICE THAT MAY NOT BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO TRADITIONAL, MARKETPLACE CONSUMER PROTECTION DEVICES. IN ADDITION, THE IMPORTANT AND POTENTIALLY MORE PROMISING NONREGULATORY APPROACH TO EDUCATIONAL CONSUMER PROTECTION SUFFERS FROM A NARROW FIXATION WITH OFFERING CONSUMERS BETTER INFORMATION. REFERENCES ARE CITED. (DEP)