Governor Walz signs Argosy relief bill

 

News Release
May 28, 2019

Contact: Sandy Connolly (651) 259-3902

Governor Walz signs Argosy relief bill

Governor Tim Walz has signed legislation into law to help some Argosy University students impacted by the college's abrupt closure in March. His signature authorizes the Minnesota Office of Higher Education (OHE) to disburse financial aid owed to students and release them from liability for any Minnesota SELF student loans for the spring 2019 semester.

Since the abrupt closing of Argosy University, OHE staff has worked tirelessly with students, Minnesota colleges and the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) to find transfer options for Argosy students in all programs, and to provide financial assistance for some students who did not receive their state aid, said Commissioner Dennis Olson, Minnesota Office of Higher Education (OHE). I want to thank Governor Walz and the legislature for their swift action on this legislation.

Programs impacted by the new law include the MN SELF Loan, the MN State Grant, Postsecondary Childcare Grants, MN Indian Scholarships and the MN GI Bill. Students who took out a MN SELF Loan for the spring 2019 semester have been contacted and must return an assignment before their loans can be reversed. OHE is in the process of verifying students eligible for grant awards and will contact them as soon as this is done, possibly yet this week. It is expected that just over 100 students will receive grants and 41 SELF Loan recipients will have their spring loan disbursements s reversed.

In more good news, last week CODA ruled in favor of a proposal by Century College to provide 35 former Dental Hygiene students from Argosy University an opportunity to complete their Dental Hygiene degree. These students were scheduled to graduate this spring but until now had been unable to find a program at which they could complete their education.

We appreciate CODA's prompt ruling, allowing these displaced dental hygiene students to complete their education this summer. It is also great news that the Century College Foundation is providing scholarships so these students can get their degree without further cost, said Olson.

Close to 1,000 students were enrolled at Argosy University Twin Cities when it shut its doors on March 8, about halfway through the spring semester. While final numbers about where these students ended up are not yet available, OHE staff believes that most of the students were able to transfer to another institution to complete their program.

For more information, contact Sandy Connolly at 651-259-3902 or by email at sandy.connolly@state.mn.us.