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For-Profit Florida Metropolitan University Changing Its Name

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By ADAM EMERSON The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 5, 2007

Florida Metropolitan University is changing its name to Everest University, just three months after the for-profit school settled with the state attorney general over concerns about its business practices.

Corinthian Colleges Inc., which owns FMU, is changing the names of most of its schools nationwide to Everest as part of a "rebranding effort," company officials said in a statement today.

FMU has 10 locations in Florida, including campuses in Tampa, Brandon, Clearwater and Lakeland. Jan Schoonmaker, the president of Everest in Florida, said the company's 60,000 students nationwide can enjoy the benefits a single, identifiable name can bestow.

"We recognize the value of the national footprint," Schoonmaker said in an interview. "This new brand will raise the awareness of our graduates."

Schoonmaker said the name change had nothing to do with the settlement reached in August with Florida's attorney general. She said that Corinthian Colleges, one of the nation's largest vocational school chains, started renaming some of its schools to Everest in December 2005.

The attorney general began its investigation of FMU in late 2005. It asked school administrators for information about students' complaints, the training of admissions officers and its advertising and marketing policies.

The state didn't sue FMU as California did against Corinthian schools in that state.

FMU also admitted no wrongdoing in settling. The only money the school paid was about $100,000 in legal costs to the state and to the attorney general's consumer education efforts.

"Our primary concern was that they weren't fully disclosing issues related to the transferability of credits," said Sandi Copes, press secretary for the attorney general's office.

In settling with the attorney general, FMU agreed to better inform students about their ability to transfer the credits they earn to other schools. The issue is the subject of a lawsuit brought by Tampa area students who attended FMU and who claimed that admissions officers hid the fact that many of the credits there don't transfer.

FMU officials had long maintained they never misled students, and that any transfer problems had more to do with a college or university's prejudice against for-profit schools.

Nevertheless, FMU promised to help find agreements with other schools that allow an easier transfer for students.

The school also agreed to avoid advertising inflated salaries or standards of living its prospective students might enjoy upon graduation. Officials also promised to better train its admissions officers and to clarify refund policies for students who opt to drop courses.

Under the settlement, the school must give records to the attorney general showing it is complying with the agreement.

The agreement came just weeks after Corinthian Colleges settled a lawsuit with the attorney general in California, where the company is based. Corinthian agreed to pay $6.5 million to settle claims it exaggerated its record of placing students in well-paying jobs. Most of that was paid in restitution to students.

Reporter Adam Emerson can be reached at (813) 259-8285 or aemerson@tampatrib.com.

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