Latest news with #BenjaminBrown
Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
A turning point for student mobility: How the DIGNITY Act could redefine America's academic gateways
The promise of a fair shot at higher education has long been a cornerstone of the American academic ideal. Yet a new lawsuit contends that some of America's most revered universities have been quietly undermining that principle, not through admissions quotas or test score thresholds, but by using the very mechanism designed to give students an edge: The early decision process. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now On Friday, a proposed class-action suit filed in Boston federal court alleged that 32 elite institutions, among them Columbia University, Duke University, and the University of Pennsylvania, conspired to keep tuition artificially high by exploiting early decision commitments to limit competition and erode applicants' bargaining power. The mechanics of the alleged collusion Early decision admissions require students to apply months ahead of regular deadlines and to commit to enrolling if accepted, regardless of competing offers or financial aid prospects. While such applicants are often admitted at higher rates, critics argue the system benefits wealthier families who can commit without waiting for comparative aid packages. According to the complaint, the universities entered into agreements not to recruit or offer better deals to one another's early decision admits. This arrangement, plaintiffs argue, allowed the institutions to control pricing, inflate tuition, and disadvantage both early decision and regular decision applicants. Violation of antitrust law The plaintiffs, former students of Wesleyan University and two other schools, claim the arrangement violates US antitrust law. 'Early decision applicants lose choice and negotiation leverage, while regular decision applicants are left to scramble for an artificially diminished number of admission slots doled out at lower acceptance rates,' said Benjamin Brown, lead attorney for the case, to Reuters. The suit also asserts that universities misled students by portraying early decision agreements as legally binding, despite the lack of legal enforceability. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The institutions named Beyond Columbia, Duke, and Penn, the defendants include Amherst College, Northwestern University, Vassar College, Wesleyan University, the University of Chicago, and Johns Hopkins University. The Consortium on Financing Higher Education (COFHE), a network of private liberal arts institutions, is also cited, accused of facilitating the alleged anti-competitive practices through data sharing and policy alignment. No immediate defence Columbia and Penn declined to comment, while Duke, Vassar, Wesleyan, and others offered no immediate response. COFHE also remained silent. Legal experts note that institutions often withhold public statements in early litigation stages to avoid jeopardising legal strategy. Potential fallout The plaintiffs seek damages for tuition overcharges affecting early decision applicants since 2021 and some regular decision students. They also aim to ban binding early decision practices outright, a move that could force a significant shift in how elite universities shape their incoming classes. Should the court rule in the plaintiffs' favour, the decision could upend decades of admissions strategy and dismantle a process long accused of perpetuating socioeconomic disparities. A system under scrutiny This legal challenge adds to growing criticism of US college admissions following the Supreme Court's dismantling of race-conscious admissions policies in 2023. While universities have defended early decision as a tool for yield management and campus planning, opponents view it as a mechanism that deepens inequality by locking students into commitments before they can fully assess their financial options. With billions in potential tuition revenue on the line and the admissions landscape already in flux, the case could mark a decisive moment for transparency and competition in American higher education.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Elite US universities including Columbia, Duke and Penn accused of colluding to hike tuition through early decision scheme
The promise of a fair shot at higher education has long been a cornerstone of the American academic ideal. Yet a new lawsuit contends that some of America's most revered universities have been quietly undermining that principle, not through admissions quotas or test score thresholds, but by using the very mechanism designed to give students an edge: the early decision process. On Friday, a proposed class-action suit filed in Boston federal court alleged that 32 elite institutions, among them Columbia University, Duke University, and the University of Pennsylvania, conspired to keep tuition artificially high by exploiting early decision commitments to limit competition and erode applicants' bargaining power. The mechanics of the alleged collusion Early decision admissions require students to apply months ahead of regular deadlines and to commit to enrolling if accepted, regardless of competing offers or financial aid prospects. While such applicants are often admitted at higher rates, critics argue that the system benefits wealthier families who can commit without waiting for comparative aid packages. According to the complaint, the universities entered into agreements not to recruit or offer better deals to one another's early decision admits. This arrangement, plaintiffs argue, allowed the institutions to control pricing, inflate tuition, and disadvantage both early decision and regular decision applicants. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like With temperatures hitting 95°F, this is the mini air conditioner everyone's buying in the U.S News of the Discovery Undo Violation of antitrust law The plaintiffs, former students of Wesleyan University and two other schools, claim the arrangement violates US antitrust law. 'Early decision applicants lose choice and negotiation leverage, while regular decision applicants are left to scramble for an artificially diminished number of admission slots doled out at lower acceptance rates,' said Benjamin Brown, lead attorney for the case. The suit also asserts that universities misled students by portraying early decision agreements as legally binding, despite the lack of legal enforceability. The institutions named Beyond Columbia, Duke, and Penn, the defendants include Amherst College, Northwestern University, Vassar College, Wesleyan University, the University of Chicago, and Johns Hopkins University. The Consortium on Financing Higher Education (COFHE), a network of private liberal arts institutions, is also cited, accused of facilitating the alleged anti-competitive practices through data sharing and policy alignment. No immediate defence Columbia and Penn declined to comment, while Duke, Vassar, Wesleyan, and others offered no immediate response. COFHE also remained silent. Legal experts note that institutions often withhold public statements in early litigation stages to avoid jeopardising legal strategy. Potential fallout The plaintiffs seek damages for tuition overcharges affecting early decision applicants since 2021 and some regular decision students. They also aim to ban binding early decision practices outright, a move that could force a significant shift in how elite universities shape their incoming classes. Should the court rule in the plaintiffs' favour, the decision could upend decades of admissions strategy and dismantle a process long accused of perpetuating socioeconomic disparities. A system under scrutiny This legal challenge adds to growing criticism of US college admissions following the Supreme Court's dismantling of race-conscious admissions policies in 2023. While universities have defended early decision as a tool for yield management and campus planning, opponents view it as a mechanism that deepens inequality by locking students into commitments before they can fully assess their financial options. With billions in potential tuition revenue on the line and the admissions landscape already in flux, the case could mark a decisive moment for transparency and competition in American higher education. Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
CNN
26-03-2025
- CNN
4 US Army soldiers go missing during Lithuanian training mission
Four US Army soldiers went missing during a training mission close to Lithuania's border with Belarus, military officials said Wednesday, and a search is underway. The soldiers were reported missing on Tuesday in a training area near the city of Pabrade at approximately 4:45 p.m. (10:45 a.m. ET), the Lithuanian Armed Forces said in a Wednesday statement. 'The soldiers, all from 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, were conducting scheduled tactical training at the time of the incident,' the US Army Europe and Africa said in a statement. Search and recovery efforts involve the US Army, Lithuanian Armed Forces, Lithuanian law enforcement and others, the US Army added. According to the Lithuanian Armed Forces, helicopters and members of the country's border guard are also involved in the search. The US has maintained a presence in Eastern Europe and the Baltic region since 2014, in an operation called 'Atlantic Resolve,' following Russia's invasion of Crimea. Lithuania, a member of both NATO and the European Union, hosts hundreds of American troops, who are stationed on a rotational basis. A US military camp named Camp Herkus was established in Pabrade in August 2021, Lithuania's Ministry of National Defence announced in a statement at the time. It is equipped to house up to 700 soldiers, or 1000 on a short-term basis, according to the Lithuanian Armed Forces. This is a developing story and will be updated. CNN's Benjamin Brown contributed to this report.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Yahoo
4 US Army soldiers go missing during Lithuanian training mission
Four US Army soldiers went missing during a training mission close to Lithuania's border with Belarus, military officials said Wednesday, and a search is underway. The soldiers were reported missing on Tuesday in a training area near the city of Pabrade at approximately 4:45 p.m. (10:45 a.m. ET), the Lithuanian Armed Forces said in a Wednesday statement. 'The soldiers, all from 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, were conducting scheduled tactical training at the time of the incident,' the US Army Europe and Africa said in a statement. Search and recovery efforts involve the US Army, Lithuanian Armed Forces, Lithuanian law enforcement and others, the US Army added. According to the Lithuanian Armed Forces, helicopters and members of the country's border guard are also involved in the search. The US has maintained a presence in Eastern Europe and the Baltic region since 2014, in an operation called 'Atlantic Resolve,' following Russia's invasion of Crimea. Lithuania, a member of both NATO and the European Union, hosts hundreds of American troops, who are stationed on a rotational basis. A US military camp named Camp Herkus was established in Pabrade in August 2021, Lithuania's Ministry of National Defence announced in a statement at the time. It is equipped to house up to 700 soldiers, or 1000 on a short-term basis, according to the Lithuanian Armed Forces. This is a developing story and will be updated. CNN's Benjamin Brown contributed to this report.
CNN
26-03-2025
- CNN
4 US Army soldiers go missing during Lithuanian training mission
Four US Army soldiers went missing during a training mission close to Lithuania's border with Belarus, military officials said Wednesday, and a search is underway. The soldiers were reported missing on Tuesday in a training area near the city of Pabrade at approximately 4:45 p.m. (10:45 a.m. ET), the Lithuanian Armed Forces said in a Wednesday statement. 'The soldiers, all from 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, were conducting scheduled tactical training at the time of the incident,' the US Army Europe and Africa said in a statement. Search and recovery efforts involve the US Army, Lithuanian Armed Forces, Lithuanian law enforcement and others, the US Army added. According to the Lithuanian Armed Forces, helicopters and members of the country's border guard are also involved in the search. The US has maintained a presence in Eastern Europe and the Baltic region since 2014, in an operation called 'Atlantic Resolve,' following Russia's invasion of Crimea. Lithuania, a member of both NATO and the European Union, hosts hundreds of American troops, who are stationed on a rotational basis. A US military camp named Camp Herkus was established in Pabrade in August 2021, Lithuania's Ministry of National Defence announced in a statement at the time. It is equipped to house up to 700 soldiers, or 1000 on a short-term basis, according to the Lithuanian Armed Forces. This is a developing story and will be updated. CNN's Benjamin Brown contributed to this report.
