Trump’s Failing Personnel Policy

Today InsideHigherEd.com reports the departure from the U.S. Department of Education of the second Trump Education appointee encharged with administering the Federal student aid program. A. Wayne Johnson, who earned a Doctorate in “Academic Administration” from Mercer University, will run for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by the retiring Johnny Isaccson. “His first campaign proposal is a call for canceling up to $50,000 in student debt for anyone holding federal loans. He also wants to make the same amount available as a grant for students to cover postsecondary education, including workforce training and vocational programs.”

Despite Johnson’s protests that nothing but major legislation can reform the bloated student loan program, there is one very simple remedy. “Regional accreditation” is conferred by recognition of regional “agencies” that grant access to federal student loans. Their requirement that regionally accredited colleges and universities must operate from physical campuses blocks solely Internet based colleges from attaining regional accreditation.

Compel all the regional agencies to withdraw that “Standard” of accreditation and, essentially, you have broken the back of a higher education Cartel responsible for high tuition costs.

Perhaps, if Johnson had majored in an academic subject instead of “Academic Administration” he would understand that major legislation is not necessary and proposing the cancellation of student debt is not financially responsible. We should leave that to Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.

Behind this absurdity is a lack of “policy” for the appointment of Trump Administration personnel. In the absence of that we find three sources for Trump Administration appointments: the extremely wealthy; ex-Generals and Admirals and Republicans connected to the GOP Establishment.