This is so sad!
MIAMI LAKES, Fla. (WSVN) -- The president and founder of Dade Medical College and the University of Southernmost Florida announced Friday that all campuses and the corporate offices have closed for good, leaving students, faculty and staff demanding answers.
Ernesto Perez sent a letter to students and staff announcing the immediate closure of the schools. He did not give a reason why.
When 7News arrived at the Miami Lakes campus, Friday afternoon, approximately 30 students were standing outside, some for class and others to inquire about the e-mail they received announcing the campuses' closure. Some of them chanted, "We want our degree" over and over.
"I actually showed up today because I had lab today from 1 to 10 [p.m.]," said student Irene Pantoja. "As soon as we walked in, the professor said that she was not going to give us class 'cause she hasn't been paid for the last three weeks, and then she sent us on lunch break."
An hour or so later, the doors at six campuses were locked for good. "On our lunch break, we received an e-mail stating that the school was closed," said Pantoja.
In his letter, Perez stated that all six campuses, from South Florida to Jacksonville, would close Friday afternoon. It read in part, "Today it is with great sadness that I must announce that Dade Medical College and the University of Southernmost Florida will be closing, effective October 30, 2015, across all of our campuses and our corporate offices."
"I used to work here, until today at 2 p.m.," said Ramon Gonzalez, a professor of anatomy and physiology.
More than 500 professors and staff have been left unpaid for weeks of work. "The last paycheck was completely unfunded in the bank ... it was fake," said Gonzalez.
Employees were instructed to file for unemployment immediately.
One student said she received an e-mail from her professor stating she also recently found out about the closing. In the e-mail, she asked students to refrain from contacting her, referring them to the corporate office instead.
Approximately 2,000 students attended the two-year college, and more than 500 employees worked there. Some have worked at this college since it opened its doors in 1999.
Even though professors' last paychecks didn't clear, tuition payments to the college were still cashing out from student's bank accounts on Friday night. "For me to get that diploma in my hands from the school, I had to be in zero debt, zero balance from the school, which right now, I'm [at] zero balance," said student Elizabeth Gonzalez.
Elizabeth said she was just two weeks from walking at graduation, after having paid $47,000. Another student told 7News that she only had three classes left to graduate.
Many students are in a similar situation and must find another way to get their college degree. "This was a next step for me, for better living for my kids, and they took that away," said student Joanne Saint Tolbert.
One student said they found a flier for another college placed on the campus door. These colleges may be willing to step in and help the students take the next steps to graduating.
Students are so desperate for answers that a handful of them showed up at Perez's Coral Gables home, Friday night. "Who's going to give us the money back? Who's going to credit our classes?" said a student.
Even there, they got no answers. 7News called Perez at his home, and the person who answered said they would pass along the message.
Students and faculty members said they plan to return to several of the campuses Monday morning to demand their transcripts and paychecks.
sailornurse
1,231 Posts
Bold above, correction of grammar, sorry, had to do it.
I taught at Vista College for LPNs. It is for profit. No pre-reqs, no entrance exam, they take anyone who is willing to take out $34,000 student loans. They do not even consider high school GPAs!
Quite a few of the students I taught had flunked out of local community colleges or worse could not even get admitted. AnaMarc was another school in El Paso TX that also suddenly closed down overnight, charges of embezzlement by emlpoyee that was family member of the founders. Vista College took in about 40 of their LPN students. One Vista student had Bachelor's Psychology, some of the students are intelligent and had very good academic skills, most did not have solid educational foundations/study skills/time management and "floundered". For example: for a 3 credit med-surg class one student told the director that he spent "45 minutes per week reading", he took no notes, & could not understand why he was flunking all courses. He also thought 70% average was "pretty good grade".