South University is a part of a larger corporation known as EDMC online higher education.
EDMC has several "brands" that they run as online universities the names of which are the Art Institute Online, Argosy University and South University. They also control a few others such as Brown Mackie, etc.
They have two locations, one in Pittsburgh and one in Phoenix. At both locations they have large buildings packed with what are conveniently named Assistant Directors of Admission. These titles were created to make them sound important but what they really are is salesman. Salesman paid a commission to get people to go to school with their online university. They break several laws every working day of their lives and they do so because they would like to keep their jobs first of all, but they want a huge raise and a promotion too. Breaking Title IV laws by paying a commission isn't all where the illegality goes with this school. One of the heads of the online department Sam Yaghoubi hides in Phoenix with his illegal hacking software that tells him when potential students read emails from the schools and then directs Assistants to contact them because he knows they are at the computer and looking at his email. They also lie to potential students on the phone about important matters such as their admissions process and financial aid.
All this is done to make you apply and then log into class and complete the first few assignments. Once you are that far into the process they are done with you. Once you've logged in and completed 2 assignments they now have at least one class worth of money out of you. Sure, there is an add/drop period like any other school, the only difference is that they don't answer the phone or return calls until that period passes so you "count" for their commissions based Matrix pay scale.
I see a lot of complaints on this site about the particular school and about their teaching and things of that nature. The reason all of those things are lacking is because this company isn't in the business of education, they are in the business of SALES. They sell people a product that barely lives up to a 10th of it's cost or lure. That is why their former president took off before the crap hit the fan with this company coming down like a house of cards. Their back-up plan was to hurry up and switch to a publicly traded company to polish their imagine but they are still up to the same old illegal processes. I urge anyone to make sure that you open your mouth about this company and any of it's schools at whatever venue that you possibly can. This company is a giant bleeding your hard earned money and federal financial aid. They might be a giant but remember the bigger they are the harder they fall. Eventually someone is going to do something about it.
But hey, don't take my word for it if you don't want to. They are a publicly traded company now. Buy 1 share of stock and go there and see for yourself. They have to let you in; they have to answer your questions. They have to show you their matrix and how they illegally pay their employees a commission based on the number of students they enroll every six months. Ask to sit in and see what their assistant directors of admission actually do that effects the rise and fall of your stock. Actually, ask them why one Assistant Director makes 70 grand, and another Assistant Director with the same position and title is making only 32 grand. That's a pretty big difference for two people doing the same job wouldn't you say? That just usually means that one is better at lying than the other and talks more people into going to school. Sounds a lot like one salesman is better at selling washers than the other right? They can't say it's because one has worked there for a long time and the other person is new. The school is only 5 years old, and if ANYONE can get a job that's not commission based and achieve a 120% pay raise in 5 years I'd love to see it. There isn't anyone that's been working there for 5 years anyway. The place is a revolving door, need to get fresh blood in constantly to keep the selling numbers up.
If you've been a victim of this company I suggest that you let any higher learning authority know as soon as possible and if you know several people like you try to get together and organize contacting people that can help you. The higher learning commission and the department of education is a good start.
Companies like this make me sick to see how they are blatantly taking advantage of people and breaking the law when all these individuals want is to better their lives. I can't wait until an employee from EDMC tries to rebut my posting and accuses me of being a fired employee or something like that. I'll save you the trouble. NOPE I never worked there I just have a lot of connections, and if you are going to rebut anyway, start with explaining how you don't lie on the phone and how the commission matrix isn't illegal. That would be a great start. Bet you can't do it.
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