U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) called the decision by the Department of Defense to reinstate the University of Phoenix to the DOD's Tuition Assistance Program "a victory for due process and basic fairness.”
U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said last week he was pleased that the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) has reinstated the University of Phoenix’s eligibility for DOD tuition assistance.
“Today’s decision by the Department of Defense to reinstate the University of Phoenix’s ability to participate in DOD's Tuition Assistance Program is a victory for due process and basic fairness,” McCain said, noting his discomfort with the DOD’s earlier “unfair” targeting of the institution by denying it categorical access to tuition assistance for active duty personnel and veterans.
McCain defended the University of Phoenix’s fulfillment of all federal laws in its quest to educate the nation’s service veterans and called out the DOD for allegedly placing the university on probation without sufficient evidence.
“The University of Phoenix has complied with all applicable laws, rules and regulations while providing more than 80,000 service members and veterans with post-secondary degrees,” McCain said. “With today’s decision, I hope the university will continue to serve working adults, veterans and single parents free from ideological bias or undue political influence.”
McCain and U.S. Sens. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) had drafted a letter to Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter in October imploring him to re-evaluate the DOD’s decision.