Brooks officials deny allegations

Investigation continues into former employee’s claims of enrollment improprieties.

By David Downs
South Coast Beacon

Ah, the joys of a prestigious private school: small classes, ample supplies, cooked books?

Some 2,000 students of the Brooks Institute of Photography registered for classes this week amid an investigation into alleged forgeries and enrollment inflation by the new corporate owners of the private school.

Ex-Brooks registrar Cam Van Wingerden complained this fall to Brooks and the American Council of Independent Colleges and Schools that certain officials lied to national accreditors about enrollment and other benchmarks of academics.

American Council Executive Director Dr. Steven Eggland said he gets about four of these types of complaints every year from different schools, and they are asking for more information from Van Wingerden.

Brooks vigorously denies any charges, and school management took their message to the campus this week. Several officials from Brooks’ high-flying parent company Career Education Coporation (CEC) talked to students, faculty, staff and parents.

“A thorough investigation of allegations raised by a disgruntled former employee of Brooks Institute of Photography has shown that the allegations are false, malicious and possibly libelous,” the CEC said in a statement.

Despite the denial, CEC’s stock nosedived from $51 to $31 the day after Van Wingerden’s complaint went public Dec. 4. As of Tuesday, shares in CEC traded at about $39.

Meanwhile, a fired CEC employee in New Jersey sued the company this year over charges similar to the ones in the Brooks’ investigation.

Eggland said CEC has been told to keep the council apprised of developments in that case.

Some say that the three-year corporate ownership of the prestigious school is not going well.

The corporation boosted enrollment to 2,000 from 350 while cutting academic excellence to increase profits, said a Brooks graduate turned employee. Now a photographer in Morro Bay, Michael Mariant said he trusts Van Wingerden’s complaint after working with her on campus.

“The thrust was no longer on the quality of the education; it was more on management’s desire that as many students were enrolled as possible and no student was left behind,” he said. “(Van Wingerden’s) always been very honest and I don’t question her claims. She’s very strong willed. She goes by the book and does what she was supposed to do.”

The CEC said its mission remains “quality, career-focused learning led by passionate professionals who inspire individual worth and lifelong achievement.”

After the investigation ends, ACICS may ask for changes at Brooks, but probably won’t revoke the school’s accreditation. “We can, but that is unlikely,” Eggland said.

Eggland said the council could have news on its investigation in as soon as three weeks.