“Governor Andrew Cuomo delivered his annual State of the State remarks today in which he celebrated New York’s commitment to choice and opportunity for students to pursue higher education. The Association of Proprietary Colleges (APC) shares that commitment to providing access for all students, especially those who are under-represented, minority students, or the first in their family to attend college.
In his remarks today, Governor Cuomo once again advanced a proposal that would impose certain accountability measures on proprietary colleges to ensure institutions are adequately preparing students for life after graduation. Like the Governor, APC and its members are committed to transparency and accountability in education and, most of all, to ensuring the success of students. We continue to urge the Governor to hold all institutions accountable – not just proprietary ones – because all students pursuing post-secondary education in New York State deserve to attend high quality institutions. APC’s member colleges already meet the same rigorous standards imposed on all of New York State’s institutions of higher education. As to the Governor’s call for greater transparency from proprietary institutions, last year APC voluntarily published on its website financial data and other key information pertaining to its member colleges, including:
- Institutional expenditures per student for FY 2017
- Institutional advertising expenses for FY 2018 and the percentage of overall expenses spent on advertising
- Institutional federal “90/10” ratio for FY 2018
- Institutional federal financial responsibility composite score for AY 2016-17
- Institutional federal 3-year cohort default rate for AY 2016
The 12 privately held, primarily family-owned, degree-granting colleges that make up APC’s membership have a long history of educating students and preparing them for successful careers. Thanks to the vision of the New York Legislature, New York State Department of Education, and other groups, New York is a prime example of how all sectors of higher education can work together to develop common sense regulations that ensure students have access to the affordable, high quality academic institutions to meet their needs.”
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The Board of Trustees of the Association of Proprietary Colleges (APC) announced it has elected a new chairman and vice chairman. Dr. David M. Cohen, J.D., president of Five Towns College (FTC) will serve as chairman, and Dr. Francis J. Felser, president and chief executive officer of Bryant & Stratton College will serve as vice-chairman.
Dr. Cohen succeeds David Conklin, president of Jamestown Business College who had served as board chair since 2016. Dr. Felser replaces Charles E. Callahan III, provost of Plaza College in the role of vice-chairman.
“I am excited to take on this new role at a pivotal time for our association,” said Cohen. “We have made tremendous progress over the last few years thanks to the leadership and dedication of our immediate past chairman David Conklin, vice-chair Chuck Callahan and the entire board. I look forward to building on our momentum, increasing awareness of our excellent student outcomes, and maintaining the strong working relationships we have built with many supporters in the NY State Legislature.”
Dr. David M. Cohen is the President of Five Towns College (FTC), located in Dix Hills, Long Island, NY. Cohen has had a long-term affiliation with FTC and was appointed to his current post in 2016. Prior to that, he served as President of the Institute of Audio Research (NYC) and as Provost/Chief Academic Officer at Briarcliffe College (Bethpage, NY). Prior to his appointment at Briarcliffe, he served in various capacities at Five Towns for a period spanning 22 years, including as Provost/CAO, Dean of Administration, Director of Financial Aid, and as a member of the Business Division Faculty.
Cohen has served as a Commissioner for the Accrediting Commission of Career School and Colleges (ACCSC), and as a Team Chair and Evaluator for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). He has also served on accreditation teams representing the New York State Board of Regents.
Cohen is graduate of New York Law School and has been admitted to the bars of New York, New Jersey and Florida. He received his bachelor’s degree from SUNY at Oneonta.
Dr. Francis J. Felser is the current President and Chief Executive Officer of Bryant & Stratton College (B&S). Felser joined the College in 1991 as a Vice President and State Operations Director. Since that time, he has held various positions at the College, including as Chief Academic Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Administrative Officer. Felser’s extensive background, knowledge, skills, and passion for education has resulted in many improvements and contributions to the success of Bryant & Stratton College over his career.
Prior to joining the College, Felser worked as a certified public accountant. He earned his undergraduate degree in accounting & mathematics from Canisius College, later followed by a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Buffalo and a doctorate of management & organizational leadership from the University of Phoenix. In addition to his role on Bryant & Stratton College’s Board of Directors, Felser serves as a Commissioner for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
“Our association is extremely fortunate to have David and Fran take the reins as chair and vice-chair respectively,” said Donna Gurnett, president and CEO of APC. “The board selected two higher education leaders who have shown a commitment to excellence and a dedication to their students, which are characteristics that we strongly believe in as an association. While this continues to be a challenging time for our membership, I believe that we have the right group in place to advocate on behalf of the more than 26,000 students we serve.”