Baker College under investigation for marketing practices

The Department of Education has reportedly opened an investigation into Baker College’s marketing and recruiting practices following an article last year by The Detroit Free Press and ProPublica that revealed the college spent more on marketing and recruiting than on student financial aid.

Facing a probe by the Department of Education, Baker College officials have pledged transparency while remaining tight-lipped about the investigation, The Detroit Free Press reported.

“First and foremost, I firmly believe in our organization’s integrity. Recent headlines referencing Baker College have raised concerns, and I want to address them directly,” Baker president Jacqui Spicer wrote to employees in an email obtained by the paper. “As an institution driven by a student-first philosophy, we are fully committed to the success of our students. In situations where claims are made that disrupt our mission, we must remain transparent and united.”

Baker—a nonprofit private college in Michigan—reported total enrollment of 4,969 students in fall 2021 and a six-year graduation rate of 15 percent, according to the latest federal data available.