Iowa’s Secretary of State says he has concerns about having the University of Phoenix open a campus in Iowa. The University of Phoenix is currently operating campuses in 30 states, but is primarily teaching students on-line. The school wants to open a campus in Des Moines, and the application is being reviewed by Secretary of State Chet Culver. Culver says there have been a number of concerns raised, including questions about the university’s graduation rate and the quality of its programs. Culver met this morning with the state advisory committee for postsecondary school registration to discuss the issue.Culver says he’s concerned about whether a University of Phoenix campus in Des Moines would have adequate faculty and staff on the scene.Culver says the leaders of Drake, Simpson, D-MACC, Grandview and A-I-B have raised questions about the University of Phoenix. Culver says he intends to make a decision on whether to allow a University of Phoenix campus in Iowa “in the near future.”Culver says he is also concerned about the application process, and he may ask lawmakers to change the procedure for getting state permission to open a new college campus in Iowa. During his six years as Secretary of State, Culver says he has approved “a few” campus expansions. The University of Phoenix is said to have 200-thousand students, most taking classes on-line.
