The institution’s fate rests with an appeal submitted to the U.S. Department of Education.
Classes at Florida Coastal School of Law could end in about five weeks unless the U.S. Department of Education grants an appeal submitted after its denial of the school’s continued access to the Title IV federal student loan program.
Florida Coastal President and Dean Peter Goplerud said July 1 the school is operating under a teach-out plan approved by the American Bar Association that was automatically triggered when the student loan program access was denied.
The teach-out plan facilitates students transferring to other law schools or completing their law degree as a visiting student at another law school.
The Gombos | Leyton law firm in Fairfax, Virginia, representing Florida Coastal, filed the appeal May 24.
The document disputes the government’s conclusions that Florida Coastal failed to meet financial responsibility, fiduciary and other standards required for participation in federal student loan programs.
“The Decision is factually deficient and shot through with errors and faulty assumptions. As such, it cannot withstand judicial scrutiny. Although we hope that the Department will rescind the Decision, FCSL is committed to protecting its rights and will seek judicial review of the Decision if compelled to do so,” the appeal states.