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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | 3 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2016
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | NOTE 12: COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES DeVry Group is subject to lawsuits, administrative proceedings, regulatory reviews and investigations associated with financial assistance programs and other matters arising in the normal conduct of its business. The following is a description of pending legal and regulatory matters that may be considered other than ordinary, routine and incidental to the business. Descriptions of certain matters from prior SEC filings may not be carried forward in this report to the extent we believe such matters no longer are required to be disclosed or there has not been, to our knowledge, significant activity relating to them. The timing or outcome of the following matters, or their possible impact on DeVry Group’s business, financial condition or results of operations, cannot be predicted at this time. The continued defense, resolution or settlement of any of the following matters could require us to expend significant resources and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows and result in the imposition of significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate. In April 2013, DeVry Group received a Civil Investigative Demand (a “CID”) issued by the Office of the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The CID was issued in connection with an investigation into whether DeVry Group caused false claims and/or false statements to be submitted to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts relating to student loans, guarantees, and grants provided to DeVry Group’s Massachusetts students and required DeVry Group to answer interrogatories and to provide documents relating to periods on or after January 1, 2007. DeVry Group responded to the CID in May 2013. In July 2016, DeVry Group received a second CID from the Office requesting information regarding advertising, admissions materials, placement rates, and credit/transferability agreements. DeVry Group is in the process of responding to the second CID. On July 15, 2014, DeVry Group received a letter dated July 9, 2014 from the New York Office of the Attorney General (“NYOAG”). The letter requested cooperation with the NYOAG’s inquiry into whether recent television advertisements and website marketing regarding DeVry University may have violated federal and state laws prohibiting false advertising and deceptive practices. The letter requested relevant information from January 1, 2011, to the date of the aforementioned letter request to enable NYOAG to make a determination of what action, if any, is warranted. DeVry Group has produced, and continues to produce, responsive information in cooperation with the NYOAG’s inquiry, and presently is in discussions with the NYOAG Staff to address certain concerns the Staff has raised that could form the basis for potential claims by the NYOAG if not addressed to the Staff’s satisfaction. On August 28, 2015, DeVry University received a request for documents and information regarding published employment outcomes and relative earnings information of DeVry University graduates from the Multi-Regional and Foreign School Participation Division of the Federal Student Aid office of the Department of Education (“ED FSA”). The stated purpose of the request was to permit ED FSA to assess DeVry University's compliance with applicable regulations under Title IV. On January 27, 2016, DeVry University received a Notice of Intent to Limit from ED FSA (the “January 2016 Notice”), based on a portion of its pending August 28, 2015 inquiry, informing DeVry University of ED FSA’s intention to impose certain limitations on the participation of DeVry University in programs authorized pursuant to Title IV. The proposed limitations relate to representations in advertising and marketing, regarding the post-graduation employment outcomes of DeVry University students over a period from 1975 to October 1980 (the “Since 1975 Representation”). DeVry University requested a hearing regarding ED’s proposed limitations and, on October 13, 2016, reached a negotiated settlement agreement with ED regarding the January 2016 Notice (the “ED Settlement”). Under the terms of the ED Settlement, among other things, without admitting wrongdoing, DeVry University (1) may no longer make representations regarding the graduate employment outcomes of DeVry University graduates from 1975 to October 1980, including advertising regarding the cumulative graduate employment outcomes since 1975, (2) will maintain or undertake certain recordkeeping and compliance practices to support future representations regarding graduate employment rates and (3) will post a notice on its website and in its enrollment agreements regarding the Since 1975 Representation. The ED Settlement also provides that, except for Heightened Cash Monitoring 1 status, ED will not impose conditions on the timing of, or documentation requirements for, disbursement of aid due to matters relating to lack of substantiation for the Since 1975 Representation. As a result of the ED Settlement, DeVry University’s participation in the Title IV programs will be subject to provisional certification for five years and DeVry University will be required to post a letter of credit equal to the greater of 10% of DeVry University’s annual Title IV disbursements or $68.4 million for a five-year period. Institutions under provisional certification must obtain ED approval before it may award or disburse Title IV funds based on a substantial change, including the establishment of a new location or the addition of an educational program. Provisional certification status also carries fewer due process protections than full certification. As a result, ED may withdraw an institution’s provisional certification more easily than if it is fully certified. Provisional certification does not otherwise limit access to Title IV program funds by students attending the institution. On January 27, 2016, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) filed a civil complaint (the “FTC lawsuit”) against DeVry Group, DeVry University, Inc., and DeVry/New York Inc. (collectively, the “DeVry Group Defendants”) in the United States District Court for the Central District of California alleging that certain of DeVry University’s advertising claims were false or misleading or unsubstantiated at the time they were made in violation of Section 5(a) of the Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. § 45(a), as amended (the “FTC Act”). The advertising claims at issue relate to DeVry University graduates’ employment rates and earnings relative to graduates of other colleges and universities. The lawsuit seeks permanent injunctive relief against future alleged violations of the FTC Act, reimbursement of FTC costs, and such other relief as the court deems necessary to redress any consumer injury from the alleged violations, including rescission or reformation of contracts, restitution, the refund of monies paid, and the disgorgement of ill-gotten monies. The lawsuit followed the previously reported receipt of a CID from the FTC dated January 28, 2014. Since the filing of FTC’s lawsuit, the DeVry Group Defendants answered the FTC’s complaint, denying all allegations of wrongdoing and asserting certain defenses to the FTC’s claims. The court has entered a scheduling order that includes key litigation deadlines culminating in a trial beginning March 13, 2018. On May 13, 2016, a putative class action lawsuit was filed by the Pension Trust Fund for Operation Engineers, individually and on behalf of others similarly situated, against DeVry Group, Daniel Hamburger, Richard M. Gunst, and Timothy J. Wiggins in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The complaint was filed on behalf of a putative class of persons who purchased DeVry Group common stock between February 4, 2011 and January 27, 2016. Citing the FTC lawsuit and the U.S. Department of Education’s (“ED”) January 2016 Notice, the plaintiffs claim that defendants made false or misleading statements regarding DeVry University’s graduate employment rate and the earnings of DeVry University graduates relative to the graduates of other universities and colleges. As a result of these false or misleading statements about DeVry University graduate outcomes, plaintiffs allege, defendants overstated DeVry Group’s growth, revenue and earnings potential and made false or misleading statements about DeVry Group’s business, operations and prospects. The plaintiffs allege direct liability against all defendants for violations of §10(b) and Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act and asserted liability against the individual defendants pursuant to § 20(a) of the Exchange Act. The plaintiffs seek monetary damages, interest, attorneys’ fees, costs and other unspecified relief. On July 13, 2016, the Utah Retirement System moved for appointment as lead plaintiff and approval of its selection of counsel, which was not opposed by the Pension Trust Fund for Operation Engineers and was approved on August 24, 2016. The Utah Retirement System has until November 8, 2016 to submit an amended compliant as lead plaintiff. On or about June 21, 2016, T’Lani Robinson and Robby Brown filed an arbitration demand with the American Arbitration Association in Chicago, seeking to represent a putative class of students who received a DeVry University education from January 1, 2008 until April 8, 2016. Following DeVry Group’s filing of a declaratory judgment action in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois seeking, among other things, an order declaring that federal court is the appropriate venue for this putative class action, on September 12, 2016, T’Lani Robinson and Robby Brown voluntarily withdrew their demand for arbitration. On September 20, 2016, Robinson and Brown answered the declaratory judgement action and filed a putative class action counterclaim (the “Robinson Complaint”), individually and on behalf of others similarly situated, against DeVry Group Inc., DeVry University, Inc., and DeVry/New York, Inc. in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The counterclaim, which, following a stipulated dismissal of the arbitration demand and the declaratory action was realigned by the court as a claim, is predicated on the same core allegations as the FTC lawsuit, and asserts causes of action for breach of contract, misrepresentation, concealment, negligence, violations of the Illinois Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act, the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Trade Practices Act, and the Illinois Private Business and Vocational Schools Act, conversion, unjust enrichment, and declaratory relief. The plaintiffs seek monetary, declaratory, injunctive, and other unspecified relief. On October 14, 2016, a putative class action lawsuit was filed by six former DeVry University students, Debbie Petrizzo, Renee Heather Polly, Brandy Van Buren, Melissa Lotzman, Jamison Purry and Cheryl Costello, individually and on behalf of others similarly situated, against the DeVry Group Defendants in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The complaint was filed on behalf of a putative class of persons consisting of those who enrolled in and/or attended classes at DeVry University from at least 2002 through the present and who were unable to find employment within their chosen field of study within six months of graduation. Citing the FTC lawsuit, the plaintiffs claim that defendants made false or misleading statements regarding DeVry University’s graduate employment rate and assert claims for unjust enrichment and violations of six different states’ consumer fraud, unlawful trade practices, and consumer protection laws. The plaintiffs seek monetary, declaratory, injunctive, and other unspecified relief. On October 28, 2016, a putative class action lawsuit was filed by twelve individuals, Jairo Jara, Elijah Morgan, Steven Nickens, Julie Ramroop, Jorge Rivas, David Viglielmo, Jennifer Wallace, Suzane Apodaca, Jorge Munoz, Alex Haberer, Annette Pearson, and Thomas Pearson, individually and on behalf of others similarly situated, against the DeVry Group Defendants in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The individual plaintiffs claim to have graduated from DeVry University in 2001 or later and seek to proceed on behalf of a putative class of persons consisting of those who obtained a degree from DeVry University and who were unable to find employment within their chosen field of study within six months of graduation. Citing the FTC lawsuit, the plaintiffs claim that defendants made false or misleading statements regarding DeVry University’s graduate employment rate and assert claims for unjust enrichment and violations of ten different states’ consumer fraud, unlawful trade practices, and consumer protection laws. The plaintiffs seek monetary, declaratory, injunctive, and other unspecified relief.

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