State Attorney General’s Office looking into circumstances surrounding PTC’s closure, loss of assets

OAKDALE, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office tells 11 Investigates, “We are reviewing the circumstances of the impending closure and any transfer or loss of assets. Any student who wishes to file a complaint with our Bureau of Consumer Protection may do so, as a step in assessing available options.”

For the last year, 11 Investigates’ Amy Hudak has been looking into allegations of financial misconduct and ethical concerns with the school’s President and CEO, Dr. Alicia Harvey-Smith, which she has continued to deny.

PTC students were initially told they could remain in campus housing until Aug. 9. Now, they’re scrambling to move out in two weeks, after a letter notified them that they actually need to be out of housing by June 28. They’re also trying to find a new college or institution to complete their education. Meanwhile, faculty and staff say they don’t know when their benefits will expire, what will happen to their retirement accounts or when they’ll get a paycheck.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey’s office says the Senator, “stands ready to assist students, faculty, staff, and all of those affected by the impending Pittsburgh Technical College closure. Senator Casey encourages constituents seeking assistance to contact his office.”

You can reach Sen. Casey’s Constituent Services team by calling 866-802-2833 (toll-free) or going to casey.senate.gov/contact/assistance.

They also have publicly available resources including:

• Where students can order official transcripts
• Which department chairs to reach out to for help
• A list of schools to discuss pathways for program completion

Students are not eligible for the ‘Closed School Loan Discharge’ if they’re completing a teach-out agreement at another school approved by the school’s accrediting agency or State Dept. of Education.

There is also the ‘Borrower Defense Loan Discharge,’ which allows students to have their financial aid repaid if the school engaged in a form of misconduct. The U.S. Department of Education outlines six grounds for misconduct including the following:

• Substantial misrepresentation
• Substantial omission of fact
• Deceptive recruitment

The following are links provided by Sen. Casey’s office to help assist students and staff as PTC gets ready to shut its doors in Oakdale forever:

• Click here for information from the PA Department of Education about the college’s closure
• Lots of information from the U.S. Department of Education about what students should do if their school closes
• Contact information for staff at the U.S. Department of Education who can talk to students about their college’s closure and what they can do next
• Information from the U.S. Department of Education about Closed School Discharge
• Information from Pittsburgh Technical College’s website for students and staff

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