The federal government has been running financial aid audits at schools across the country, looking for positive online attendance.
The audits have found a lack of interaction between instructor and student in some classes.
These possible improprieties could cause some sections to be reclassified as correspondence courses, which, in-turn, would have a financial impact on schools and students.
Students could lose their full-time status if classes are changed, resulting in a loss of financial aid.
This change in student status would then affect the amount of funding the school receives for full-time enrolled students.
Fines, possibly into the millions, could also be levied against schools.
According to the minutes from the Los Angeles Southwest College Academic Senate Committee meeting on Nov. 14, nearly one-half of their courses did not meet the compliance requirements. Southwest may be fined, and the school asked for time to rectify the issue.
At time of publication, Southwest’s response is that fines have not been levied against the school because of online classes.
