Traci Lee

Traci Lee

About me

I currently serve as the Vice President of Business Solutions for Bridgepoint Education. In my present role, I provide guidance to the company's ground based and online colleges to optimize their operations while staying within regulatory guidelines.

I have over 22 years of experience in the education industry. My experience encompasses virtually all aspects of the education business, including admissions, financial aid, academics, career services, and management of multi-campus operations. I’ve held senior level management positions at Career Education Corporation, MedVance Institute and the University of Phoenix (Apollo Group) as well as providing consulting services to a multitude of colleges and universities during my tenure with Campus Management Corporation.

My focus has been on campus start ups, regulatory compliance, process improvement, and operational oversight of multiple campus colleges, including international campuses. I recognize the challenges of working in a highly regulated environment that has grown more complex as companies have expanded operations, either organically or through acquisition, to include multiple regulatory bodies and governing oversight entities.

I hold a B.S. degree in Business from Arizona State University and an M.A. degree in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix. I have completed the Apollo Group's Executive Development Program and the Career College Association's (now APSCU) Leadership Institute.

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I'll be curious to see others chime in on this, Gloria. My personal opinion is that generally speaking, yes. My comment is based on the theory that regulations are intended to protect the student. All students - whether they attend large or small schools - should be entitled to this same protection. Having said that, I know that some of the regulations are very cumbersome for smaller schools and, in many cases, a handful of students can significantly impact statistics of smaller schools, putting them at regulatory risk. I have seen some schools put on job placement monitoring as a… >>>

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Darlene - thanks for detailing your response. You hit some key areas that are very pertinent to all! I have seen many schools think they are doing good by making a policy stricter than the requirements, thinking it gives them leeway. To your point, a stricter policy still must be enforced. I hope others learn from your feedback instead of the hard way - thru a bad audit!
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Excellent feedback, Courtenay. Oftentimes, people don't see the importance of something they do and it can "fall off" of their task list as a result. Understanding the WHY behind processes, including impact on other departments, helps reinforce the importance.
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I agree with you, Annie. Faculty files are critical. Some regulatory agencies review other staff files as well so, be sure to include those in your matrix!
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Therron - you are correct that consistency is important. In addition to the catalog and system grade scales, I would suggest adding to your checklist a match with the transcript itself. Some schools have pre-printed transcript paper that contains a grade scale that can become obsolete. Or, in some cases, even though the system generates it properly, settings that drive the rendering to the transcript can be incorrect. Grade scales are key since they impact the official student records and drive satisfactory academic progress and other eligibility matters. This is a great topic to point out.
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Good list, Julie. What mechanisms do you use for tracking if the item is not completed by the target date?
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Good point - hopefully, it's the double/triple check but, I have seen occasions when the scramble includes more than that...
Another excellent point, James. Exemption status continues to be a challenge and tends to be subject to interpretation of the "tests" used to make such determinations by position. All regulations, including FERPA, GLB, and others (need I say Title IV???) are intense reading as you point out. Not only do they need to be reviewed but, policies and procedures must be designed to "operationalize" within the regulatory guidelines.
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Well stated, James. I have seen many of these plans that are in a beautiful binder, perfectly labeled and indexed, and sadly collecting dust. Or, managers know about it but, the employees responsible for performing certain items are unaware of such plan when asked.
Greg - would you be willing to share some info on your electronic imaging system? I am curious to hear what systems are being used successfully in this industry.

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