After unofficially releasing a proposal to eliminate Gainful Employment rules on Friday, August 10, 2018   the U.S. Department of Education officially published its notice to rescind the GE rule today, Tuesday, August 14, 2018. In an 80-plus page explanation, the Department pointed to AACS and many of our talking points as valid reasoning for the ruling. The Department believes the GE rule to be unfair to certain programs and students who wish to attend those programs, citing Cosmetology programs specifically. The 30-day period for comments begins today and ends on September 13, 2018. We urge our member schools to submit comments in support of this truly historic and meaningful announcement from the Department. AACS will be sending out instructions on how to submit your comments in the coming days.
 
AACS’s lawsuit to overturn the Gainful Employment rule based on erroneous earnings data was cited as the premise for the Department to revisit and ultimately withdraw the rule as drafted by the previous administration. The Department specifically noted that unreported and underreported income in cosmetology and beauty-related fields led to unfair calculations resulting in hundreds of programs failing the GE metric.

Furthermore, the Department now believes that the amortization of repayment with respect to diploma programs being limited to 10 years did not take into consideration a more reasonable repayment period. Thus, the Department, again using arguments made by AACS, believes a 20-year amortization period is the correct amount of time for the calculation of annual debt repayment.
 
In an effort to provide more transparency to those students and their families seeking information about a post-secondary program the department will post debt to earnings metrics for all post-secondary programs on the College Scorecard. The information contained on the College Scorecard will be based on calculations from the Department. Schools will no longer be required to provide data for this information.
 
AACS and its member schools should be proud to know that all of your engagement, donations, and your membership made our almost 10-year campaign to overturn this regulation possible. The lawsuit and all of our efforts have paid off in a huge way as Gainful Employment will no longer be the anvil over our heads moving forward. 

Now more than ever, is the time to engage with AACS. We look forward to celebrating with you at the 2018 AACS Annual Convention & Expo! 

Spa writers attended the International Spa Association Media Day on Tuesday, August 7, in New York City. Beauty Changes Lives teamed up with Borboleta Lashes to provide mini-lash applications while informing editors about the Get Your Dream Job initiative. Nearly 100 media outlets across the country – including Associated Press – reported on the effort to attract spa professionals.

Following are a few articles: https://www.modernsalon.com/article/85021/ispa-media-event-2018-highlights; and http://www.fox5ny.com/your-money/spa-and-beauty-industry-hopes-to-fill-30-000-jobs.

In Idaho, the Barber and Cosmetology Services Licensing Board adopted a temporary rule to implement SB 1324, which became law on July 1, 2018. 

This measure combined Idaho’s Barber Examiners and Cosmetology Boards; reduced the hours of instruction for cosmetology from 2,000 to 1,600; barber-stylist from 1,800 to 1,500, and electrology from 800 to 600 hours, and; established a 100-hour markup artist certificate. 

New regulations in Illinois, effective August 10, contain significant updates pertaining to enrollment agreements and refund policy at barbering schools. However, all schools in the state will want to review the curriculum – and other – amendments adopted. 

Click here to read the full State Relations update from Brian Newman.

As we gather together for the 2018 AACS Annual Convention, we will be concentrating our efforts in effective Admissions and Marketing practices, solidifying a strong school culture through motivation and an experiential environment, emphasizing business strategies for growth, and maintaining compliance with those ever-changing regulations. We must work together to raise our industry performance through educating students to become competent professionals, responsible members of a broader community and future leaders in our industry.

Register now and save! Early bird rates are currently in effect, and discounted hotel rooms are available at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista. Register today by clicking here. 

From faculty development to management and staff training, AACS Online Training Center has become the continuing education hub for career-oriented, higher education institutions. Successful completion of each online course provides 4 hours of continuing education credits.  Need to purchase access codes with your AACS Discount? Use code aa7841 at checkout!

Featured Course: CM140 - Title IX and VAWA Training: Building Safer Campuses

This course is designed to assist personnel at all levels of an educational institution in the understanding of the provisions of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 ("Title IX"), and the Clery Act as it was amended in the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013. (“VAWA”). These laws require that all individuals in an educational institution understand and comply with the laws in terms of what is prohibited behavior in relation to sexual harassment and/or sexual violence, and what steps are to be followed when such prohibited conduct occurs. This course gives the participants information about the laws, as well as procedures to follow, to provide for the rights of all individuals under the laws. It also provides additional resources to assist educational institutions in continuing to build and strengthen their Title IX and VAWA policies, procedures and training throughout the year.

Check out available continuing education opportunities.