10 IMPORTANT, IMPENDING LAWSUITS OVER STUDENT DEBT

10 IMPORTANT, IMPENDING LAWSUITS OVER STUDENT DEBT
by staff writers

February 27, 2012

Student loan debt is a hot topic at the moment, as many predict that it could spur on another economic crisis. The fears may be well-founded as student debt is having far-reaching effects already, not only making it hard for an entire generation of young people to make ends meet but also potentially harming the financial futures of their parents and slowing the economic recovery as a whole. The average college student emerges from school over $25,000 in debt, and some who attended high profile schools or professional programs may carry as much as $100,000 in debt. With the job market tight, many students are unable to find work that pays enough to manage these debts, or they may have trouble finding work at all, leaving many understandably angry.



Some students have decided to push back and are taking their alma maters to task in court. Read on to learn about a few of these cases involving students who feel shortchanged and schools that may have been less than honest about students’ post-graduation prospects.

Brooklyn Law School

Former students of this New York area law school decided to file a class action suit after many students found it difficult, if not impossible to find employment after graduation, despite claims by the school that 90 to 95% of students would find work. Even top students like Adam Bevelacqua, who is suing the school, haven’t had an easy road. Despite good grades, internships throughout his law school education, and passing the bar on his first try, Bevelacqua hasn’t been able to find work. He, and other students like him, now carry over $100,000 worth of debt and have no means to pay it off. They believe that they school purposely misled them about job prospects, inflating numbers so that students would feel more comfortable taking on the large amount of debt attending the school requires.

New York Law School

New York Law School is another law school that is facing the wrath of students who feel they were misled about employment prospects, one of many schools facing increased scrutiny for these kinds of statistics. In August of 2011, a class action lawsuit was filed against New York Law School and Thomas Cooley Law School accusing the schools of providing job placement information to students that was inaccurate enough to be considered fraudulent. The lawyers for the case allege that students were unable to make sound decisions about whether to attend the school based on the information provided, and many took on debt that they would have little ability to pay back without steady employment.

Thomas Jefferson School of Law

Thomas Jefferson, a lawyer himself, probably wouldn’t want his name associated with this law school if allegations against it are true. A 2008 honors graduate of the school, Anna Alaburda has filed a lawsuit against the school, alleging that the school commits fraud by misleading students about post-graduation employment and salary data. Alaburda believes these numbers are inflated to bring in more students but falsely advertise success levels that the current economy simply can’t support. The proof that their claims are exaggerated may lie in Alaburda herself, who despite graduating with honors and applying to 150 law firms hasn’t been able to find long-term employment in the field. With over $150,000 in student loan debt, a settlement from the school may be the only way this young student will stay afloat.

Westwood College

Westwood College isn’t seeing the wrath of former students, but instead the State of Illinois, who claims the school misled students in its criminal justice program and saddled them with debt for a degree that, in many cases, would be no help in getting a job. The state’s lawsuit is the result of more than 100 student complaints about the school’s program, including claims of poor job placement rates, high-pressure sales tactics, low graduation rates, excessive profit margins, and, of course, high student debt. The state may have a pretty good case, as the school’s criminal justice program isn’t accredited, so degrees through the school aren’t recognized by any local or state police departments. Add to that the high cost of the program, which is a staggering $71,610, which is ridiculously high for any school but especially so because students could get a degree from a nearby accredited school for a mere $12,612.

Daymar College

The State of Kentucky is also closing in on colleges that might be using deceptive marketing techniques to lure students into taking on debt they likely won’t be able to repay. Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway filed a suit against Daymar College in July of 2011, alleging the school uses deceptive tactics to recruit students and cheats students on textbook sales, financial aid, and the quality of their educations. Heavy allegations, but ones that might be true. Daymar College enrolls students who don’t meet their own admission standards, which causes high dropout rates and many students left with high levels of debt, some as much as $34,000 a year. Students also can’t transfer credits out of the school, a fact that the college doesn’t mention to students. It also forces students to buy excessively expensive textbooks from its bookstores and directs how students can spend financial aid dollars. The state is seeking damages of $10 million or more, which hopefully will prompt this college to engage in better practices in the future.



Monroe College

Graduate of Morena College Trina Thompson has $70,000 worth of debt after graduating from the school in 2009, debt which she hasn’t been able to pay for because she can’t find gainful employment. This prompted Thompson to file a class action suit against her alma mater, alleging that the school and the degree it provided haven’t done anything to help her find a job. She believes that the school hasn’t lived up to its end of the bargain and that the school’s career services department has done little to provide job leads and guidance to her and other graduates as it promised. The school says that the lawsuit is without merit and that they do what they can to help students, but that may not be much consolation to Thompson who may soon be homeless.

Villanova University

Villanova is one of 12 schools being sued by class action lawyers for fraudulent employment statistics. The school may be more at risk of having to pay up than other schools, however, as they were recently in hot water with the ABA over inaccurate reporting of admissions data. The school’s falsification of data was serious enough to merit censure and could be used to show that the school has a history of misleading students with false information.

John Marshall Law School

Law schools in the U.S. are getting hit hard with lawsuits over their employment data, largely because many charge such high tuition that students who cannot find work after employment often fall into financial insolvency. John Marshall, located in Chicago, is no exception. The school is at the center of a recent lawsuit that claims the school inflated its post-graduate employment information in an attempt to attract more students. Lawyers on the case allege that the school knowingly published false and misleading data that convinced students to take on substantial debt to finance their educations. Students like Joseph Reyes, one of the plaintiffs, believe this false information led them to make poor decisions regarding their legal educations and to take on more debt than they would be able to pay back, without employment of course.

University of Phoenix

The state of Oregon is also getting in on the game when it comes to suing colleges over student debt. The largest for-profit school in the U.S., University of Phoenix, could be facing major legal trouble over allegations that it engages in misleading marketing practices and mishandles student loans. Karen Johnson, a student of the school, planned to pay for her education without any loans but found out a few weeks into the school year that the school had taken out a loan in her name and mailed her a check. She isn’t the only student with complaints, however, prompting the state to launch an investigation into how the school conducts business.

The Art Institutes

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a major lawsuit against this for-profit school run by Education Management Corporation for fraudulently collecting over $11 billion in government aid. The government claims the schools actively recruit low-income students who cannot pay back student loan debt they incur by paying recruiters for every student they bring in. The school then uses federal dollars to pay these loans. Whether the fraud is legitimate or not is still to be decided, but the schools are pumping out grads into a job market where there is little chance they’ll find employment. At the school’s Philadelphia campus, there are over 600 photography undergrads, a field in which there are few job openings already.

Gudoomiyaha Gobalka Banaadir Oo Ka Warbixiyay Qalab Loogu Deeqay Gobalka

Muqdisho (RBC Radio) Guddoomiyaha gobalka banaadir ahna duqa Muqdisho oo maanta dalka dib ugu soo laabtay ayaa faahfaahin ka bixiyay deeqo loogu talo galay magaalada Muqdisho oo isugu jira gaadiid gurmadka Caafimaadka ah iyo dab damisyo.
Maxamuud Axmed Nuur Tarsan oo saxaafada kula hadlay magaalada  garoonka diyaaradaha ee magaalada Muqdisho ayaa wuxuu sheegay shirkii London ka dib inuu ku jiray dadaal ah sidii wax loogu qaban lahaa magaalada Muqdisho ee Caasimada Soomaaliya.
Duqa magaalada Lister ee wdanka England ayuu sheegay gudoomiyaha gobalka Banaadir in uu ugu deeqay magaalada Muqdisho Laba Dabdamis iyo gaadiid kale oo Ambalaas ah.
Duqa Magaalada Muqdisho Maxamuud Axmed nuur tarsan ayaa carabka ku dhuftay in qalabkaas iyo waliba gaadiidkaasi ay dhowaan imaan doonaan magaalada Muqdisho.
Sidoo kale Tarsan ayaa tilmaamay in maamulkiisu uu aad ugu dadaalayo sidii ay u soo nooleeyn lahaayeen adeegyadii muhiimka ahaa ee magaalada  Muqdisho.
Dhanka kale wuxuu rajo wanaagsan uu ka muujiyay in caasimada Muqdisho ay la mid noqoto caasimadaha caalamka oo kale isla markaana dadka Muqdisho ay helaan Nolo wanaagsan.
 
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Xafiiska Wararka Muqdisho

Wasiirka Arrimaha gudaha Somaliland oo ka hadlay hawlgal saamayn badan yeeshay oo Dawladda Hoose ka fulisay Hargeysa

Hargeysa(RBC):- Wasiirka Wasaaradda arrimaha gudaha Somaliland Maxamed Nuur Carraale (Duur), ayaa maanta faahfaahin ka bixiyay hawl-gal ay dawladda hoose ee Hargeysa ku bannaysay Jidka Halbawlaha ah ee Xidhiidhiya badhtamaha magaalada iyo qaybaha kale ee Caasimadda. Isla markaana, ku baabbi’isay guud ahaanba mehero tiro badan oo dad danyar u badani ku haysteen hareera jidadka.
Waxa uu Wasiirka Arrimaha Guduhu ku dheeraaday sida ay daruuriga u tahay  in la habeeyo Shaaricyada  magaalada Hargaysa si ay u muuqato bilicdeeda.
Wasiirka Wasaarada Arrimaha Gudaha ee Somaliland Mudane Maxamed Nuur Carraale (Duur), waxa uu sheegay inaanay jirin baahi kallifi karta in dadku ay soo galaan si ay ugu ganacsadaan waddooyinka dhexdooda, taasoo khatar gelin karta sida uu xusay noloshooda Wasiirku wuxuu  bulshada u soo jeediyay inay fahmaan in Jidadku ay yihiin meelaha ummada ka wada dhexeeya isla markaana aanay cid gaar ahi sheegan Karin.
Wasiir Duur waxa uu hoosta ka xariiqay in talaabadan ay ka wada hirgelin doonaan Magaalooyinka Waaweyn ee dalka si loo soo celiyo bilicdii waxaanu intaas ku daray inay dadka u sameeyeen suuqyo gaar ah oo ay ku ganacsan karaan.
Wasiirka Arrimaha Gudaha mar uu ka hadlayay Markab u rarnaa Ganacsato Somaliland u dhashay oo koox budhcad badeed Somalia ahi ku afduubeen xeebta wadanka Cumaan ayaa ugu baaqay inay soo daayaan Markabkan maadaama oo uu u rarnaa ganacsato Somaliland ah.
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Xafiiska wararka ee Hargeysa.

Shariif Xasan: Doorashooyinka Soo Socda Waan Ka Qaybgalayaa

Muqdisho (RBC Radio) Gudoomiyaha Baarlamaanka KMG Soomaaliya Shariif Xasan Sheekh ayaa maanta dib ugu soo laabatay magaalada Muqdisho ka dib markii uu ka soo laabtay wadanka dibadiisa.
Gudoomiyaha baarlamaanka Soomaaliya ayaa Suxufihiinta la hadlay ka dib markii uu Muqdisho ku soolaatay waxaana uu ugu horayn ka hadlay shirkii London wuxuuna sheegay in shirkaasi uu ahaa mid Muhiim ah.
Shariif Xasan Sheekh Adan ayaa sidoo kale wuxuu ka hadlay xiliga dowlada KMG ah markii uu dhamaado wuxuuna sheegay in doorashao la qadan doono beelaha Soomaaliyeedna ay dooran doonaan dad u galaya dowlada.
Wuxuu xusay in uu doonayo in uu ka qaybgalo doorashooyinka la qaban doono, isla markaana uu sii shaqayn doono hadii la doorto hadii aanan la doorana uu la shaqayn doono dadkii la doorto.
Sidoo kale wuxuu ka hadlay qilaafka u dhaxeeya baarlamaanka KMG Soomaaliya wuxuuna ugu baaqay  xildhibaanada dowlada KMG ah in ay joojiyaan qilaafka u dhaxeeya.
Shariif Xasan ayaa wuxuu soo hadal qaadau dagaaladii ka dhacay Baydhabo iyo howlgaladii ay dowlada KMG ah ay kula wareegtay magaaladaasi wuxuuna sheegay in uu soo dhowaynayo.
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Xafiiska Wararka Muqdisho

10 Big Businesses That Let Employees Nap on the Job

10 Big Businesses That Let Employees Nap on the Job



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February 27, 2012

In times past, napping on the job would have gotten you fired, or at least seriously reprimanded, but that isn’t always the case in today’s workplace. With studies finding that a simple 26-minute nap can boost performance by as much as 34% and alertness by 54%, many employers have decided they’d rather have well-rested employees on the job and have added designated napping areas to their facilities (there’s still some napping under a desk George Costanza-style, however). While this isn’t a complete list of all the employers who’ll let you catch a few minutes of sleep throughout the day, it does give you a good idea of just how many big businesses are realizing that naps can be great for business. Read on to learn more about places that are embracing the power of naps to help get the most out of employees.


Google

Google is renowned for the perks employees can enjoy on the tech giant’s Mountain View, Calif. campus, and for good reason. Employees can take advantage of a gym, hair salon, game room, dry cleaning and laundry, gourmet food, on-site medical care, massage and meditation rooms, and, of course, napping pods. Called EnergyPods, these napping stations let exhausted Google employees enjoy a quick nap during the work day. They block out light and sound and are timed to wake employees once their nap is over, helping to ensure that employees won’t oversleep. Like many other employers on this list, Google believes that naps can help employees be more productive and creative, and with their ever-growing suite of web applications, the policy doesn’t seem to be doing them any harm.

Ben & Jerry’s

Natural ice cream producer Ben & Jerry’s is another business that endorses napping at work. The company wanted to ensure that all employees were happy and healthy, and sleep is an essential part of the health equation that Ben & Jerry’s didn’t want to overlook. The company’s headquarters is home to a nap room, where those who need to catch 40 winks can come in for a quiet nap. When asked about the napping perk one employee said, “It’s great to be able to just get away and then come back ready to go after it,” and you can’t blame them for loving this awesome at-work perk.

Zappos

Online retailer Zappos is known worldwide for its amazing customer service, but it’s not just customers they’re treating well. The company provides employees with perks like free lunch, free coffee, and fully-paid health benefits, but one of their newest benefits is on-site napping rooms. At the company’s Nevada headquarters, employees can take a few minutes away from work to head into one of the napping rooms. The rooms were upgraded from couches to napping pods, but employees lobbied to get their couches back, finding them more relaxing and comfortable than the fancy nap pods.

Nike

The Oregon offices of this athletic apparel giant are home to some pretty great perks for employees. In addition to amazing benefits like on-site gyms and childcare facilities, employees of Nike can take advantage of the company’s quiet rooms, which can be used for napping or meditation. The company doesn’t just provide space for naps, however, but actively encourages sleep-deprived employees to nap, with the aim of increasing productivity, health, and happiness on the job.

AOL-Huffington Post

The Huffington Post’s namesake, Ariana Huffington, is a big advocate of workplace napping and has given numerous talks on the value of being well-rested. It should come as no surprise then that at the shared offices of this online blogging giant and AOL, napping is not only allowed but actually encouraged. Employees can rest up in facilities referred to as “NapQuest” rooms, which are outfitted with the same nap pods found at Google. According to employees, the nap rooms are incredibly popular and stay pretty well occupied throughout the day with napping employees.

Saudi king hints Iran behind Arab revolts

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud said that "unnamed hands" targeting Islam and the Arabs are behind recent events in the region. In a recent televised address to a conference of prominent Saudis, the monarch did not name any country. But Saudi officials have used similar terms to suggest a connection with Shiite Iran, the AP reported.

"There were hands that are known to you all ... behind what has happened in the Arab world, regrettably targeting Islam and the Arabs," Abdullah said.

Saudi Arabia is wary of the wave of Arab Spring uprisings, particularly in nearby Bahrain as well as its eastern part which harbors the Shiite minority. 

Hawlgal Dad iyo Waxyaabaha Qarxa lagu Qabtay oo laga Fuliyey Baydhabo

Muqdisho (RBC)  Ciidamada DKMG Soomaaliya ee ku sugan magaalada Baydhabo ayaa maanta hawlgal dad iyo waxyaabaha qarxa lagu qabtay ka fuliyey xaafadaha magaalada Baydhabo ee xarunta u ah gobolka Baay.
Gudoomiyaha gobolka Baay C/fataax Ibraahim Geeseey ayaa sheegay in hawlgalka saaka ay bilaabeen ka dib markii lagu soo wargeliyey in rag ka haray ururka Al-Shabaab oo magaalada laga saaray ay weli joogaan magaalada.
“Waxaan sameynay baaritaan si loo adkeeyo amaanka magaalada waxaana ciidamada u suurtagashay inay qabtaan waxyaabaha qarxa iyo dhalinyaro ka tirsan kooxda Shabaab ee nabad diidka ah” ayuu yiri Gudoomiyaha gobolka Baay.
Dhanka kale taliyaha saldhiga Baydhabo Aadan Xasan Doodishe ayaa isaguna xaqiijiyey in dhowr dhalinyaro ah ay xireen kuwaasoo uu sheegay in hawlgalkii maanta lagu qabtay.
Warar madax bannaan ayaa Raxanreeb u sheegay in dhalinyaro reer Baydhabo ah oo magaalada joogay iyaguna lagu qabtauy hawlgalka.
Hawlgalka saaka ka dhacay magaalada Baydhabo ayaa yimid iyadoo habeenkii xalay magaalada Baydhabo lagu dilay nin u dhashay qowmiyada Oromada oo magaalada deganaa.
Magaalada Baydhabo ayaa Arbacadii la soo dhaafay laga saaray gacanta Al-Shabaab ka dib markii ciidamada Ethiopia oo wehlinaya ciidamada DKMG ah ay galeen magaalada.