Jane Oates, the Obama administration’s former assistant labor secretary for employment and training, and a longtime Democratic operator (she was senior policy adviser to Sen. Edward M. Kennedy on the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions form 1997 to 2006), has a new job.
According to a piece at Inside Higher Ed:
Jane Oates, who last month left a top post at the U.S. Department of Labor, has begun her new job with the Apollo Group, the parent company of the University of Phoenix.
Wednesday was her first at Apollo’s D.C. office, Oates said in an interview. She is vice president for external affairs, with a focus on work-force development.
Ah, yes, the University of Phoenix, America’s most (in)famous for-profit college. Phoenix, which grew exponentially for many years only to suffer serious enrollment declines in the wake of bad press and increased government regulation of proprietary colleges, is still America’s largest for-profit college.
In 2008, the university received the country’s largest share of federal financial aid, some $2.48 billion. The institution derives almost 90 percent of its revenue from federal financial aid or, you know, American taxpayers.
At the Department of Labor Oates oversaw government funding for workforce development provided to community colleges for workforce development and skills training. According to the article, in her new capacity Oates will,
represent Phoenix, which is the nation’s largest for-profit, as well as Apollo’s additional holdings, including Western International University and other institutions that operate overseas. She will not manage the company’s government affairs and lobbying operations, said an Apollo spokesman.
Oates said Apollo’s primary draw is its unique mix of “quality, agility and risk-taking.”
Also, probably, the great big salary Apollo’s no doubt paying her.
