Thomas v. National College of Virginia, Inc.

901 F. Supp. 2d 1022, 2012 WL 4506292, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 142233
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Ohio
DecidedOctober 2, 2012
DocketCase No. 1:09cv879
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 901 F. Supp. 2d 1022 (Thomas v. National College of Virginia, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Thomas v. National College of Virginia, Inc., 901 F. Supp. 2d 1022, 2012 WL 4506292, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 142233 (S.D. Ohio 2012).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OF OPINION AND ORDER

STEPHANIE K BOWMAN, United States Magistrate Judge.

This matter was originally initiated by fourteen former students of Defendant National College of Virginia, (hereinafter [1024]*1024“National” or “National College”).1 Plaintiffs, all of whom were students in National’s Surgical Technology program at its Cincinnati campus, allege that National College violated Ohio Law by misrepresenting their accreditation status and the availability of externship sites, a requirement to complete the program. Specifically, Plaintiffs amended complaint, based on diversity jurisdiction, asserts claims against National College for violations of the Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act, breach of contract, and fraudulent inducement. Plaintiffs seek compensatory damages and treble damages pursuant to Ohio Revised Code § 1345.09.

Through mediation, the claims of ten Plaintiffs have been resolved. An additional named Plaintiff voluntarily dismissed her claims. Thus, the claims of three Plaintiffs, Martina Lummus, Jennifer Parsons, and Antoinette Prosser remain pending before the Court. This civil action is now before the Court on Defendants’ motion for summary judgment and supporting documents (Docs. 42, 43, 44) and the parties’ responsive memoranda. (Docs. 49-59, 61).2 The parties have consented to the exercise of jurisdiction by the Magistrate Judge pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(c). (See Doc. 20). For the reasons set forth herein, National’s motion for summary judgment is granted in part and denied in part.

I. Background and Facts

At the time National’s Cincinnati campus opened in 2005, it was accredited by the Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools to offer degrees and authorized to offer a surgical technology program. (Doc. 43, Affidavit of Anna Counts (“Counts Aff.”)). Program specific accreditation is also available through the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Professionals (“CAAHEP”). Accreditation by this independent entity permits surgical technology graduates to take the Certified Surgical Technology exam to become certified surgical technicians. The Surgical Technology Program was introduced at National College in June of 2005. (Counts Aff. ¶ 7). In July 2007, National College submitted a request for accreditation from CAAHEP. Id. In evaluating a request for accreditation, CAAHEP relies on a recommendation made by the Accreditation Review Committee on Education and Surgical Technology (ARC/ST). At the time National College’s Surgical Technology program began, accreditation from CAAHEP was not available because ARC/ST requires that a school have surgical technology students in their last term before it will conduct a visit to the campus. Id. A site visit by the ARC/ST visiting team is a prerequisite for accreditation by CAA-HEP. Id.

After submitting the request for accreditation, the next step in the CAAHEP process required National College to submit a “self-study.” Id. at ¶ 8. The self-study documentation was submitted to ARC/ST on March 25, 2008. The ARC/ST site visit was conducted on May 15th and 16th, 2008. Id. On June 28, 2008, ARC/ST issued its on-site assessment of the surgical technology program at National College. (Doc. 573). The assessment identified the [1025]*1025strengths and concerns within the program, and requested that additional information by submitted. Specifically, ARC/ST expressed concern relating to the inadequate number of clinical affiliation to meet the program needs and requested, inter alia, documentation demonstrating that the program has sufficient clinical affiliation sites and slots for the program’s enrollment capacity to achieve the outcomes of the program. Id. Thereafter, on October 1, 2008, ARC/ST informed National College that the Accreditation Review Committee voted unanimously to table the recommendation for initial accreditation of the National’s surgical technology program in Cincinnati, pending receipt of further documentation and clarification as outlined in the June 2008 assessment. National College was ultimately approved for accreditation by CAAHEP in May 2010. (Counts Aff, ¶ 8).

Students who have graduated from National College’s surgical technology program are now eligible to sit for certification as Surgical Technologists by the Liaison Council on Certification for the surgical technologist (now known as The National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting). Id. at ¶ 9. Surgical Technology students who graduated prior to May 2010 are “grandfathered,” that is, they are eligible to take the certification examination if they were enrolled as of the site visit, which took place in May 2008. Id.

During the time of Plaintiffs’ enrollment, it was the practice of National College to inform all incoming students that the surgical technology program had not yet been accredited by CAAHEP. Enrolling students were provided a written disclosure approved by Lenora Downing on January 5, 2006 (also referred to as the “Downing Memorandum”), a National College Vice President, that explained the CAAHEP accreditation status. (Doc. 43, Downing Aff., ¶ 2). The Downing Memorandum states as follows:

National College of Business and Technology has been granted institutional accreditation from ACICS, The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools. Accreditation is a status granted to an institution that meets or exceeds the Accrediting Council’s stated criteria of education quality. Institutional Accreditation means the entire institution has been assessed, from the governance and financial stability to the programs of study and student services of that institution.
In addition, National College of Business and Technology is in the process of applying for programmatic accreditation of the Surgical Technology Program by CAAHEP, The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, which may be granted upon recommendation of the American Colleges of Surgeons (ACS) and the Association of Surgical Technologists (AST). Programmatic accreditation is in addition to institutional accreditation, and is an assessment of a particular program of study.
The college has coordinated the timing of the accreditation process with CAAHEP so that its first graduating class may be incorporated in the requested grant of accreditation and therefore be eligible to sit for the Certified Surgical Technology exam administered through the Liaison Council on Certification of for the Surgical Technologist.
[1026]*1026Although the college anticipates that it will be successful in its request for programmatic accreditation, CAAHEP cannot and has not guaranteed that the college’s application for accreditation will be granted or that it will be granted or effective any specific future date.
By signing below, you are acknowledging receipt of this information regarding the accreditation status of the Surgical Technology program.

(Downing Aff., Ex. 2).

The admissions personnel at National College in Cincinnati were instructed to give the memorandum to all incoming students and have the students sign the memorandum. (Doc. 43, Downing Aff. ¶ 2).

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901 F. Supp. 2d 1022, 2012 WL 4506292, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 142233, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/thomas-v-national-college-of-virginia-inc-ohsd-2012.