The campaign was dubbed “Project Rose,” as in Shakespeare’s “a rose by any other name.” The Chronicle of Higher Education got its hands on the plan. The for-profit college industry’s main trade group was pushing members to lose the business jargon and speak like educators. Instead of “parent company,” try “university system.” “Recruiter?” How ‘bout “counselor?” And my favorite: a “piece of business” should be called an “applicant.”

For-profit schools try to talk a better game

Dibyendu Malakar needed a graduate business degree to advance his career, but he was working full time and could not afford $100,000 or more for a two-year M.B.A. program at Berkeley, Stanford or another accredited business school. So Mr. Malakar enrolled at Frederick Taylor University, an unaccredited school in Moraga.

A nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization providing local coverage of the San Francisco Bay Area for The New York Times. To join the conversation about this article, go to baycitizen.org. Because Frederick Taylor is listed in California as a state-approved school, he said, “I thought, ‘It can’t be completely bogus.’ ” In fact, he got his M.B.A. via the Internet in just a year, for less than $5,000.

That may not have been quite the bargain it seemed to be, though. “I did not realize that it did not carry the same weight as Berkeley or Stanford,” said Mr. Malakar, who emigrated from India. “But it was not a complete waste.” Mr. Malakar said his M.B.A. helped him get a job as director of product management at a software company in Cupertino.

Frederick Taylor University’s Cheap M.B.A.’s on the Internet May Not Be Such a Bargain 

The millions in salaries and bonuses going to executives at for-profit college companies came under scrutiny Monday as the ranking Democrat on a House of Representatives oversight committee issued a demand to the chief executives of 13 higher-education companies to provide documents on pay details so the committee can “investigate how the structure of your executive-compensation packages affects the performance of students educated with taxpayer funds.”

Key Congressman Begins Inquiry Into Executive Pay at For-Profit Colleges 

The story of how the for-profit colleges survived the threat of a major federal crackdown offers a case study in Washington power brokering. Rattled by the administration’s tough talk, the colleges spent more than $16 million on an all-star list of prominent figures, particularly Democrats with close ties to the White House, to plot strategy, mend their battered image and plead their case.

For-Profit College Rules Scaled Back After Lobbying

 Students who begin their studies at for-profit colleges earn about the same as students who start at nonprofit institutions, but graduates of for-profits are more likely to be unemployed. Bachelor’s-degree recipients are more likely to borrow at for-profit colleges, and more likely to default on their loans (though one study found no difference between for-profit and private institutions on this measure).

Demographics Do Not Explain For-Profits’ Shortcomings on Student-Success Measures, GAO Says

Enrollment at many for-profit colleges has fallen sharply in recent months, a reflection of a weak economy and increased scrutiny of the sector.

New-student enrollment declined an average of 14.1 percent this quarter at 10 of the biggest for-profit educators, according to company financial disclosures and analysts’ reports. The slide has come as some of those institutions curbed their aggressive recruiting practices amid growing pressure from federal and state lawmakers.

Enrollments Plunge at Many For-Profit Colleges

The Education Department defended its controversial “gainful employment” rule at a U.S. Senate hearing on student debt on Tuesday, calling it a “significant step forward” that would improve graduation and default rates among for-profit colleges.But Sen. Tom Harkin, the Iowa Democrat who held the hearing, said the rule would not do enough to protect students and taxpayers from underperforming programs, and he promised stronger legislation focused on the sector.

Sen. Harkin Presses Education Dept. on Effectiveness of Gainful Employment Rule

For-profit colleges, which have spent millions fighting the Education Departments proposed “gainful employment” regulations, have won some major concessions in the final rule, due out today.Under the rule, vocational programs whose students have the highest debt burdens and lowest loan-repayment rates will become ineligible to receive federal student aid.

And the lobbyists win again.

For-Profit Colleges Win Major Concessions in Final Gainful Employment Rule