34 CFR § 668.188 - Preventing evasion of the consequences of cohort default rates.
(a) General. You are subject to a loss of eligibility that has already been imposed against another institution as a result of cohort default rates if—
(1) You and the ineligible institution are both parties to a transaction that results in a change of ownership, a change in control, a merger, a consolidation, an acquisition, a change of name, a change of address, any change that results in a location becoming a freestanding institution, a purchase or sale, a transfer of assets, an assignment, a change of identification number, a contract for services, an addition or closure of one or more locations or branches or educational programs, or any other change in whole or in part in institutional structure or identity;
(2) Following the change described in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, you offer an educational program at substantially the same address at which the ineligible institution had offered an educational program before the change; and
(3) There is a commonality of ownership or management between you and the ineligible institution, as the ineligible institution existed before the change.
(b) Commonality of ownership or management. For the purposes of this section, a commonality of ownership or management exists if, at each institution, the same person (as defined in 34 CFR 600.31) or members of that person's family, directly or indirectly—
(1) Holds or held a managerial role; or
(2) Has or had the ability to affect substantially the institution's actions, within the meaning of 34 CFR 600.21.
(c) Teach-outs. Notwithstanding paragraph (b)(1) of this section, a commonality of management does not exist if you are conducting a teach-out under a teach-out agreement as defined in 34 CFR 600.2 and administered in accordance with 34 CFR 602.24(c), and—
(1)
(i) Within 60 days after the change described in this section, you send us the names of the managers for each facility undergoing the teach-out as it existed before the change and for each facility as it exists after you believe that the commonality of management has ended; and
(ii) We determine that the commonality of management, as described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, has ended; or
(2)
(i) Within 30 days after you receive our notice that we have denied your submission under paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section, you make the management changes we request and send us a list of the names of the managers for each facility undergoing the teach-out as it exists after you make those changes; and
(ii) We determine that the commonality of management, as described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, has ended.
(d) Initial determination. We encourage you to contact us before undergoing a change described in this section. If you write to us, providing the information we request, we will provide a written initial determination of the anticipated change's effect on your eligibility.
(e) Notice of accountability.
(1) We notify you in writing if, in response to your notice or application filed under 34 CFR 600.20 or 600.21, we determine that you are subject to a loss of eligibility, under paragraph (a) of this section, that has been imposed against another institution.
(2) Our notice also advises you of the scope and duration of your loss of eligibility. The loss of eligibility applies to all of your locations from the date you receive our notice until the expiration of the period of ineligibility applicable to the other institution.
(3) If you are subject to a loss of eligibility under this section that has already been imposed against another institution, you may only request an adjustment or submit an appeal for the loss of eligibility under the same requirements that would be applicable to the other institution under § 668.189.