California attorney general complaint could shut down Olivet University

Higher Ed Dive

Jeremy Bauer-Wolf
March 29, 2023
Dive Brief:
  • California officials have accused Olivet University — an evangelical institution under federal investigation for suspected money laundering, visa fraud and other crimes — of violating several state education regulations, portending its potential closure.
  • Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a complaint earlier this month on behalf of California’s Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education. It asks the California Department of Consumer Affairs to suspend or revoke Olivet’s approval to operate because state officials determined the college lacked certain advertised courses, resources to ensure a quality education, and properly trained faculty.
  • Olivet is also facing scrutiny from its accreditor, the Association for Biblical Higher Education, or ABHE. The institution did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
Dive Insight:
Olivet was founded in 2000 by David Jang, its inaugural president and a well-known Korean-American pastor. It has campuses in several states, but its main one is in Anza, California.

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