I attended Ashford University twice. I first attended from January, 2011 until September, 2012. At that time, I graduated with a major GPA of 3.43 and a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.38. On the morning that I received an email that my degree was in the mailed, three hours later I received an email from a Dan Barnes that I let another student use my assignments as their own. I called the number that was in the email and left several messages. This person never called me back or sent any other emails. I have never spoke to this person. I had to call and try to find someone who knew what was going on. Everyone that I talked to for three hours did not know what I was talking about. Eight months after getting everything straighten out, I had to retake six courses that the other person turn in my work over. In July, 2014, they did it to me again. Now, they are saying that I have to take seven courses. The other problems I experienced with Ashford University:
• Changed my advisors multiple times (without consulting me?),
• Changed my academic progress report to make it appear I need additional courses, and
• Attempted to compel me to re-take at least six courses, without a preceding hearing, including a course taken on a pass/fail basis (which I passed).
I have reached out to the departments of education in Clinton, Iowa and San Diego, California. I also shared my complaint with the district attorneys of Clinton, Iowa and San Diego, California. I have requested investigation by these authorities into several factors that seem suspicious to me. These factors are:
1. Another student used my work and called it his/her own for a year (after I notified the school of the falsification) without penalty,
2. I used school-approved reference sources and was penalized, however coworkers used the same reference sources and were not penalized,
3. Over the 2010 to 2014 period, I assisted at least seven of my student peers to achieve at least passing work, but my own work in similar courses during the same time frame is deemed ‘unsatisfactory’.
Now, Ashford in Clinton, Iowa is closed and the department of education will not investigate due to the fact that they are no longer in Clinton, Iowa. My concern has developed into grief and debt over my struggles with Ashford University. If anyone knows of an attorney that can help me, please let me know. I greatly appreciated it.

Pamala Irby