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星期四, 7月 30, 2015

AG HEALEY SECURES ADDITIONAL $2.3 MILLION FOR STUDENTS MISLED BY FOR-PROFIT SCHOOLS

AG HEALEY SECURES ADDITIONAL $2.3 MILLION FOR STUDENTS MISLED BY FOR-PROFIT SCHOOLS
Hundreds of Students Affected by Alleged Deceptive Practices of Kaplan Career Institute and Lincoln Tech; Settlements Part of AG’s Ongoing Review of For-Profit School Industry
BOSTON – For-profit schools Lincoln Technical Institute and Kaplan Career Institute will pay hundreds of their former students more than $2.3 million to resolve allegations that they inflated job placement numbers and employed unfair recruiting tactics to persuade prospective students to enroll in their programs, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

“We allege these for-profit schools lured hopeful students into enrolling in their vocational programs by promising certain careers, but only left them with substantial debt,” AG Healey said. “Many of these students paid their tuition using federal loans, so not only have these schools taken advantage of students, they’ve taken money from taxpayers. Students trying to better their lives through education are instead being left financially ruined. These settlements will provide the relief these students deserve and prevent deceptive practices that put taxpayer dollars at risk.”
Today’s announcement is part of AG Healey’s ongoing and comprehensive review of the for-profit education industry, which includes urging the federal government to cancel student loans tied to predatory for-profit schools as well as an outreach program and resources for students seeking educational opportunitiesThe AG’s Office is currently in litigation with for-profit schools Corinthian Colleges andAmerican Career Institute for alleged unfair and deceptive practices. The AG’s Office reached settlements worth more than $4 million with two additional for-profit schools in Massachusetts – Sullivan & Coglianoand Salter College.
The settlements with Kaplan and Lincoln, both filed in Suffolk Superior Court, stem from the AG’s allegations of misleading job placement rates for its vocational programs, both reporting above 70 percent when in fact the actual rates were materially lower, along with high-pressure sales tactics.

Kaplan Career Institute

Under the settlement with Kaplan Higher Education, LLC – which owned Kaplan Career Institute schools in Massachusetts – a total of $1.375 million will be distributed to eligible graduates of the school’s medical vocational programs, through paying off a portion or all of the students’ federal student loan debt. Kaplan has closed the school and no longer operates any Kaplan Career Institute schools in Massachusetts.

Students who attended these programs largely entered them in hopes of obtaining employment in the medical field. According to the AG’s investigation, Kaplan induced enrollment of students at the school with harassing sales tactics and misleading representations in its recruitment materials concerning its educational program and employment.

Students reported to the Attorney General’s Office that the job listings provided by Kaplan were from publicly available resources and that Kaplan did not provide any special services or programs to assist students and graduates in their job search.

As part of the settlement, Kaplan is also required to give notice to the AG’s Office before attempting to open or re-open any for-profit school campuses in Massachusetts. 

Lincoln Technical Institute

Under the settlement with Lincoln Technical Institute and its owner Lincoln Education Services, Inc., $850,000 will be used to pay down federal student loans for eligible graduates of the school’s criminal justice program at its Somerville and Lowell campuses. The school will also forgive an additional $165,000 in private student loans.

Despite the school’s website stating that students would “[b]uild the foundation for a career in law enforcement and private security with Criminal Justice training at Lincoln,” the AG’s Office alleges that many students could not find work in these fields. Lincoln improperly counted temporary jobs, part-time jobs, and jobs outside the students’ field of study – such as general retail positions – toward its placement statistics.
Lincoln also allegedly used an admissions manual that instructed recruiters to “bring out the pain” in potential students so that they would feel pressure enroll. Lincoln’s recruiters used scripted questions to “establish unhappiness, create urgency.” The AG’s complaint alleges that the school’s recruiters steered students away from other ways to further their education and training, including the military and community college.  Recruiters were required to make at least seven attempts to contact the student within the first three days in order to persuade them to enroll. 

The settlement with Lincoln requires the school to accurately calculate placement statistics going forward. Lincoln must also make disclosures to prospective students regarding job placements and refrain from making misleading representations regarding the transferability of credits. 

These cases were handled by Assistant Attorneys General Peter Leight and Tim Hoitink, Division Chief Glenn Kaplan, Legal Analyst Diana Hooley and Paralegal Erica Harmon, all of the Attorney General’s Insurance and Financial Services Division.

The AG’s Office has an extensive consumer protection campaign along with tips online for prospective students to use when determining the best way to achieve their education and career goals and how much they can afford to borrow in student loans.
Students with questions can call AG Healey’s Insurance & Financial Services Division hotline at (888) 830-6277. 

Governor Baker Introduces New Procedures for Public Records Requests

Governor Baker Introduces New Procedures for Public Records Requests
Guidance aims to increase transparency by reducing costs, streamlining responsiveness

BOSTON – Governor Charlie Baker today announced for the first time administration-wide measures to improve transparency and public access to government records and information, including a reduced and streamlined fee structure and more efficient communications and responses to requesters. The new procedures announced today and outlined in a memo to Cabinet Secretaries will be implemented over the coming weeks.

“We are proud to undertake this important step towards increasing the public’s access to information and shedding further light on the government that their tax dollars fund,” said Governor Baker. “These new measures reduce costs and make the public records request process more uniform and timely, increasing government’s public accountability, openness and transparency.”

The procedures being implemented by the Baker-Polito Administration in accordance with best practices from around the nation, seek to comply with and exceed the requirements under the existing public records law to more diligently respond to the number of public records requests while reducing delays and costs to requesters and continuing to protect the personal information of taxpayers and service users.

MassIT is additionally in the process of implementing over the next year, e-mail search capabilities for Executive Branch agencies to ease the fulfilling of broad based email searches.

Improving Government Transparency:

·       Secretariats and agencies will designate a Records Access Officer (RAO) to receive and coordinate requests and establish an internal tracking system to ensure compliance with the administration’s public records policy and existing law. RAO’s contact information will be posted on an agency’s website along with helpful instructions for submitting public records requests.

·       To improve communications with the public, secretariats and agencies through their RAO will notify a requester within 5 days if the records they are seeking may take more than 10 days and/or $10 to produce. Requests should be fulfilled in no more than eight weeks, with any extension being explained to a requester in writing.

·       Secretariats and agencies will regularly make available frequently requested information and/or records on their website and provide information as able, in electronic, searchable formats.

·       The administration will waive search and retrieval fees for standard public records requests, provide at no cost the first 4 hours of work required for more complex requests, and charge no more than $25 per hour for additional time required and notify the requester of those costs in advance.

·       The administration will implement standardized production costs in response to public records requests, and in the interest of cost savings and environmental purposes, fulfill requests electronically as able.

o   Electronic Copies:                                     No charge for duplication*
o   1-4 precisely defined documents:           No charge**
o   Black and White Hard Copies:                10 cents per page for single- and double-sided copies.
o   Color Hard Copies:                                   50 cents per page


*Costs for discs, thumb-drives or other storage devices necessary to transmit requested documents still apply.
**To be provided within 3-9 days of receipt of the request.

麻州八月十五,十六日放稅假

麻州眾議會議長狄樂歐(Robert A. DeLeo),參議會議長羅森伯(Stanley Rosenberg)昨(7月30)日公佈,麻州議會通過議案,今年繼續放稅假,8月15,16兩日,消費者購物,不需付稅。
            一旦麻州州長簽署通過此案,民眾就可在這兩日享受購物二千五百元以下免付稅的優惠。
狄樂歐及羅森伯表示,銷售稅放假,對個人,家庭或企業來說都有如一劑強心針。儘管麻州經濟持續改善,但許多人仍然面對財政困難,通過這一法案,象徵著麻州議會重申他們致力幫助辛勤工作家庭的承諾。
            和往年一樣,銷售稅放假適用於購買二千五百元以下商品,並且不包括汽車,機動船,菸草,餐飲及水電。

Legislature Passes Sales Tax Holiday Bill
Sets Tax-Free Weekend in August to Provide Relief to Massachusetts Residents

BOSTON Today the Legislature approved a bill creating a sales tax holiday on August 15 and 16, 2015. The legislation is designed to provide relief to consumers and increase sales for local businesses.
“The sales tax holiday is a shot in the arm for individuals, families and businesses alike,” said House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D-Winthrop). “While the Massachusetts economy is continuing to improve, folks are still facing tough fiscal times. By passing this legislation, we reaffirmed our commitment to helping hardworking families, particularly as the school year begins.”

“The sales tax holiday has become an annual event in our state and today the Legislature voted to give a small tax break to consumers and businesses alike,” said Senate President Stanley Rosenberg (D-Amherst).  “I hope that we will soon review this policy to determine if, after more than a decade, the desired impact is being achieved.”  

“The summer sales tax holiday is a benefit to both consumers and businesses during a particularly slow period,” said Representative Joseph Wagner (D-Chicopee), House Chair of the Joint Committee on Economic Development.  “Suspending the tax in August leads to an increase in sales at a time when retailers could use a boost and allows families to save on a variety of purchases, including back-to-school items.”

“The summer sales tax holiday is a proven way to encourage people to buy locally and support Massachusetts companies and jobs rather than drive to New Hampshire or go to tax-free websites to shop,” said Senator Eileen Donoghue, (D- Lowell), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Economic Development. “The tax holiday is particularly valuable for lower-income earners who disproportionately pay more sales tax and could use a tax break now. I am proud that the Legislature took action on this important incentive to promote continued economic development in Massachusetts”


As in previous years, the sales tax holiday will apply to purchases under $2,500. It excludes vehicles, motorized boats, tobacco, meals and utilities.


The bill now goes to the Governor for his signature.

The BRA and UDR select The Society of Arts and Crafts for Pier 4 cultural space after competitive search

The BRA and UDR select The Society of Arts and Crafts for Pier 4 cultural space after competitive search
Newbury Street-based nonprofit will move operations to 20,000-square-foot space on South Boston Waterfront
BOSTON – The Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) and Colorado-based real estate investment trust firm UDR have chosen The Society of Arts and Crafts as the future tenant for the nearly-complete cultural space at 100 Pier 4. The 21-story apartment building on the South Boston Waterfront includes two levels of interior space that will become the new base of operations for the nonprofit. The 118-year-old Boston institution will relocate after being headquartered for 40 years on Newbury Street, a move expected to enhance the organization’s ability to deliver creative programming to the public.
In April, UDR and the BRA released a Request for Interest to solicit programming ideas and a potential operator for the Pier 4 space. Architects at Sasaki Associates designed the winning proposal for the Society of Arts and Crafts’ new home, which will include eye-catching second floor window displays and a lively public plaza with artwork. The 20,000 square feet of civic and cultural space at Pier 4 is part of a larger plan to activate 127,000 square feet of dedicated public space along the waterfront, as envisioned by the municipal harbor planning process that the BRA has led with the community.
“The Society of Arts and Crafts is a homegrown Boston institution that has promoted local art and artists for over a century,” said Mayor Martin J. Walsh. “This new location will allow this incredible gallery to grow in a modern, energized environment that will better showcase local talent, and draw even more activity to the waterfront.”
"The Society of Arts and Crafts has a proud past and visionary future,” said SAC Executive Director Fabio J. Fernández. “We are thrilled to move to the Seaport District, a neighborhood that is as ambitious and forward-looking as we are." 

In this new location, The Society of Arts and Crafts will expand its reach and become a center for the craft and design community, connecting students, artists, collectors, and the public. A proposed artist-in-residency program will provide makers with a space to create their work in culture-rich Boston. Planned retail and exhibition galleries will show larger and more experimental work. Finally, the outdoor civic plaza will allow for collaborative and educational programming, and exhibitions can expand into this space to include public sculpture.
With a gallery that is always free and open to the public, The Society of Arts and Crafts will make craft accessible to all people visiting the waterfront, providing locals and tourists alike with opportunities to engage with artists, makers, and their ideas. The nonprofit’s first exhibition in the new location will be titled “Radius,” highlighting the talented makers located within a 5-mile radius of 100 Pier 4 who work in clay, metal, wood, glass, and fiber. The inaugural exhibition will be a clear signal of The Society of Arts and Crafts’ intent to collaborate with neighborhood artists and support Boston’s creative economy.
“We’re very eager to see The Society of Arts and Crafts engage with the community and expand its offerings,” said BRA Director Brian Golden. “This historic institution will bring a unique perspective to the neighborhood, building on its past successes in a fresh and purposeful, community-driven way.”
The BRA hosted a public meeting in early July to allow finalists for the civic and cultural space to present their proposals. Steinway Society of Massachusetts and Celebrity Series of Boston were also in the running.
The Society of Arts and Crafts will join other waterfront destinations, such as the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston Children’s Museum, Boston Tea Party Museum, Artists for Humanity, Midway Studios, the Fort Point Arts Community, and the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.
100 Pier 4 is home to 369 apartments and features an original Dale Chihuly installation in the lobby. Ocean Prime, Cameron Mitchell’s flagship steak and seafood restaurant, will occupy the first floor. The restaurant is expected to open in November.




MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES OPEN AND PROTECTED DATA POLICY

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES OPEN AND PROTECTED DATA POLICY 
Increases transparency, accountability in City government
BOSTON - Thursday, July 30, 2015 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today released  he Open and Protected Data Policy, designed to increase transparency and accountability by opening more City data to the public. The policy fulfills a commitment made by the Mayor in his 
"The City's Open and Protected Data Policy builds on my commitment to openness and transparency in government," said Mayor Walsh. "This new policy will make more data available to the public, encourage business to build useful applications with City data, and increase collaboration between the City and the research community."

The Open and Protected Data Policy was created by the Department of Innovation and Technology and the Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics, with input from the public, City departments and outside experts. The policy will streamline the release of new datasets. It adopts a Creative Commons license for all data released by the City to encourage the use of data for commercial and non-commercial purposes. It also provides a framework for responsibly sharing data with researchers and other partner organizations.

To accompany the release of the data policy, the City of Boston has announced the current availability of a number of new datasets:
  • Usage information from the City's ParkBoston meter parking payment program
  • Boston Police Department firearm recovery data
  • Usage information for the City's Wicked Free WiFi initiative
  • Residential recycling/waste tonnage
  • Active user counts from the Boston Public Libraries
The City of Boston also announced today that they are joining the Building and Land Development Specification (BLDS), one of a number of emerging Open Data standards. BLDS provides a standardized format for data about development projects and is being adopted by municipalities around the country.

"Data standards like BLDS make open data more useful," said Chief Information Officer Jascha Franklin-Hodge. "They encourage private companies to use open data, and make it easier for residents and businesses to access the information they need."

Since the Mayor signed the Open and Protected Data Executive Order in April 2014, the City has continued to expand its open data program:
  • The number of published data sets has grown from 342 to 376. New datasets include data on tax assessing for City properties, Liquor Licenses, as well as economic indicators tracked by the BRA.
  • The City was selected as a Knight News Challenge grant recipient to make Open Data more useful by creating data-focused programs within the Boston Public Library.
In April, the City of Boston hosted its second HubHacks hackathon
, where members of the public were invited to use City data and data from partners to tell the story of Boston through data visualization.

漢字文化節 郭天涵展演學草書訣竅

六機構上週末在紐英崙中華公所會議室舉辦本年度第一次“漢字文化節”,請書法家郭天涵揮毫,談草書,朱紹昌,程嶺吟詩,青少年彈揚琴,讓波士頓華埠再一次洋溢中華文化獨特風味。
曾任書法會會長的黃周麗桃當天擔任司儀,紐英崙中華公所主席阮鴻燦、波士頓僑教中心主任郭大文、波士頓中華書法會會長池元山、陳綺怡,北美藝術家協會會長郭天涵,紐英崙藝術學會會長梅宇國,林浩宗等人分別致詞。另一主辦機構為中華表演藝術基金會。
這次的漢字文化節以書法為主體,由北美藝術家協會新任會長郭天涵主講“草書的梗概知識與怎樣學草書”。
郭天涵在安多福市經營Karma餐廳的兒子郭臻協助下,製作了電腦檔案,把講談重點,書法範例,打在大電腦螢屏上,重點說明草書的發展歷史與特點,以及學習草書要領。
郭天涵認為,學草書時好比選師傅,一要選好字帖,二要讀好帖的文字,不斷背誦觀摩牢記,先學字體大概像,再求神韻形象,堅持不懈練習,三要了解並記住草書的字符替代規律,以及使用習慣,特別是草書的用筆方法 ,包括字與字的連筆藝術和個人的書法感情處理。
郭天涵還就草書字的各種偏旁部首運用,舉了許多例子,並作示範。
活動結束前,郭天涵在古箏樂曲「春江花月夜」的音樂聲伴奏下 ,即席揮毫的以草書寫出蘇東坡水調歌頭詩詞”明月幾時有”的全文,把會場氣氛帶到最高潮。
當天會上的演出,先請張鎮田的學生黃秀儀,吳雅雯彈揚琴”縫衣曲“,”連環扣“,再請本地著名詩人朱紹昌以古代腔調,吟唱他為”抗日戰爭勝利七十週年“創作的古詩。
朱紹昌不但吟唱韻味十足,字裡行間的”每憶蘆溝事,心素總難平“,”寄語四海諸兄弟,歷史不能忘,正經與武備,重之慎勿輕,慎勿輕”,都引人深思
既善金石篆刻,兼及書法,去年在美國考取執照,已在羅德島開業做中醫的北美藝術家協會前會長程嶺,這天以古代名詩人李清照的夫婿也是金石名家的淵源,吟誦了一首“如夢令”。
波士頓華僑文教中心主任郭大文,紐英崙藝術協會會長林浩宗,中華書法會會長池元山等人都在致詞中指出,文字是凝聚華人,表達自由民主精神,傳承文化的載體,工具,藉著書法,詩詞與樂音,有了多元表現,更發揚光大。

圖片說明:

            漢字文化節出席嘉賓合影。前排右起,吳紹營,池元山,林浩宗,阮鴻燦,梅宇國,黃鏡明,周文熙。後排右起,柳賽英,黃國麟,趙金歡,林卓培,莊著學,黃周麗桃,伍振中,郭天涵,陳綺怡,朱紹昌,方厚正,林蘭詩。

             郭天涵(左)即席示範草書偏旁。(菊子攝)

            郭天涵即席揮毫,以草書寫成蘇東坡水調歌頭全文。(菊子攝)

            郭天涵(右三)的妻子柳賽英(右三),兒子郭臻(左三)都全場支持。(菊子攝)

            朱紹昌(左)吟詩後,笑問出席的年輕人,有沒唸過古詩。(菊子攝)

            黃周麗桃(中)請中華公所主席阮鴻燦(左)來欣賞林卓培(右)為“漢字文化節”活動親手繪製的海報。(菊子攝)

            擅金石篆刻與繪畫的程嶺,雖已在美開業做醫生,仍不忘與藝術圈好友保持聯繫,在漢字文化節時,回來吟首詩。(菊子攝)

            吳雅雯(左),黃秀儀(右)彈奏揚琴。(菊子攝)