Brooks Institute of Photography has been granted a full five-year license renewal through April 2012 from the Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education. Greg L. Strick, Brooks president, made the announcement April 24, in a letter to Friends of Brooks Institute of Photography.
After nearly two years of uncertainty, following an investigation by the BPPVE concerning recruiting practices at the school, news of the renewal comes as a relief to the institution and its many graduates and students.
According to Strick, the "Announcement is the result of positive findings by the Bureau after a full and comprehensive two-day site visit in January 2007." In a press released issued through Business Wire, "These recent events vindicate the school's decision to appeal BPPVE's July, 2005 decision to issue a Notice of Conditional Approval to Operate (the "Notice"). The Notice was heavily publicized and included several findings that Brooks Institute believed were inaccurate and unfair."
Albeit good news for Brooks, the comments collected on this blog over the past two years, reveal a mix of emotions toward the school and its recruiting practices.
Although the comments made to a blog can never be generalized to infer anything other than personal opinion, many of the posts signify heart-felt feelings of distrust and frustration. It is implied in the tone of Strick's letter that the school is looking forward to putting the past aside in order to keep the doors open and the students coming. It will be interesting to listen to how former students react to the latest news.