viewpoints » S end letters to: letters@thejewishnews.com Ask Attorney Ken Gross about… for openers What’s In A Name? W hat do 23 popes, four presi- Whereas the Johnny-jump-up will not dents, an everyday citizen bloom as long as folks have to wear long and an unidentifiable johns, nicer weather may lure you to person all have in common? The name take a short river journey on a johnboat John. (a flat-bottomed skiff). (John Adams, John Q. If you are always Johnny-on- Adams, John Tyler and JFK; the-spot, you may be asked to John Q. Public and John Doe). witness a document by append- That name or a derivation ing your John Hancock. Be aware of it has become common- that this is not a service to be place in our English language. requested of just any Johnny- For a while, “Good night, John come-lately. Boy” became a staple used by Sy Manello If you are someone who gripes those who were fans of The and rarely varies his complaints, Editorial Assistant Waltons. you may come to known as a Several Southern food Johnny-one-note, in addition to dishes bear that label: Hoppin’ John (a being someone others will avoid. black-eyed pea dish) and Johnny Cake The War Between the States saw the (a cornmeal and milk pancake); there is rise of Johnny Reb as the Confederate also John Barleycorn (a corn liquor or soldiers became known. Many of them, malt liquor.). as well as their northern enemies, received Dear John letters as their absences caused would-be girlfriends to lose patience waiting for their return. If you’ve ever been hospitalized, you may have had to wear a johnny, that short gown closed by ties in the back. It may have made going to the john easier, but it could be embarrassing to be so exposed. In another era, gentlemen who admired an actress might find them- selves waiting at the back door of the theater to proffer flowers, candy and words of admiration. These “Johns” who waited at the stage door were aptly named Stage Door Johnnies. For those of you who are named John, please know that I think it’s a special name. Not every Tom, Dick and Harry is named John. * editorial Michigan Jewish Institute Must Rethink Its Future I n two detailed letters that cast the school into shadows of doubt and distrust, the U.S. Department of Education claimed the Michigan Jewish Institute schemed to abuse highly sought Pell Grants by awarding them to ineli- gible online students, maintaining incon- sistent student records and misrepresent- ing itself to its accreditation agency. MJI falls under Chabad of Michigan’s Campus of Living Judaism in West Bloomfield. MJI received the second letter, dated April 15, after appealing the first denial to recertify its eligibility for Title IV financial aid programs. The second letter affirmed the DOE’s earlier decision. In reacting to the latest letter, MJI saw the gate might be open to reorganize and try again. All allegations made by the DOE must be addressed before the fed- eral agency would consider certification once more. AT THE CORE Pell Grants are meant for low-income students to help pay college costs; they don’t have to be repaid. MJI denied fault in how it dealt with grants to online stu- dents. The DOE letters dealt a crushing blow because they struck at the heart of an online program that once enrolled nearly 2,000 U.S. citizens who were Israeli residents. Most of those students also were engaged in religious studies at Israeli yeshivot and seminaries. Based on its investigation, the DOE determined most of those students never intended to receive a degree from MJI, a Pell Grant requirement. The DOE said MJI sought accredita- tion under false pretenses in filings with the Washington, D.C.-based Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools. ACICS is not certified to accredit religious studies programs. But MJI, according to the DOE, “apparently led ACICS to believe that some substantial component of its curriculum consisted of technical education’’ despite evidence to the contrary. A BUILDING STORM The cloud over MJI has hovered since July 7, 2015, when federal agents raided the Southfield-based administrative offices of the nonprofit college. The cloud darkened with the April 15 letter by the DOE. From academic years 1999 to 2015, Pell Grant disbursements associated with MJI totaled nearly $60 million to more than 8,900 students, according to DOE records. The JN story about MJI recerti- fication denial, “Appeal Lost” (April 28, page 14), reported that “based on what MJI previously stated, the school would have retained about $27.5 million to cover administrative costs.” It matters to all U.S. taxpayers that a federal agency believes MJI dealt with Pell Grants improperly. LOOKING AHEAD While striving to enable students with awarded Pell Grants to smoothly transi- tion to other institutions, MJI vows to explore ways to restructure and retool its model of delivery and to upgrade its administrative capabilities “in short order” — “all to determine if a new application as permitted under the Department’s most recent letter will serve the interests of MJI students, current and future,” according to a MJI statement issued to the JN on April 20. Such a strategic structural overhaul, provided it’s possible in light of the lat- est DOE letter, would be a mandatory step if MJI, under the aegis of Chabad of Michigan, truly wants to again serve students, online or otherwise — typically Torah-observant young men and women who are socially and economically disad- vantaged. Restructuring rooted in the highest degree of commitment, prudence and transparency still might not be enough for MJI to earn recertification under the umbrella of Title IV. But such restructur- ing would be the only way forward. The harsh reality is that Michigan Jewish Institute faces a daunting battle to resurrect as a viable school that has regained the public’s confidence. * Your Your Legal Financial Issues Issues IT IS TIME TO ACT! Can you solve my tax problem? Yes, I can. Tax problems are stressful – they cause loss of sleep and enormous pressure. The biggest mistake people make is ignoring them. 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