Exclusive: U.S. standards council to investigate New Oriental after Reuters report

A U.S. standards-setting body said it would investigate New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc (EDU.N) in the wake of a Reuters report that detailed allegations of academic fraud at the company.

The American International Recruitment Council, which certifies agencies that recruit foreign students on behalf of U.S. colleges, will investigate the company in response to the report, said Jeet Joshee, AIRC’s president-elect.

“It’s concerning, highly concerning,” he said of the allegations in the report.

The article can be read here: reut.rs/2gHWbwZ

Shares of New Oriental plunged after Reuters reported the council’s plan to open a probe. The drop in the stock, as much as 24 percent at one point on Friday afternoon, erased more than $1.8 billion from the company's stock market value at its lowest point. It closed the day down 14 percent at $42.00.

AIRC is a non-profit membership organization comprised of 289 colleges and universities and 78 agencies that refer foreign students to U.S. schools often for a commission. It establishes best practices for international student recruitment and certifies agencies in a process that includes inspections.

Joshee said AIRC certified New Oriental’s counseling division -– Beijing New Oriental Vision Overseas Consultancy Co -- about three or four years ago. He said AIRC could revoke the certification if the fraud accusations are confirmed.

Reuters reported today that eight former and current New Oriental employees had told the news agency that the Beijing-based company had helped to write college application essays and teacher recommendations, and had falsified a high school transcript.

A New Oriental student contract reviewed by Reuters stated that its services included “writing or polishing” parts of applications. The contract also said New Oriental would set up an email account on behalf of the client for communicating with colleges, keeping sole control of the password. Several former employees said some students never even saw their applications.

“It’s most concerning that they would actually handle the whole application for a student,” said Joshee, who chairs AIRC’s certification body. Joshee also serves as associate vice president for international education at California State University, Long Beach.

New Oriental denies condoning or wittingly engaging in application fraud. The publicly listed company, with annual revenue of $1.5 billion, is China’s largest provider of private education services.

In addition to offering college counseling services to thousands of Chinese students seeking to study in the United States, New Oriental has contracts with colleges including Arizona State University, the University of Cincinnati and Temple University. Those colleges pay New Oriental commissions when it refers students who enroll.

Two New Oriental employees at AIRC’s annual convention in Miami told Reuters the company had “relationships” with about 100 U.S. colleges and universities. They declined to say how many of those schools pay commissions to New Oriental.

Joshee said his school - California State, Long Beach - signed a contract this year with New Oriental, although it has not provided any students to date. He said the university normally pays agents $1,500 to $2,000 for each student who enrolls. The university would await the results of AIRC’s probe before taking any action, he said.

(Edited by Michael Williams and Lisa Shumaker)

原文链接：http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-neworiental-exclusive-idUSKBN13R2EG

新东方教育科技集团在纽约上市的 ADR 周五一度暴跌 24.2%，创下 2012 年 7 月以来最大盘中跌幅，此前曾有外媒报道新东方留学中介业务存在学术欺诈，美国国际招生协会 ( AIRC ) 将对此展开调查。

据了解，此前路透社一篇报道称，八名前任和现任新东方教育科技集团的员工帮助客户 / 学生申请大学过程中造假，包括帮助客户撰写申请学校的文章、教师推荐信，捏造中学文凭。报道提到，新东方代客户 / 学生 " 撰写或润色 " 部分申请内容，代表客户开立与高校联系的电邮账户，却独占邮箱密码。一些客户本人甚至从未见过自己的申请文书。

昨日，AIRC 尚未履新的总裁 Jeet Joshee 称，关于新东方的报道让人 " 非常担忧 "，如若欺诈指控属实，AIRC 可能会撤销早在三、四年前颁发给北京新东方的认证。

报道提到，新东方代客户 / 学生 " 撰写或润色 " 部分申请内容，代表客户开立与高校联系的电邮账户，却独占邮箱密码。一些客户本人甚至从未见过自己的申请文书。

截至收盘，新东方报 42.27 美元，跌幅 14.27%。公司股票已经连跌 5 个交易日，累计跌幅超过 18%。

邹庆，英文名Jack（微信: canadahao），73年10月8日重庆出生，重庆成长，加拿大院校规划申请中心创始人，目前工作生活在多伦多。诚信，靠谱，专业，热爱留学工作，热爱目前生活。25岁开始先后在3个行业创办过三家公司，30岁在重庆做政协委员，34岁在重庆做人大代表，36岁公派在上海中欧商学院进修，37岁全家移民加拿大。热爱摄影，交友，旅行。有23年的摄影爱好历史，去过中国河北，天津以外的所有省和加拿大6个省，美国的15个州。访问过加拿大美国超过250所大学高中小学，熟悉和精通加拿大教育体系，帮助众多中国留学生找到了满意的学校并顺利来到加拿大留学。