NOTE 3: REGULATORY SETTLEMENTS

In the second quarter of fiscal year 2017, Adtalem, DeVry University Inc., and DeVry/New York Inc. (collectively, the “Adtalem Parties”) and the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) agreed to a Stipulation as to Entry of an Order for Permanent Injunction and Monetary Judgment (the “Agreement”) resolving litigation brought by the FTC regarding DeVry University’s use of employment statistics in former advertising. Under the terms of the Agreement, the Adtalem Parties agreed to pay $49.4 million to be distributed at the sole discretion of the FTC, to forgive $30.4 million of institutional loans issued before September 30, 2015, and to forgive outstanding DeVry University accounts receivable balances by $20.2 million for former students. In addition, the Adtalem Parties agreed that Adtalem institutions marketing to U.S. consumers will maintain specific substantiation to support any future advertising regarding graduate outcomes and educational benefits, and will implement training and other agreed-upon compliance measures. Adtalem chose to settle the FTC litigation after filing an answer denying all allegations of wrongdoing.

In the second quarter of fiscal year 2017, Adtalem also recorded charges related to the resolution of an inquiry made by the Office of the Attorney General of the State of New York (“NYAG”) to the Adtalem Parties regarding DeVry University’s use of employment and salary statistics in former advertising. The Adtalem Parties chose to resolve the NYAG inquiry by entering into an Assurance of Discontinuance (the “Assurance”) with the NYAG on January 27, 2017, without admitting or denying the allegations therein. Pursuant to the Assurance, the Adtalem Parties agreed to pay $2.25 million for consumer restitution and $0.5 million in penalties, fees and costs. In addition, the Adtalem Parties agreed that Adtalem institutions marketing to New York consumers will maintain specific substantiation and present certain statistics as prescribed to support any future advertising regarding graduate outcomes and educational benefits, and will implement other agreed-upon compliance measures.

Student services and access to federal student loans are not impacted by the Agreement or the Assurance and at no time has the academic quality of a DeVry University education been questioned.

The regulatory settlements expense of $56.3 million recorded during the first six months of fiscal year 2017 consists of the $49.4 million cash payment to the FTC, the $4.1 million unreserved and expensed institutional loans and the $2.75 million cash payment to the NYAG. Of these regulatory settlement charges, $4.1 million is recorded within discontinued operations and $52.2 million was allocated to the Adtalem home office which is classified as “Home Office and Other” in “Note 15: Segment Information.”

Additionally, in the second quarter of fiscal year 2017, DeVry University reached a settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Education (“ED”) regarding its January 27, 2016 Notice of Intent to Limit (“Notice”). The Notice related narrowly to a specific graduate employment statistic previously used by DeVry University, calculated since 1975. The settlement includes, among other things, an agreement to no longer use the statistic in question or to make any other representations regarding the graduate employment outcomes of DeVry University graduates from 1975 to October 1980. DeVry University will also refrain from making any future graduate employment representations without possessing graduate-specific information, and, for five years after the effective date of the settlement, to post a letter of credit with ED equal to 10% of DeVry University’s annual Title IV disbursement. A $68.4 million letter of credit was posted in the second quarter of fiscal year 2017 in relation to this requirement. Upon the close of the sale of DeVry University (see “Note 2: Discontinued Operations and Assets Held for Sale”), Adtalem will continue to post this letter of credit on behalf of DeVry University. Also, as a result of the settlement agreement, DeVry University’s participation in Title IV programs will be under provisional certification. The settlement in no way hinders DeVry University’s ability to serve current or future students. DeVry University resolved the Notice in full cooperation with ED. The settlement allows DeVry University to continue communicating its strong student outcomes, while providing assurances regarding the extent of its graduate employment data.