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FOIA Request to Wisconsin Technical College System Board Regarding Financial Aid Fraud on May 7, 2025.
As part of our ongoing commitment to transparency and accountability in local governmental affairs, The Sconi has submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Wisconsin Technical College System Board. Our request seeks detailed records concerning financial aid fraud within the state's educational institutions, as outlined under the Wisconsin Open Records Law, §19.31 et seq.
The inquiry is driven by alarming reports from California community colleges where financial aid fraud has escalated significantly. According to a recent article, bots now constitute 25% of applicants in these institutions. These scammers, often referred to as "Pell runners," exploit artificial intelligence to secure grants before disappearing, resulting in over $5 million in losses since 2021. Despite enhanced detection efforts, this fraudulent activity continues to overwhelm online classes and challenge cybersecurity measures.
Our request specifically asks whether the Wisconsin Technical College System Board tracks financial aid fraud and requests data points including:
- College Name
- Applicant Name
- Fraud Amount
- Fraud Incident Date
As members of the media, we emphasize that access to public records is crucial for fulfilling our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and ensuring transparency for the public. Given our role in disseminating information, we have requested a fee waiver as media professionals.
This request is also supported by The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization dedicated to investigating state and federal governmental agencies through Freedom of Information and Sunshine Laws. For more information about their work, please visit [stopsecrecy.org](https://stopsecrecy.org/about/).
We will continue to provide updates on this request as we receive further information from the Wisconsin Technical College System Board.
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