CSI determined to keep promises to students

For more than 27 years, Computer Systems Institute has been providing quality education at five campuses in the Chicago area and two in Boston.

We began as an institution focusing on Information Technology education for the general public and for corporate clients, but today we are so much more than that. Our growth in program offerings provides academic, technical skills and English language skills to thousands of students.

In recent months, CSI's ability to serve its students has been challenged. As has been reported in the Daily Herald, earlier this year we were informed by the U.S. Department of Education that our application for recertification in Title IV programs was denied. The denial was based on allegations that in 2013 two employers falsely reported that they had employed Chicago campus graduates from CSI's Healthcare and Business Career programs.

The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, CSI's accrediting body, does not allege that CSI made intentional false representations with respect to our graduates.

As a result of the education department's decision, the accrediting agency issued a show-cause directive in February, a process whereby CSI must provide information to show that, despite the DOE denial, the school should continue its accreditation. CSI provided the information requested, yet ACICS decided to withdraw/suspend the school's accreditation. We are appealing this decision.

I know these events understandably raise concerns among our students and the public. While the appeal process will take time to resolve itself, I am confident that CSI will reach an amicable resolution with the accrediting agency.

In the meantime, I believe it is important that our students and the public know CSI has stood behind and always will stand behind its promise of providing quality education. Because of all we offer, students at CSI thrive and go on to have successful careers.

Tiger Safarov, a 31-year-old entrepreneur, is just one example of a CSI student success. Tiger has been the brains behind two startup companies - well-known Siegel Construction, which designs and builds dental offices and installs computer networks, and ZenSupplies Inc., which develops inventory management software for the dental industry.

Not bad for a guy who immigrated to the United States from Russia in 2005 unable to speak a word of English. He attended an English as a Second Language program and received a diploma from CSI, completed certifications in IT, networking and routing and Microsoft systems, then pursued his bachelor's degree in architectural engineering and construction management from Illinois Institute of Technology. He graduated from IIT in 2010.

There are other students just like Tiger who, with the help of CSI, overcame life's obstacles to achieve their educational goals and move on to successful careers.

Jessica Levine is one of those students. She is a 34-year-old graduate of CSI's Healthcare Career Program who went through a divorce, became a single mom and experienced flare-ups of systemic lupus erythemetosus while in school. She took several leaves of absence, but completed her program and is now working as a medical coder in the billing office for Centegra Occupational Health. She has her sights sets on getting a bachelor's degree and furthering her career.

CSI's commitment to our students is such that we are able to mitigate family issues, illnesses, transportation, child care and other personal circumstances that have the potential to affect a student's ability to complete their education. CSI's caring and dedicated staff go out of their way to serve our students.

Nevertheless, no matter what we at CSI provide, our students have to do the work. Tiger and Jessica and the thousands of other students just like them are motivated individuals who have goals for their futures. We can and will help any student who comes to CSI with a vision for their lives. We've been doing that for 27 years, and we look forward to helping our students meet their goals for many years to come.

Julia Lowder, julialowder@csinow.edu, is CEO of Computer Systems Institute, an independent school with local campuses in Elgin and Gurnee.