BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — An independent art college with close ties to the now defunct Stone Academy is in the spotlight for questionable business practices.
Paier College of Art in Bridgeport is accepting new student applications despite not having any faculty to teach them.
Paier College is located within the University of Bridgeport’s campus but they are a separate, for-profit art and design school with more than 100 students.
The bold headline on the Paier College website says, “Now Accepting Applications.” What is not said is that currently no one is employed to teach. In March, Paier’s provost sent an email to all faculty and staff advising them that they would not be employed past April 30.
“If you are still taking in students and taking their money and you know you have no teachers, that is definitely unethical,” remarked Cynthia Jennings, a civil rights attorney who advocated on behalf of Stone Academy students.
According to the Connecticut Office of Higher Education, however, it is not illegal.
Commissioner Timothy Larson said, “The fact that there is currently no faculty under contract is not in itself improper…”
Paier College is owned by Joe Bierbaum, the disgraced former Stone Academy CEO who is now the subject of a state lawsuit that alleges he scammed students out of their tuition money. The lawsuit filed by Attorney General William Tong on behalf of the state alleges that both the finances and operations of Stone Academy and Paier College were closely intertwined.
“I see it basically repeating itself all over again,” said Justin Cullipher, a former Stone Academy student.
Cullipher was among hundreds who were stunned when the predominantly nursing school abruptly shut down in 2023, leaving students without their certifications and without a plan to finish their education. The school’s closure also left them on the hook for student loans. It left them with invalid clinical hours and in many cases without access to copies of their transcripts.
“Get your transcripts and withdraw," said Cullipher, in regard to current and prospective Paier College students. "Paier is not the only art school in Connecticut. Look elsewhere. Go to the community colleges, go to the universities. Go to an institution that is going to prioritize your education over their profits.”
Documents show Paier College is in the process of being sold and Bierbaum is stepping down.
“Joe Bierbaum should not be allowed to practice business in the state of Connecticut,” Cullipher said.
In an email, Bierbaum announced the appointment of Dr. Daren Hancott as the new CEO. Hancott is a former University of Phoenix executive. The University of Phoenix is the largest for-profit school in the U.S., which was fined nearly $10 million in 2004 for breaking the law.
“I don’t think that people who are in government should be continuing to run their offices if they are not investigating these people,” said Jennings.
In addition to having no faculty, Paier College was put on a warning list by the Accrediting Commission of Career School and Colleges for not being in compliance with accreditation standards. Paier College must now respond to these allegations and show it is meeting requirements.
A comment from Paier College was not immediately made available upon request.
The CT Office of Higher Education said they anticipate the new owners will hire faculty before the fall semester begins, but if they don’t they will “take action to protect students.”
The full statement from the Connecticut Office of Higher Education reads, “The fact that there is currently no faculty under contract is not in itself improper. At this point, Paier is a private business that has communicated to us that they are planning a change of ownership and because of this they didn’t renew faculty contracts. We are currently reviewing their change of ownership application and looking into any existing compliance issues. That process entails working with all involved parties to ensure that the student experience is as promised. If the change of ownership is approved, we anticipate that the new ownership will enter new contracts with faculty. If that does not occur, our office will take action to protect students.”
Matt Caron is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at mcaron@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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