Baker College

Last updated
Baker College
Former names
Baker Business University, Baker Junior College
Type Private university
Established1911;114 years ago (1911)
Endowment $300 million (2022) [1]
President Jacqui Spicer
Students4,969 (Fall 2021)
Undergraduates 4,662 (Fall 2021)
Postgraduates 307 (Fall 2021)
Location
Owosso
,
Michigan
,
United States
Campus Urban [2]
53 acres (21 ha)
Website www.baker.edu
Admissions statistics
2021 entering
class [3]
Admit rate85.6
(447 out of 522)
Test scores middle 50% [i]
SAT Total900-1100
(among 24% of FTFs)
ACT Composite16-22
(among 2% of FTFs)
  1. ↑ Among students who chose to submit

Baker College is a private university with its main campus in Owosso, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1911 and (as of 2023) has four additional campuses throughout the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The institution has been accused of predatory practices and was fined $2.5 million by the U.S. Department of Education in 2025.

Contents

History

Baker College started as Baker Business University, which was founded in Flint, Michigan, in 1911, by Eldon E. Baker. In 1965 it merged with Muskegon College when representatives of the Jewell family, who owned and managed Muskegon College, bought Baker Business University. The university changed its name to Baker Junior College in 1974 and became a non-profit corporation in 1977. [4]

In 2008, a closed auto dealership in Flint, Michigan was renovated and transformed into the Baker College Center for Transportation technology, opening to students in 2009. Baker College's Culinary Institute of Michigan (CIM) opened in 2009 to students interested in studying culinary arts, baking and pastry arts, and food and beverage management. The three-story, 39,000-square-foot (3,600 m2) facility in downtown Muskegon, Michigan began construction in the spring of 2008. [5] Baker College of Cadillac opened its new Center for Transportation and Technology in 2010. In 2011, the Culinary Institute of Michigan is granted Exemplary Status accreditation through the American Culinary Federation (ACF). The Baker College system celebrates its 100th anniversary.[ citation needed ]

In 2020, Baker relocated its main campus from Flint, Michigan, to Owosso, Michigan. In addition, the Clinton Township and Allen Park campuses were closed, with operations relocated to Auburn Hills, Michigan. In turn, the Auburn Hills campus was closed in early 2023 with the move to the new, purpose-built facility in downtown Royal Oak.

In 2022, a ProPublica and Detroit Free Press investigation titled "The Nonprofit College That Spends More on Marketing Than Financial Aid" highlighted its low graduation rate and high student debt rate compared to comparable institutions, as well as its unconventional management structure. [6] That month, Baker College threatened legal action against a former faculty member relating to a non-disparagement clause included in a settlement with Baker. [7] Three years later, the U.S. Department of Education fined the institution $2.5 million for allegedly misrepresenting its career outcomes over the course of several years. [8]

Campuses

Baker College has primarily grown through two methods: establishing new campuses and purchasing and rebranding existing small schools (for example, their Auburn Hills campus was once the Pontiac School of Business). They currently maintain fourteen ground campuses as well as an online college. Each campus is its own business entity, while an overarching Baker College Professional Services, Inc., coordinates campuses and services. Current campuses include:

Academics

National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition

Baker College won the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition: 2008, 2009. [9] Baker College won the Michigan Collegiate Cyber Defense Network state championships in: 2007, [10] 2009, [11] 2010, [12] 2012, [13] 2014, [14] 2015, [15] 2016, [16] 2017, [17] 2018., [18] [19] 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024, and 2025. They won the Michigan Collegiate Cyber Defense Network Cyber Wars championship: 2012. [20] In 2019, Baker College was included in the Michigan Collegiate Cyber Defense Network Hall of Fame for being the only educational institution in the United States to win the national championship twice, and for taking first or second place in multiple cyber defense competitions. [21]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ As of March 7, 2022. U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2021 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY20 to FY21 (Report). National Association of College and University Business Officers and TIAA. 2022. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Baker College of Flint". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Baker College Common Data Set 2021-2022" (PDF). Baker College. Retrieved 2022-12-17.
  4. ↑ history Archived 2013-02-01 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ↑ Baker College OKs $11 million downtown facility - Muskegon Chronicle - MLive.com
  6. ↑ Jesse, David; Clark, Anna (January 12, 2022). "The Nonprofit College That Spends More on Marketing Than Financial Aid". ProPublica . Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  7. ↑ Jesse, David; Clark, Anna (28 January 2022). "Baker College Threatens Legal Action Against Former Teacher Who Talked to Reporters". ProPublica. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
  8. ↑ Clark, Anna; Jesse, David (January 7, 2024). "Feds Fine Baker College $2.5 Million for Deceptive Marketing That Left Students With Debts and Regrets". ProPublica and The Chronicle of Higher Education . Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  9. ↑ "National Collegiate Cyber Defense: Past Winners". Archived from the original on 2016-11-16.
  10. ↑ "Michigan Collegiate Cyber Defense Network: 2007 Results". Archived from the original on 2016-01-23.
  11. ↑ "Michigan Collegiate Cyber Defense Network: 2009 Results". Archived from the original on 2016-01-23.
  12. ↑ "Michigan Collegiate Cyber Defense Network: 2010 Results". Archived from the original on 2016-01-23.
  13. ↑ "Michigan Collegiate Cyber Defense Network: 2012 Results". Archived from the original on 2016-01-23.
  14. ↑ "Michigan Collegiate Cyber Defense Network: 2014 Results". Archived from the original on 2016-01-23.
  15. ↑ "Michigan Collegiate Cyber Defense Network: 2015 Results". Archived from the original on 2016-10-16.
  16. ↑ "Michigan Collegiate Cyber Defense Network: 2016 Results". Archived from the original on 2016-10-16.
  17. ↑ "Michigan Collegiate Cyber Defense Network: 2017 Results". Archived from the original on 2018-03-03.
  18. ↑ "Baker College Cyber Security students win state championship for 3rd year in a row". Archived from the original on 2018-03-18.
  19. ↑ "Michigan Collegiate Cyber Defense Network: 2018 Results". Archived from the original on 2018-03-03.
  20. ↑ "2012 MICHIGAN CYBER WARS". Archived from the original on 2016-01-23.
  21. ↑ "Michigan Collegiate Cyber Defense Network - Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on 2020-12-01.
  22. ↑ "Pam Faris' Biography". Vote Smart: Facts for All. Vote Smart . Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  23. ↑ "Player Bio: Dena Head :: Women's Basketball". CCSU Blue Devils. Archived from the original on April 5, 2005.
  24. ↑ "Michelle Hoitenga's Biography". Vote Smart: Facts for All. Vote Smart . Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  25. ↑ "Bronna Kahle's Biography". Vote Smart: Facts for All. Vote Smart . Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  26. ↑ "Jeff Raatz's Biography". Vote Smart: Facts for All. Vote Smart . Retrieved August 24, 2024.

42°58′36″N83°41′50″W / 42.97667°N 83.69722°W / 42.97667; -83.69722

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