Thirteen college presidents, including NYU’s John Sexton, sent a letter to the Labor Department this week discouraging further regulation of unpaid internships:
While we share your concerns about the potential for exploitation, our institutions take great pains to ensure students are placed in secure and productive environments that further their education. We constantly monitor and reassess placements based on student feedback.
We urge great caution in changing an approach to learning that is viewed as a huge success by educators, employers, and students alike, and we respectfully request that the Department of Labor reconsider undertaking the regulation of internships.
Indeed, a huge success! The prospect of internships in the city continues to draw students to NYU, free labor continues to please employers, and the ever-dimming hope of employment continues to tantalize and motivate students. What’s not to love?
