Collection and tracking of complaints

(a) In general (1) Centralized collection, monitoring, and response In consultation with the Committee, the Secretary shall establish a single, toll-free telephone number, a website, and a database (or use an existing database) to facilitate the centralized collection of, monitoring of, and response to student complaints regarding the services or activities of any proprietary institution of higher education that is eligible for Federal education assistance. (2) Coordination The Committee shall coordinate with the Federal agencies represented on the Committee to route complaints to those agencies, where appropriate, and consistent with— (A) the protection of the privacy and confidentiality of personally identifiable information; and (B) data security and integrity. (b) Use of complaint information Information collected from complaints under subsection (a) shall be used— (1) to facilitate coordination among the Federal agencies represented on the Committee; (2) to facilitate investigations and enforcement actions against proprietary institutions of higher education; (3) to prepare the report under section 6; and (4) to prepare the For-Profit College Warning List for Parents and Students under section 7. (c) Routing complaints to States To the extent practicable, State approval agencies may receive appropriate complaints from the systems established under subsection (a), if— (1) the State approval agency system has the functional capacity to receive calls or electronic reports routed by the systems of the Department; (2) the State approval agency has satisfied any conditions of participation in the system that the Department may establish, including treatment of personally identifiable information and sharing of information on complaint resolution or related compliance procedures and resources; and (3) participation by the State approval agency includes measures necessary to provide for protection of personally identifiable information that conform to the Federal laws and standards for protection of the privacy and confidentiality of personally identifiable information and for data integrity and security that apply to the Federal agencies described in subsection (d). (d) Data-Sharing required (1) In general To facilitate preparation of the reports required under section 6, supervision and enforcement activities, and monitoring of the market for educational services provided by any proprietary institution of higher education that is eligible for Federal education assistance, the Committee members shall share student complaint information with accrediting agencies, the Federal Trade Commission, other Federal agencies, and State agencies, subject to the Federal laws and standards applicable to Federal agencies for the protection of the privacy and confidentiality of personally identifiable information and for data security and integrity. (2) Sharing of data with the department The accrediting agencies, the Federal Trade Commission, and other Federal agencies shall share data relating to student complaints regarding educational services provided by any proprietary institution of higher education with the Department, subject to the Federal laws and standards applicable to Federal agencies for the protection of the privacy and confidentiality of personally identifiable information and for data security and integrity.