N.J. vo-tech school abruptly shuts

Students enrolled at one of the 10 campuses of CDM Institute are reporting that the New Jersey-based chain of technical and vocational schools appears to have gone out of business with no warning or explanation.

CDM's website gives no indication that the for-profit chain has closed its doors, but a sign posted Friday on the door of the Marlton campus read "CDM Institute is closed," with no additional information.

Calls to numerous phone numbers posted on the website also went unanswered.

The chain has eight campuses in New Jersey, including Marlton, Tom's River, and Vineland, as well as in Allentown and Wilmington.

Area officials, including the Burlington County office of consumer affairs, say they have received no notification from Mark L. Miller, chairman of CDM Institute Inc.

"They've gone dark on us, too," said Kevin Jasper, chief operating officer of the American Student Financial Group, a California-based processor of student loans linked to CDM.

Jasper said that if CDM has closed permanently, it would not hold students responsible for loans made through ASFG. He said he did not know how many students are enrolled in the chain, which, according to CDM's website, is over 20 years old.

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