CREDIT AGREEMENT DATED AS OF DECEMBER 27, 2012 AMONG CAREER EDUCATION CORPORATION, CEC EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, LLC, THE GUARANTORS FROM TIME TO TIME PARTIES HERETO, THE LENDERS FROM TIME TO TIME PARTIES HERETO, AND BMO HARRIS BANK N.A., AS...

EXHIBIT 99.1

CREDIT AGREEMENT

DATED AS OF DECEMBER 27, 2012

AMONG

CAREER EDUCATION CORPORATION,

CEC EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, LLC,

THE GUARANTORS FROM TIME TO TIME PARTIES HERETO,

THE LENDERS FROM TIME TO TIME PARTIES HERETO,

AND

BMO XXXXXX BANK N.A.,

AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

BMO CAPITAL MARKETS, AS SOLE LEAD ARRANGER AND SOLE BOOK RUNNER

TABLE OF CONTENTS


Section	Page

ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS		1

1.01 Defined Terms		1
1.02 Other Interpretive Provisions		22
1.03 Accounting Terms		22
1.04 Rounding		23
1.05 Times of Day		23

ARTICLE II. THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS		23

2.01 Loans		23
2.02 Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans		23
2.03 Intentionally Omitted		25
2.04 Intentionally Omitted		25
2.05 Prepayments		25
2.06 Termination or Reduction of Commitments		25
2.07 Repayment of Loans		25
2.08 Interest		26
2.09 Fees		26
2.10 Computation of Interest and Fees		27
2.11 Evidence of Debt		27
2.12 Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback		27
2.13 Sharing of Payments by Lenders		29
2.14 Extension of Maturity Date		30
2.15 Defaulting Lenders		30

ARTICLE III. TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY		32

3.01 Taxes		32
3.02 Illegality		36
3.03 Inability to Determine Rates		37
3.04 Increased Costs; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans		37
3.05 Compensation for Losses		38
3.06 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders		39
3.07 Survival		39

ARTICLE IV. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS		40

4.01 Conditions of Initial Credit Extension		40
4.02 Conditions to all Credit Extensions		41

ARTICLE V. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES		42

5.01 Existence, Qualification and Power		42
5.02 Authorization; No Contravention		42


5.03 Governmental Authorization; Other Consents			42
5.04 Binding Effect			42
5.05 Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect			42
5.06 Litigation			43
5.07 No Default			43
5.08 Ownership of Property; Liens			43
5.09 Environmental Compliance			43
5.10 Insurance			44
5.11 Taxes			44
5.12 ERISA Compliance			44
5.13 Subsidiaries; Equity Interests			45
5.14 Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act			45
5.15 Disclosure			45
5.16 Compliance with Laws			45
5.17 Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc.			46
5.18 OFAC			46
5.19 Title IV Compliance			46
5.20. Solvency			49
5.21. No Broker Fees			49
5.22. Affiliate Transactions			49

ARTICLE VI. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS			50

6.01 Financial Statements			50
6.02 Certificates; Other Information			51
6.03 Notices			52
6.04 Payment of Obligations			53
6.05 Preservation of Existence, Etc.			53
6.06 Maintenance of Properties			54
6.07 Maintenance of Insurance			54
6.08 Compliance with Laws			54
6.09 Books and Records			54
6.10 Inspection Rights			54
6.11 Use of Proceeds			54
6.12 [Reserved]			55
6.13 Title IV Compliance			55
6.14 Acquisitions			56
6.15 Post-Closing Requirements			56

ARTICLE VII. NEGATIVE COVENANTS			57

7.01 Liens			57
7.02 Investments			58
7.03 Indebtedness			59
7.04 Fundamental Changes			59
7.05 Dispositions			60
7.06 Restricted Payments			61


7.07 Change in Nature of Business			61
7.08 Transactions with Affiliates			61
7.09 Burdensome Agreements			61
7.10 Use of Proceeds			62
7.11 Minimum Domestic Cash			62
7.12 Capital Expenditures			62
7.13 Sanctions			62
7.14 No Changes in Fiscal Year			62

ARTICLE VIII. EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES			62

8.01 Events of Default			62
8.02 Remedies Upon Event of Default			65
8.03 Application of Funds			65

ARTICLE IX. ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT			66

9.01 Appointment and Authority			66
9.02 Rights as a Lender			66
9.03 Exculpatory Provisions			66
9.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent			67
9.05 Delegation of Duties			68
9.06 Resignation of Administrative Agent			68
9.07 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders			69
9.08 No Other Duties, Etc.			69
9.09 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim			70
9.10 Collateral and Guaranty Matters			70

ARTICLE X GUARANTEES			71

10.1. The Guarantees			71
10.2. Guarantee Unconditional			72
10.3. Discharge Only upon Payment in Full; Reinstatement in Certain Circumstances			73
10.4. Subrogation			73
10.5. Subordination			73
10.6. Waivers			73
10.7. Limit on Recovery			74
10.8. Stay of Acceleration			74
10.9. Benefit to Guarantors			74
10.10. Joint and Several			74
10.11 Limitation			75

ARTICLE XI. MISCELLANEOUS			75

11.01 Amendments, Etc			75
11.02 Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication			77

iii


11.03 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement			78
11.04 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.			79
11.05 Payments Set Aside			81
11.06 Successors and Assigns			81
11.07 Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality			85
11.08 Right of Setoff			86
11.09 Interest Rate Limitation			86
11.10 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness			87
11.11 Survival of Representations and Warranties			87
11.12 Severability			87
11.13 Replacement of Lenders			88
11.14 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.			88
11.15 Waiver of Jury Trial			89
11.16 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility			90
11.17 Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents			90
11.18 USA PATRIOT Act			91


SCHEDULES

2.01 Commitments and Applicable Percentages
2.02 Material Domestic Subsidiaries
5.06 Litigation
5.09 Environmental Matters
5.13 Subsidiaries; Other Equity Investments; Equity Interests in the Borrower
5.17 Intellectual Property Matters
5.19 Title IV Matters
7.01 Existing Liens
7.03 Existing Indebtedness
7.05 Discontinued Operations

EXHIBITS

A Loan Notice
B Note
C Compliance Certificate
D Assignment and Assumption
E Additional Guarantor Supplement

CREDIT AGREEMENT

This Credit Agreement (“Agreement”) is entered into as of December 27, 2012, among CAREER EDUCATION CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), CEC EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, LLC, an Illinois limited liability company (“CECE”; the Company and CECE shall be referred to herein as the “Borrowers” and individually as a “Borrower”), certain of the direct and indirect Domestic Subsidiaries of the Company, as Guarantors, each lender from time to time party hereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”), and BMO XXXXXX BANK N.A., as Administrative Agent.

The Borrowers have requested that the Lenders provide a revolving credit facility, and the Lenders are willing to do so on the terms and conditions set forth herein.

In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:

ARTICLE I.

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

1.01 Defined Terms . As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

“Accrediting Body” means, with respect to any Educational Institution, any non-government entity or body which engages in granting or withholding of institutional accreditation for such Educational Institution, in accordance with standards relating to the performance, operation, financial condition and/or academic standing of private post-secondary schools, including, as applicable, those entities and organizations approved pursuant to Part 602 of 34 C.F.R.

“Acquisition” means any transaction or series of related transactions for the purpose of or resulting, directly or indirectly, in (a) the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of a Person, or of any line or segment of business or division of a Person, (b) the acquisition of in excess of 50% of the capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests or equity of any Person, or otherwise causing any Person to become a Subsidiary, or (c) a merger or consolidation or any other combination with another Person (other than a Person that is a Subsidiary) provided that (i) the Company or the Subsidiary is the surviving entity or (ii) after giving effect to such merger or consolidation, such other Person has become a Subsidiary of the Company; provided that in no event shall the formation or establishment of a Subsidiary or the capitalization of or transfer to such Subsidiary of any existing assets or business of the Company or any Subsidiary constitute an Acquisition.

“Administrative Agent” means BMO Xxxxxx Bank in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent.

“Administrative Agent’s Office” means the Administrative Agent’s address as set forth in Section 11.02, or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify to the Borrowers and the Lenders.

“Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.

“Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.

“Aggregate Commitments” means the Commitments of all the Lenders, which as of the Closing Date equals $80,000,000 in the aggregate.

“Agreement” means this Credit Agreement, as amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified in accordance with the terms hereof.

“Applicable Percentage” means with respect to any Lender at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Aggregate Commitments represented by such Lender’s Commitment at such time, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.15. If the commitment of each Lender to make Loans have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02 or if the Aggregate Commitments have expired, then the Applicable Percentage of each Lender shall be determined based on the Applicable Percentage of such Lender most recently in effect, giving effect to any subsequent assignments. The initial Applicable Percentage of each Lender is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable.

“Applicable Rate” means (a) with respect to Base Rate Loans, 2.0% per annum, (b) with respect to Eurodollar Rate Loans, 3.0% per annum, and (c) with respect to the commitment fees payable under Section 2.09, 0.25% per annum.

“Approved Fund” means, as to any Lender, any Fund that is administered or managed by (a) such Lender, (b) an Affiliate of such Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages such Lender.

“Arranger” means BMO Capital Markets, in its capacity as sole lead arranger and sole book manager.

“Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 11.06(b)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit D or any other form (including electronic documentation generated by MarkitClear or other electronic platform) approved by the Administrative Agent and the Company.

“Attributable Indebtedness” means, on any date, (a) in respect of any capital lease of any Person, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP, and (b) in respect of any Synthetic Lease Obligation, the capitalized amount of the remaining lease payments under the relevant lease that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP if such lease were accounted for as a capital lease.

“Audited Financial Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, and the related consolidated statements of income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year of the Company and its Subsidiaries, including the notes thereto.

“Availability Period” means the period from and including the Closing Date to the earliest of (a) the Maturity Date, (b) the date of termination of the Aggregate Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06, and (c) the date of termination of the commitment of each Lender to make Loans pursuant to Section 8.02.

“Base Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the greatest of: (a) the rate of interest announced or otherwise established by the Administrative Agent from time to time as its prime commercial rate as in effect on such day, with any change in the Base Rate resulting from a change in said prime commercial rate to be effective as of the date of the relevant change in said prime commercial rate (it being acknowledged and agreed that such rate may not be the Administrative Agent’s best or lowest rate), (b) the Federal Funds Rate, and (c) the LIBOR Quoted Rate for such day plus 1.00%. As used herein, the term “LIBOR Quoted Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the quotient of (i) the rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next higher one hundred – thousandth of a percentage point) for deposits in U.S. Dollars for a one – month interest period which appears on the LIBOR01 Page as of 11:00 a.m. (London, England time) on such day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, on the immediately preceding Business Day) divided by (ii) one (1) minus the Eurodollar Reserve Percentage.

“Base Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.

“BMO Xxxxxx Bank” means BMO Xxxxxx Bank N.A. and its successors.

“Borrower Materials” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

“Borrowers” means collectively the Company and CECE.

“Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Loans of the same Type and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01.

“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where the Administrative Agent’s Office is located and, if such day relates to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, means any such day that is also a London Banking Day.

“Cash Equivalents” means (a) marketable direct obligations issued by, or unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States or issued by any agency thereof and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in each case maturing within one (1) year from the date of acquisition thereof, (b) marketable direct obligations issued or fully guaranteed by any state of the United States or any political subdivision of any such state or any public instrumentality thereof maturing within one (1) year from the date of acquisition thereof and, at the time of acquisition, having one of the two highest ratings obtainable from either S&P or Xxxxx’x, (c) commercial paper maturing within one (1) year from the date of creation thereof and, at the time of acquisition, having a rating of at least A-1 from S&P or at least P-1 from Xxxxx’x, (d) certificates of deposit, time deposits, overnight bank deposits or bankers’ acceptances maturing within one (1) year from the date of acquisition thereof issued by any bank organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia having at the date of acquisition thereof combined capital and surplus of not less than $250,000,000, (e) deposit accounts maintained with (i) any bank that satisfies the criteria described in clause (d) above, or (ii) any other bank organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof so long as the full amount maintained with any such other bank is fully insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, (f) repurchase obligations of any commercial bank satisfying the requirements of clause (d) of this definition or recognized securities dealer having combined capital and surplus of not less than $250,000,000, having a term of not more than seven (7) days, with respect to securities satisfying the criteria in clauses (a) or (d) above, provided all such agreements require physical delivery of the securities securing such repurchase agreement, except those delivered through the Federal Reserve Book Entry System, and (g) investments in money market funds substantially all of whose assets primarily are invested in the types of assets described in clauses (a) through (f) above.

“Cash Management Bank” means any party to a Cash Management Services Agreement with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which party was a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender under this Agreement at the time it entered into such Cash Management Services Agreement.

“Cash Management Services Agreement” means any agreement to provide management services, including treasury, depository, overdraft, credit or debit card, electronic funds transfer and other cash management services that is entered into by and between any Loan Party and any Cash Management Bank.

“CECE” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto

“Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, rule, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) the Xxxx-Xxxxx Xxxx Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.

“Change of Control” means an event or series of events by which:

(a) any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, but excluding any employee benefit plan of such person or its subsidiaries, and any person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan) becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except that a person or group shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all securities that such person or group has the right to acquire (such right, an “option right”), whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), directly or indirectly, of 25% or more of the equity securities of the Company entitled to vote for members of the board of directors or equivalent governing body of the Company on a fully-diluted basis (and taking into account all such securities that such person or group has the right to acquire pursuant to any option right); or

(b) the replacement of a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company arising from an actual solicitation of proxies or consents initiated by or on behalf of any person or group other than those Persons nominated or appointed by the majority of the Board of Directors of the Company.

“Closing Date” means the first date all the conditions precedent in Section 4.01 are satisfied or waived in accordance with Section 11.01.

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

“Cohort Default Rate” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in 34 C.F.R. § 668 Subparts M and N, including Cohort Default Rates calculated for the periods specified in 34 C.F.R. § 668.183 and Cohort Default Rates calculated for the period specified in 34 C.F.R. § 668.202.

“Collateral” means the “Collateral,” as defined in the Security Agreement.

“Collateral Account” means that certain deposit account (account number 0000000) maintained with and under the control of the Administrative Agent.

“Commitment” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to make Loans to the Borrowers pursuant to Section 2.01 in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement.

“Company” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto

“Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit C.

“Connection Income Taxes” means Other Connection Taxes that are imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or that are franchise Taxes or branch profits Taxes.

“Contractual Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any material agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.

“Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

“Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors generally.

“Default” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.

“Default Rate” means when used with respect to Loans an interest rate equal to (i) the Base Rate plus (ii) the Applicable Rate, if any, applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (iii) 2% per annum; provided, however, that with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to (i) the Eurodollar Rate applicable to such Loan (and the related Interest Period) plus (ii) the Applicable Rate, if any, applicable to such Loan plus (iii) 2% per annum.

“Defaulting Lender” means, subject to Section 2.15(b), any Lender that (a) has failed to (i) fund all or any portion of its Loans within two Business Days of the date such Loans were required to be funded hereunder unless such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Company in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s determination that one or more conditions precedent to funding (each of which conditions precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing) has not been satisfied, or (ii) pay to the Administrative Agent or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within two Business Days of the date when due, (b) has notified the Company, the Administrative Agent in writing that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations hereunder, or has made a public statement to that effect (unless such writing or public statement relates to such Lender’s obligation to fund a Loan hereunder and states that such position is based on such Lender’s determination that a condition precedent to funding (which condition precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing or public statement) cannot be satisfied), (c) has failed, within three Business Days after written request by the Administrative Agent or the Company, to confirm in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Company that it will comply with its prospective funding obligations hereunder

(provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon receipt of such written confirmation by the Administrative Agent and the Company), or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or (ii) had appointed for it a receiver, custodian, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or assets, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other state or federal regulatory authority acting in such a capacity; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any equity interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender. Any determination by the Administrative Agent or the Company that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender under any one or more of clauses (a) through (d) above, and of the effective date of such status, shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, and such Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender (subject to Section 2.15(b)) as of the date established therefor by the Administrative Agent or the Company in a written notice of such determination, which shall be delivered by the Administrative Agent to the Company and each other Lender promptly following such determination.

“Designated Jurisdiction” means any country or territory to the extent that such country or territory itself is the subject of any Sanction.

“Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including any sale and leaseback transaction) of any property by any Person, including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith.

“DOE” means the United States Department of Education and any successor agency administering federal student financial assistance under Title IV.

“Dollar” and “$” mean lawful money of the United States.

“Domestic Cash” means, at any time the same is determined, the sum of (i) cash maintained in the Collateral Account at such time plus (ii) unrestricted cash and Cash Equivalents of the Loan Parties and their Domestic Subsidiaries maintained at financial institutions located in the United States at such time.

“Domestic Foreign Holding Company” means (a) any Domestic Subsidiary substantially all of whose assets are capital stock or equity interests of a Subsidiary that is not a U.S. Person, and (b) a Domestic Subsidiary owned indirectly by the Company or a Subsidiary through a Subsidiary that is not a U.S. Person.

“Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of any political subdivision of the United States.

“Educational Agency” means any Person, entity or organization, whether governmental, government chartered, private, or quasi-private, that engages in granting or withholding Educational Approvals for, administers financial assistance to or for students of, or otherwise regulates private postsecondary schools in accordance with standards relating to the performance, operation, financial condition or academic standards of such schools, including any Accrediting Body, whose approval is required to participate in the Title IV Programs.

“Educational Approval” means any license, permit, consent, franchise, approval, authorization, certificate, DOE approval or accreditation issued or required to be issued by an Educational Agency to the Institutions with respect to any aspect of the Institutions’ operations subject to the oversight of such Educational Agency.

“Educational Institution” shall mean each of the Subsidiaries of the Company that provides instruction at the postsecondary level.

“Educational Law” means any law, rule, regulation, order or other legal requirement or determination or binding standard issued or administered by, or related to, any Educational Agency.

“Eligible Assignee” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 11.06(b)(iii), and (v) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 11.06(b)(iii)).

“Eligible Student Accounts Receivable” means accounts receivable from students that have been previously written-off or are fully reserved against by the applicable Educational Institution in the calculation of allowance for doubtful accounts in compliance with the Borrowers’ accounting policies.

“Environmental Laws” means any and all Federal, state, local, and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements or governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the protection of the environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges to waste or public systems.

“Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of any Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

“ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under common control with the Company within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code (and Sections 414(m) and (o) of the Code for purposes of provisions relating to Section 412 of the Code).

“ERISA Event” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) a withdrawal by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which it was a substantial employer (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA) or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan or notification that a Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization; (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate, the treatment of a Pension Plan amendment as a termination under Sections 4041 or 4041A of ERISA, or the commencement of proceedings by the PBGC to terminate a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (e) an event or condition which constitutes grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (f) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA and ongoing Plan contributions, upon the Company or any ERISA Affiliate.

“Eurodollar Rate” means for any Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans, a rate per annum determined in accordance with the following formula:


Eurodollar Rate =		LIBOR
		1- Eurodollar Reserve Percentage

“Eurodollar Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on the Eurodollar Rate.

“Eurodollar Reserve Percentage” means the maximum reserve percentage, expressed as a decimal, at which reserves (including, without limitation, any emergency, marginal, special, and supplemental reserves) are imposed by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor) on “eurocurrency liabilities”, as defined in such Board’s Regulation D (or any successor thereto), subject to any amendments of such reserve requirement by such Board or its successor, taking into account any transitional adjustments thereto. For purposes of this definition, the relevant Loans shall be deemed to be “eurocurrency liabilities” as defined in Regulation D without benefit or credit for any prorations, exemptions or offsets under Regulation D. The Eurodollar Reserve Percentage shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any such reserve percentage.

“Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 8.01.

“Excluded Taxes” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to any Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the

laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its Lending Office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrowers under Section 11.13) or (ii) such Lender changes its Lending Office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 3.01(a)(ii), (a)(iii) or (c), amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender became a party hereto or to such Lender immediately before it changed its Lending Office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 3.01(e) and (d) any U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed pursuant to FATCA.

“FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof and any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code, and any applicable intergovernmental agreements with respect thereto.

“Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the sum of (i) the rate determined by the Administrative Agent in good faith to be the average (rounded upward, if necessary, to the next higher 1/100 of 1%) of the rates per annum quoted to the Administrative Agent at approximately 10:00 a.m. (Chicago time) (or as soon thereafter as is practicable) on such day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, on the immediately preceding Business Day) by two or more Federal funds brokers selected by the Administrative Agent for sale to the Administrative Agent at face value of Federal funds in the secondary market in an amount equal or comparable to the principal amount for which such rate is being determined, plus (ii) 1/2 of 1%.

“Fee Letter” means the letter agreement, dated December 18, 2012, between the Company and the Administrative Agent.

“Foreign Lender” means (a) if any Borrower is a U.S. Person, a Lender that is not a U.S. Person, and (b) if any Borrower is not a U.S. Person, a Lender that is resident or organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which such Borrower is resident for tax purposes. For purposes of this definition, the United States, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction^.

“FRB” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.

“Fund” means any Person (other than a natural Person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its activities.

“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or such other principles as may be approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession in the United States, that are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of determination, consistently applied.

“Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).

“Guarantee” means, as to any Person, (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation payable or performable by another Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness or other obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or other obligation is assumed by such Person (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien). The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

“Guarantors” means, collectively, the Material Domestic Subsidiaries.

“Guaranty” means the guaranty set forth in Article X hereof and any other guaranty made by the Guarantors in favor of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders consistent with the terms of Article X and otherwise in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

“Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.

“HEA” means the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, 20 U.S.C. Section 1001 et seq., and any amendments or successor statutes thereto.

“Indebtedness” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP:

(a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money and all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments;

(b) all direct or contingent obligations of such Person arising under letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments;

(d) all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business and, except for those being contested in good faith not past due for more than 90 days after the due date on which such trade payable or account payable was created);

(e) indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon) secured by a Lien on property owned or being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse;

(f) capital leases and Synthetic Lease Obligations;

(g) all obligations of such Person to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise make any payment in respect of any equity interest in such Person or any other Person, valued, in the case of a redeemable preferred interest, at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference plus accrued and unpaid dividends; and

(h) all Guarantees of such Person in respect of any of the foregoing.

For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Person. The amount of any net obligation under any Swap Contract on any date shall be deemed to be the Swap Termination Value thereof as of such date. The amount of any capital lease or Synthetic Lease Obligation as of any date shall be deemed to be the amount of Attributable Indebtedness in respect thereof as of such date.

“Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in (a), Other Taxes.

“Indemnitees” has the meaning specified in Section 11.04(b).

“Information” has the meaning specified in Section 11.07.

“Interest Payment Date” means, (a) as to any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the Maturity Date; provided, however, that if any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Rate Loan exceeds three months, the respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such Interest Period shall also be Interest Payment Dates; and (b) as to any Base Rate Loan, the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date.

“Interest Period” means as to each Eurodollar Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such Eurodollar Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Rate Loan and ending on the date one, two, three or six months thereafter, as selected by the Borrowers in their Loan Notice; provided that:

(i) any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless, in the case of a Eurodollar Rate Loan, such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day;

(ii) any Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Rate Loan that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period; and

(iii) no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date.

“Investment” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of capital stock or other securities of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or assumption of debt of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity participation or interest in, another Person, including any partnership or joint venture interest in such other Person or (c) the purchase or other acquisition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of assets of another Person that constitute a business unit. For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment shall be the amount actually invested, without adjustment for subsequent increases or decreases in the value of such Investment.

“IP Rights” has the meaning specified in Section 5.17.

“IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

“Laws” means, collectively, all international, foreign, Federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, in each case whether or not having the force of law.

“Lender” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.

“Lending Office” means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time notify the Company and the Administrative Agent.

“LIBOR” means, for an Interest Period for a Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans, (a) the LIBOR Index Rate for such Interest Period, if such rate is available, and (b) if the LIBOR Index Rate cannot be determined, the arithmetic average of the rates of interest per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the nearest 1/100 of 1%) at which deposits in U.S. Dollars in immediately available funds are offered to the Administrative Agent at 11:00 a.m. (London, England time) two (2) Business Days before the beginning of such Interest Period by three (3) or more major banks in the interbank eurodollar market selected by the Administrative Agent for delivery on the first day of and for a period equal to such Interest Period and in an amount equal or comparable to the principal amount of the Eurodollar Rate Loan scheduled to be made as part of such Borrowing.

“LIBOR Index Rate” means, for any Interest Period, the rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next higher one hundred – thousandth of a percentage point) for deposits in U.S. Dollars for a period equal to such Interest Period, which appears on the LIBOR01 Page as of 11:00 a.m. (London, England time) on the day two (2) Business Days before the commencement of such Interest Period.

“LIBOR01 Page” means the display designated as “LIBOR01 Page” on the Reuters Service (or such other page as may replace the LIBOR01 Page on that service or such other service as may be nominated by the British Bankers’ Association as the information vendor for the purpose of displaying British Bankers’ Association Interest Settlement Rates for U.S. Dollar deposits)

“Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement in the nature of a security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).

“Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01.

“Loan Documents” means this Agreement, the Notes (if any), the Guaranty, the Security Agreement, and each other document executed and delivered hereunder or thereunder.

“Loan Notice” means a notice of (a) a Borrowing, (b) a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, or (c) a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, pursuant to Section 2.02(a), which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A.

“Loan Parties” means, collectively, the Borrowers and Guarantors.

“London Banking Day” means any day on which dealings in Dollar deposits are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.

“Material Adverse Effect” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the operations, business, properties, liabilities (actual or contingent), or financial condition of any Borrower or the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the ability of the Loan Parties, taken as a whole, to perform their material obligations under the Loan Documents; or (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against any Loan Party of any material Loan Document to which it is a party.

“Material Domestic Subsidiaries” means each Domestic Subsidiary listed on Schedule 2.02 and any other Domestic Subsidiary that becomes a party hereto or delivers a Guaranty; provided, that Domestic Foreign Holding Companies shall not be deemed Material Domestic Subsidiaries for purposes of this Agreement or other Loan Documents.

“Maturity Date” means the later of (a) January 31, 2014 and (b) if maturity is extended pursuant to Section 2.14, such extended maturity date as determined pursuant to such Section; provided, however, that, in each case, if such date is not a Business Day, the Maturity Date shall be the next preceding Business Day.

“Minimum Collateral Amount” means, at any time, cash maintained in the Collateral Account in an amount not less than 110% of the Outstanding Amount at such time.

“Moody’s” means Xxxxx’x Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto.

“Multiemployer Plan” means a “multiemployer plan” (as defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA), to which the Borrower has an ongoing obligation to contribute.

“Non-Consenting Lender” means any Lender that does not approve any consent, waiver or amendment that (i) requires the approval of all Lenders or all affected Lenders in accordance with the terms of Section 11.01 and (ii) has been approved by the Required Lenders.

“Non-Defaulting Lender” means, at any time, each Lender that is not a Defaulting Lender at such time.

“Note” means a promissory note made by the Borrowers in favor of a Lender evidencing Loans made by such Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit B.

“Obligations” means all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document (including any Swap Contract and any Cash Management Services Agreement entered into after the date of this Agreement to which a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender is a party) or otherwise with respect to any Loan, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Obligations of any Loan Party under the Loan Documents include (a) the obligation to pay principal, interest, charges, expenses, fees, attorney’s fees and expenses, and disbursements, indemnities and other amounts payable by any Loan Party under any Loan Document and (b) the obligations of any Loan Party to reimburse any amount in respect of any of the foregoing that any Lender, in its sole discretion, may elect to pay or advance on behalf of such Loan Party.

“OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury.

“Organization Documents” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.

“Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan or Loan Document).

“Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 3.06).

“Outstanding Amount” means, on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Loans after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Loans occurring on such date.

“Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(d).

“Participant Register” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(d).

“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

“Pension Act” means the Pension Protection Act of 2006.

“Pension Funding Rules” means the rules of the Code and ERISA regarding minimum required contributions (including any installment payment thereof) to Pension Plans as set forth in, with respect to plan years ending prior to the effective date of the Pension Act, Section 412 of the Code and Section 302 of ERISA, each as in effect prior to the Pension Act and, thereafter, Section 412, 430, 431, 432 and 436 of the Code and Sections 302, 303, 304 and 305 of ERISA.

“Pension Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan (excluding any Multiemployer Plan) that is maintained or is contributed to by the Borrower and any ERISA Affiliate and is either covered by Title IV of ERISA or is subject to the minimum funding standards under Section 412 of the Code.

“Permitted Acquisitions” means Acquisitions by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of Persons and/ or assets where no Default or Event of Default exists either before or after the proposed Permitted Acquisition and that meet each of the following criteria:

(i) the Persons or assets to be acquired are in (or used in) a business substantially related or incidental to those lines of business conducted by the Company and its Subsidiaries (including a training services business) and the prior, effective written consent or approval of such Acquisition of the board of directors or equivalent governing body, or the stockholders, as appropriate, of the other party or parties has been obtained, would not be perceived by the Person or assets to be acquired as hostile in nature;

(ii) any Acquisitions where, if the target is a Title IV eligible institution or otherwise subject to requirements of any accrediting agency, such target is an accredited, Title IV eligible institution, and/or is in good standing with all applicable accrediting agencies, it being understood that, for purposes hereof, the failure to be in good standing means the target shall have received an order, notice or other decision from a state that has given such college authority to provide postsecondary education in that state that such college’s authority to provide postsecondary education is or will be withdrawn, revoked or terminated; and

(iii) the Total Consideration for any Acquisition, when taken together with the Total Consideration for all Acquisitions acquired during the term of this Agreement, shall not exceed $25,000,000.

“Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

“Plan” means any employee benefit plan within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA (including a Pension Plan), maintained for employees of the Borrower or the Subsidiaries or any such Plan to which the Borrower or the Subsidiaries is required to contribute on behalf of any of its employees.

“Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

“Public Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

“Recipient” means the Administrative Agent, any Lender, or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party hereunder.

“Register” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(c).

“Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, managers, advisors and representatives of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.

“Reportable Event” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than events for which the 30 day notice period has been waived.

“Required Lenders” means, as of any date of determination, three or more Lenders having more than 50% of the sum of the Aggregate Commitments or, if the commitment of each Lender to make Loans has been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02 or otherwise, three or more Lenders holding in the aggregate more than 50% of the Outstanding Amount; provided that the Commitment of, and the portion of the Outstanding Amount held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders.

“Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer, secretary, assistant treasurer or assistant secretary of a Loan Party. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party.

“Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any capital stock or other equity interest of the Company or any Subsidiary, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such capital stock or other equity interest or of any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such capital stock or other equity interest or on account of any warrant or other right to acquire any such capital stock or other equity interest, or on account of any return of capital to the Company’s stockholders, partners or members (or the equivalent Persons thereof) or the issuance of any equity interest or acceptance of any capital contributions.

“Sanction(s)” means any international economic sanction administered or enforced by OFAC, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury or other relevant sanctions authority.

“Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx” means the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002.

“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of The XxXxxx-Xxxx Companies, Inc. and any successor thereto.

“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.

“Secretary” means the Secretary of the DOE or an official or employee of the DOE acting for the Secretary under a delegation of authority.

“Security Agreement” means that certain Security Agreement dated the date of this Agreement between the CECE and the Administrative Agent, as the same may be amended, modified, supplemented or restated from time to time.

“Shareholders’ Equity” means, as of any date of determination, consolidated shareholders’ equity of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of that date determined in accordance with GAAP.

“Significant Regulatory Event” means, with respect to one or more Educational Institutions, (a) a failure to maintain its current eligibility to participate in Title IV Programs (including without limitation any suspension or termination of Title IV funding, any material limitation of Title IV Program funding or Title IV Program participation, or any imposition of Cash Reimbursement or Heightened Cash Monitoring Level II Procedures (as defined by 34 C.F.R. §§ 668.162(d) and (e)(2))), (b) a failure to maintain in effect any of its Educational Approvals(c) the issuance by the DOE of a draft Cohort Default Rate for any Educational Institution that, individually or in the aggregate with such Educational Institution’s Cohort Default Rates for preceding Federal Fiscal Years, would upon becoming a final Cohort Default Rate result in a loss of the Educational Institution’s eligibility to participate in Title IV Programs and the Company determines in good faith that such Cohort Default Rate is not reasonably likely to improve so as to avoid the loss of the Educational Institution’s eligibility to participate in Title IV Programs, (d) a failure to (i) meet the “90/10 Rule” codified at 34 C.F.R. §§ 668.14 and 668.28 with respect to a single fiscal year and (ii) meet the “90/10 Rule” for the immediately subsequent fiscal year as determined on a projected annualized basis upon the end of the second quarter of such fiscal year; or (e) the final imposition of any fines, liabilityies, disallowances or other sanctions instituted against the Company, any Subsidiary or any Educational Institution by the DOE or any other Educational Agency or governmental agency, except in such cases where the occurrence of the events in (a)-(e) above could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably lead to a Material Adverse Effect.

“Solvent” means, with respect to any Person on a particular date, that on such date (a) the fair value of the consolidated property of such Person is greater than the total amount of consolidated liabilities of such Person; (b) the present fair saleable value of the consolidated assets of such Person is not less than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of such Person on its debts and liabilities as they become absolute and matured; (c) such Person does not intend to, and does not believe that it will, incur debts or liabilities beyond such Person’s ability to pay as such debts and liabilities mature; (d) such Person is not engaged in a business or transaction, and is not about to engage in a business or transaction, for which such Person’s consolidated property would constitute an unreasonably small capital; and (e) such Person is able to pay its debts and liabilities, contingent obligations and other commitments as they mature in the ordinary course of business.

“Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of securities or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Company.

“Swap Bank” means any Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender in its capacity as a party to a Swap Contract entered into after the date of the Agreement.

“Swap Contract” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “Master Agreement”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.

“Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and

termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the xxxx-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).

“Synthetic Lease Obligation” means the monetary obligation of a Person under (a) a so-called synthetic, off-balance sheet or tax retention lease, or (b) an agreement for the use or possession of property creating obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet of such Person but which, upon the insolvency or bankruptcy of such Person, would be characterized as the indebtedness of such Person (without regard to accounting treatment).

“Taxes” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.

“Threshold Amount” means $20,000,000.

“Title IV” means Title IV of the HEA.

“Title IV Programs” means the programs of federal student financial assistance administered pursuant to Title IV.

“Total Consideration” means, with respect to an Acquisition, the sum (but without duplication) of (a) cash paid in connection with any Acquisition, (b) indebtedness payable to the seller in connection with such Acquisition, (c) the fair market value of any equity securities, including any warrants or options therefor, delivered in connection with any Acquisition, (d) the present value of covenants not to compete entered into in connection with such Acquisition or other future payments which are required to be made over a period of time and are not contingent upon the Company or its Subsidiary meeting financial performance objectives (exclusive of salaries paid in the ordinary course of business) (discounted at the Base Rate), but only to the extent not included in clause (a), (b) or (c) above, and (e) the amount of indebtedness assumed in connection with such Acquisition.

“Type” means, with respect to a Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Rate Loan.

“United States” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America.

“U.S. Person” means any Person that is a “United States Person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

“U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning specified in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(B)(III).

1.02 Other Interpretive Provisions . With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:

(a) The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document (including any Organization Document) shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein or in any other Loan Document), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (iii) the words “hereto,” “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document, shall be construed to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to any particular provision thereof, (iv) all references in a Loan Document to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, the Loan Document in which such references appear, (v) any reference to any law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing or interpreting such law and any reference to any law or regulation shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, and (vi) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

(b) In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including;” the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding;” and the word “through” means “to and including.”

(c) Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

1.03 Accounting Terms.

(a) Generally. All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP applied on a consistent basis, as in effect from time to time, applied in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the Audited Financial Statements, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein.

(b) If at any time any change in GAAP would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document, and either the Company or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Company shall

negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders); provided that, until so amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (ii) the Company shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders financial statements and other documents required under this Agreement or as reasonably requested hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP.

1.04 Rounding . Any financial ratios required to be maintained by the Company pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).

1.05 Times of Day . Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Central time (daylight or standard, as applicable).

ARTICLE II.

THE COMMITMENTS AND BORROWINGS

2.01 Loans . Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make loans (each such loan, a “Loan”) to the Borrowers from time to time, on any Business Day during the Availability Period, in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of such Lender’s Commitment; provided, however, that after giving effect to any Borrowing, (i) the Outstanding Amount shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments and (ii) the Loans of any Lender shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment. Within the limits of each Lender’s Commitment, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrowers may borrow under this Section 2.01, prepay under Section 2.05, and reborrow under this Section 2.01. Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, as further provided herein.

2.02 Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans.

(a) Each Borrowing, each conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be made upon the Borrowers’ irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone. Each such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (i) three Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or of any conversion of Eurodollar Rate Loans to Base Rate Loans, and (ii) on the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans. Each telephonic notice by the relevant Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.02(a) must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a written Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of such Borrower. Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof. Each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a

whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof. Each Loan Notice (whether telephonic or written) shall specify (i) whether the applicable Borrower is requesting a Borrowing, a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount of Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Type of Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Loans are to be converted, and (v) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto. If the Borrower requesting the Loan fails to specify a Type of Loan in a Loan Notice or if such Borrower fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans. Any such automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Eurodollar Rate Loans. If the Borrower requesting the Loan requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans in any such Loan Notice, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one month.

(b) Following receipt of a Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount of its Applicable Percentage of the applicable Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by the Borrower requesting the Loan, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans described in the preceding subsection. In the case of a Borrowing, each Lender shall make the amount of its Loan available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in the applicable Loan Notice. Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (and, if such Borrowing is the initial Borrowing, Section 4.01), the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the relevant Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent by crediting the account of such Borrower on the books of the Administrative Agent with the amount of such funds.

(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, a Eurodollar Rate Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Loan. During the existence of an Event of Default, if the Company is so notified in writing by the Required Lenders, no Loans may be requested as, converted to or continued as Eurodollar Rate Loans without the consent of the Required Lenders.

(d) The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the applicable Borrower and the Lenders of the interest rate applicable to any Interest Period for Eurodollar Rate Loans upon determination of such interest rate. At any time that Base Rate Loans are outstanding, the Administrative Agent shall notify the applicable Borrower and the Lenders of any change in the Administrative Agent’s prime rate used in determining the Base Rate promptly following the public announcement of such change.

(e) After giving effect to all Borrowings, all conversions of Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than ten Interest Periods in effect with respect to Loans.

2.03 Intentionally Omitted.

2.04 Intentionally Omitted.

2.05 Prepayments.

(a) The Borrowers may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (A) three Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans and (B) on the date of prepayment of Base Rate Loans; (ii) any prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof; and (iii) any prepayment of Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof or, in each case, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding. Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment and the Type(s) of Loans to be prepaid and, if Eurodollar Rate Loans are to be prepaid, the Interest Period(s) of such Loans. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such prepayment. If such notice is given by the Borrowers, the Borrowers shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein. Any prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05. Subject to Section 2.15, each such prepayment shall be applied to the Loans of the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages.

(b) If, at any time, the Minimum Collateral Amount does not equal at least 110% of the Outstanding Amount (the amount of such deficiency, the “shortfall”), then the Borrower shall promptly, within three Business Days of obtaining knowledge thereof (and without notice or demand by the Administrative Agent or any Lender), (i) prepay the Loans, (ii) increase the cash maintained in the Collateral Account, or (iii) effect a combination of the foregoing (i) and (ii), in each case necessary to eliminate such shortfall.

2.06 Termination or Reduction of Commitments . The Borrowers may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, terminate the Aggregate Commitments, or from time to time permanently reduce the Aggregate Commitments; provided that (i) any such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. five Business Days prior to the date of termination or reduction, (ii) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of $10,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, and (iii) the Borrowers shall not terminate or reduce the Aggregate Commitments if, after giving effect thereto and to any concurrent prepayments hereunder, the Outstanding Amount would exceed the Aggregate Commitments. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any such notice of termination or reduction of the Aggregate Commitments. Any reduction of the Aggregate Commitments shall be applied to the Commitment of each Lender according to its Applicable Percentage. All fees accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Aggregate Commitments shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.

2.07 Repayment of Loans . The Borrowers shall repay to the Lenders on the Maturity Date the aggregate principal amount of all Loans outstanding on such date.

2.08 Interest.

(a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each Eurodollar Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate; and (ii) each Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.

(b) (i) If any amount of principal of any Loan is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

(ii) If any amount (other than principal of any Loan) payable by the Borrowers under any Loan Document is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then upon the written request of the Required Lenders, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

(iii) Upon the written request of the Required Lenders, while any Event of Default exists (other than as set forth in clauses (b)(i) and (b)(ii) above), the Borrowers shall pay interest on the principal amount of all outstanding Obligations hereunder at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

(iv) Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.

(c) Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified herein. Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.

2.09 Fees.

(a) Commitment Fee. The Borrowers shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, a commitment fee equal to the Applicable Rate times the actual daily amount by which the Aggregate Commitments exceed the Outstanding Amount. The commitment fee shall accrue at all times during the Availability Period, including at any time during which one or more of the conditions in Article IV is not met, and shall be due and payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the Closing Date, and on the last day of the Availability Period. The commitment fee shall be calculated quarterly in arrears, and if there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the actual daily amount shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect.

(b) Other Fees. The Borrowers shall pay to the Arranger and the Administrative Agent for their own respective accounts fees in the amounts and at the times specified in the Fee Letter. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.

2.10 Computation of Interest and Fees.

All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans (including Base Rate Loans determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate) shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed. All other computations of fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365-day year). Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid, provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.12(a), bear interest for one day. Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent demonstrable error.

2.11 Evidence of Debt . The Borrowings made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and by the Administrative Agent in the ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be conclusive absent demonstrable error of the amount of the Borrowing made by the Lenders to the Borrower and the interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of the Borrowers hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of demonstrable error. Upon the request of any Lender made through the Administrative Agent, the Borrowers shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) a Note, which shall evidence such Lender’s Loans in addition to such accounts or records. Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.

2.12 Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback.

(a) General. All payments to be made by the Borrowers shall be made free and clear of and without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrowers hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in Dollars and in immediately available funds not later than 2:00 p.m. on the date specified herein. The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Applicable Percentage (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s

Lending Office. All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 2:00 p.m. shall be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue. If any payment to be made by the Borrowers shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.

(b) (i) Funding by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans (or, in the case of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, prior to 12:00 noon on the date of such Borrowing) that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with Section 2.02 (or, in the case of a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, that such Lender has made such share available in accordance with and at the time required by Section 2.02) and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrowers a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrowers severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand (or within one Business Day with respect to the Borrowers) such corresponding amount in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrowers to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (A) in the case of a payment to be made by such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Administrative Agent in connection with the foregoing, and (B) in the case of a payment to be made by the Borrowers, the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans. If the Borrowers and such Lender shall pay such interest to the Administrative Agent for the same or an overlapping period, the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the Borrowers the amount of such interest paid by the Borrowers for such period. If such Lender pays its share of the applicable Borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing. Any payment by the Borrowers shall be without prejudice to any claim the Borrowers may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the Administrative Agent.

(ii) Payments by Borrowers; Presumptions by Administrative Agent. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrowers prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders hereunder that the Borrowers will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrowers have made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders the amount due. In such event, if the Borrowers have not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender, in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the Company with respect to any amount owing under this subsection (b) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

(c) Failure to Satisfy Conditions Precedent. If any Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II, and such funds are not made available to a Borrower by the Administrative Agent because the conditions to the applicable Borrowing set forth in Article IV are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.

(d) Obligations of Lenders Several. The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Loans and to make payments pursuant to Section 11.04(c) are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan or to make any payment under Section 11.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Loan, to purchase its participation or to make its payment under Section 11.04(c).

(e) Funding Source. Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.

2.13 Sharing of Payments by Lenders . If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of the Loans made by it results in such Lender’s receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of such Loans greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and other amounts owing them, provided that:

(i) if any such participations or subparticipations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations or subparticipations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest; and

(ii) the provisions of this Section shall not be construed to apply to (y) any payment made by or on behalf of a Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (including the application of funds arising from the existence of a Defaulting Lender), or (z) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans to any assignee or participant, other than an assignment to a Borrower or any Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this Section shall apply).

Each Loan Party consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against such Loan Party rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of such Loan Party in the amount of such participation.

2.14 Extension of Maturity Date . At any time not later than 45 days prior to the Maturity Date then in effect (such then existing Maturity Date, the “Renewal Date”), the Company may request that the Lenders extend the then scheduled Maturity Date to the date one year from such Maturity Date. If such request is made by the Company each Lender shall inform the Administrative Agent of its willingness to extend the Maturity Date no later than 20 days prior to such Renewal Date. Any Lender’s failure to respond by such date shall indicate its unwillingness to agree to such requested extension, and all Lenders must approve any requested extension. At any time more than 15 days before such Renewal Date the Lenders may propose, by written notice to the Company, an extension of this Agreement to such later date on such terms and conditions as the Lenders may then require. If the extension of this Agreement to such later date is acceptable to the Company on the terms and conditions proposed by the Lenders, the Borrowers shall notify the Lenders of their acceptance of such terms and conditions no later than the Renewal Date, and such later date will become the Maturity Date hereunder and this Agreement shall otherwise be amended in the manner described in the Lenders’ notice proposing the extension of this Agreement upon the Administrative Agent’s receipt of (i) an amendment to this Agreement signed by the Borrowers and all of the Lenders, (ii) resolutions of each Borrower’s Board of Directors authorizing such extension and (iii) an opinion of counsel to the Borrowers equivalent in form and substance to the opinion received in satisfaction of the condition precedent contained in Section 4.01(i) and otherwise acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

2.15 Defaulting Lenders.

(a) Adjustments. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, until such time as that Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender in accordance with clause (b) below, to the extent permitted by applicable Law:

(i) Waivers and Amendments. Such Defaulting Lender’s right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in the definition of “Required Lenders” and Section 11.01.

(ii) Defaulting Lender Waterfall. Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article VIII or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 11.08 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, as the Borrowers may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required

by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; third, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to satisfy such Defaulting Lender’s potential future funding obligations with respect to Loans under this Agreement; fourth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; fifth, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrowers as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by a Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and sixth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (y) such Loans were made at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of all Non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Loans held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Commitments hereunder. Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

(iii) Certain Fees. No Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive any fee payable under Section 2.09(a) for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender (and the Borrowers shall not be required to pay any such fee that otherwise would have been required to have been paid to that Defaulting Lender).

(b) Defaulting Lender Cure. If the Company and the Administrative Agent agree in writing that a Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase at par that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Loans to be held on a pro rata basis by the Lenders in accordance with their Applicable Percentages, whereupon such Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of a Borrower while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and provided, further, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.

ARTICLE III.

TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

3.01 Taxes.

(a) Payments Free of Taxes; Obligation to Withhold; Payments on Account of Taxes.

(i) Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable Laws. If any applicable Laws (as determined in the good faith discretion of the Administrative Agent) require the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by the Administrative Agent or a Loan Party, then the Administrative Agent or such Loan Party shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding, upon the basis of the information and documentation to be delivered pursuant to subsection (e) below.

(ii) If any Loan Party or the Administrative Agent shall be required by the Code to withhold or deduct any Taxes from any payment, then (A) the Administrative Agent shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by the Administrative Agent to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to subsection (e) below, (B) the Administrative Agent shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with the Code, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.

(iii) If any Loan Party or the Administrative Agent shall be required by any applicable Laws other than the Code to withhold or deduct any Taxes from any payment, then (A) such Loan Party or the Administrative Agent, as required by such Laws, shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by it to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to subsection (e) below, (B) such Loan Party or the Administrative Agent, to the extent required by such Laws, shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with such Laws, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.

(b) Payment of Other Taxes by the Loan Parties. Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) above, the Loan Parties shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for the payment of, any Other Taxes.

(c) Tax Indemnifications. (i) Each of the Loan Parties shall, and does hereby, jointly and severally indemnify each Recipient, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 Business Days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this

Section 3.01) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient, and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(ii) Each Lender shall, and does hereby, severally indemnify, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor, (x) the Administrative Agent against any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that any Loan Party has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Loan Parties to do so), (y) the Administrative Agent and the Loan Parties, as applicable, against any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 11.06(d) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (z) the Administrative Agent and the Loan Parties, as applicable, against any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent or a Loan Party in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this clause (ii).

(d) Evidence of Payments. Upon request by the Company or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, after any payment of Taxes by any Borrower or by the Administrative Agent to a Governmental Authority as provided in this Section 3.01, the Company shall deliver to the Administrative Agent or the Administrative Agent shall deliver to the Company, as the case may be, the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of any return required by Laws to report such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Company or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be.

(e) Status of Lenders; Tax Documentation.

(i) Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Company and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Company or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Company or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Company or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable

law or reasonably requested by the Company or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Company or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(A), (ii)(B) and (ii)(D) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.

(ii) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that a Borrower is a U.S. Person,

(A) any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to the Company and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Company or the Administrative Agent), executed originals of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding tax;

(B) any Foreign Lender shall deliver to the Company and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, upon the reasonable request of the Company or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:

(I) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (x) with respect to payments of interest under any Loan Document, executed originals of IRS Form W-8BEN establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, IRS Form W-8BEN establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty;

(II) executed originals of IRS Form W-8ECI;

(III) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of a Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) executed originals of IRS Form W-8BEN; or

(IV) to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed originals of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN, a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate, IRS Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;

(C) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Company and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Company or the Administrative Agent), executed originals of any other form prescribed by applicable law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable law to permit the Company or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and

(D) if a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Company and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Company or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Company or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Company and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this clause (D), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.

(iii) Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered pursuant to this Section 3.01 expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Company and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.

(f) Treatment of Certain Refunds. Unless required by applicable Laws, at no time shall the Administrative Agent have any obligation to file for or otherwise pursue on behalf of a Lender, or have any obligation to pay to any Lender, any refund of Taxes withheld or deducted from funds paid for the account of such Lender. If any Recipient determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has

been indemnified by any Loan Party or with respect to which any Loan Party has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 3.01, it shall pay to the Loan Party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by a Loan Party under this Section 3.01 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) incurred by such Recipient, and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund), provided that the Loan Party, upon the request of the Recipient, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Loan Party (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Recipient in the event the Recipient is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this subsection, in no event will the applicable Recipient be required to pay any amount to the Loan Party pursuant to this subsection the payment of which would place the Recipient in a less favorable net after-Tax position than such Recipient would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid. This subsection shall not be construed to require any Recipient to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes that it deems confidential) to any Loan Party or any other Person.

(g) Survival. Each party’s obligations under this Section 3.01 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other Obligations.

3.02 Illegality. If any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Loans whose interest is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the London interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Company through the Administrative Agent, (i) any obligation of such Lender to make or continue Eurodollar Rate Loans or to convert Base Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended, and (ii) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender making or maintaining Base Rate Loans the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, in each case until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Company that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice, (x) the Borrowers shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all Eurodollar Rate Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans (the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate), either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans and (y) if such

notice asserts the illegality of such Lender determining or charging interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, the Administrative Agent shall during the period of such suspension compute the Base Rate applicable to such Lender without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component thereof until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrowers shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.

3.03 Inability to Determine Rates. If the Required Lenders determine that for any reason in connection with any request for a Eurodollar Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof that (a) Dollar deposits are not being offered to banks in the London interbank eurodollar market for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurodollar Rate Loan, (b) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan or in connection with an existing or proposed Base Rate Loan, or (c) the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Loan, the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Company and each Lender. Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended, and (y) in the event of a determination described in the preceding sentence with respect to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the utilization of the Eurodollar Rate component in determining the Base Rate shall be suspended, in each case until the Administrative Agent (upon the instruction of the Required Lenders) revokes such notice. Upon receipt of such notice, the Company may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.

3.04 Increased Costs; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans.

(a) Increased Costs Generally. If any Change in Law shall:

(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender (except any reserve requirement reflected in the Eurodollar Rate);

(ii) subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto; or

(iii) impose on any Lender or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Rate Loans made by such Lender;

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making, converting to, continuing or maintaining any Loan the interest on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of such Lender, the Borrowers will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

(b) Capital Requirements. If any Lender determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or any Lending Office of such Lender or such Lender’s holding company, if any, regarding capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by, such Lender to a level below that which such Lender or such Lender’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrowers will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Lender’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

(c) Certificates for Reimbursement. A certificate of a Lender setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section and delivered to the Company shall be conclusive absent demonstrable error. The Borrowers shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.

(d) Delay in Requests. Failure or delay on the part of any Lender to demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.04 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s right to demand such compensation, provided that the Borrowers shall not be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than 180 days prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Company of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 180 days period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).

3.05 Compensation for Losses. Upon demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time to time, the Borrowers shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of:

(a) any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise);

(b) any failure by a Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by such Borrower; or

(c) any assignment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Borrowers pursuant to Section 11.13;

including any loss of anticipated profits and any loss or expense arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained. The Borrowers shall also pay any customary administrative fees charged by such Lender in connection with the foregoing.

For purposes of calculating amounts payable by the Borrowers to the Lenders under this Section 3.05, each Lender shall be deemed to have funded each Eurodollar Rate Loan made by it at the Eurodollar Rate for such Loan by a matching deposit or other borrowing in the London interbank eurodollar market for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such Eurodollar Rate Loan was in fact so funded.

3.06 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

(a) Designation of a Different Lending Office. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or requires any Borrower to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02, then at the request of the Company such Lender shall, as applicable, use reasonable efforts to designate a different Lending Office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.01 or 3.04, as the case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to Section 3.02, as applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrowers hereby agree to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.

(b) Replacement of Lenders. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or if a Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01 and, in each case, such Lender has declined or is unable to designate a different lending office in accordance with Section 3.06(a), the Borrowers may replace such Lender in accordance with Section 11.13.

3.07 Survival. All of the Borrowers’ obligations under this Article III shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments, repayment of all other Obligations hereunder, and resignation of the Administrative Agent.

ARTICLE IV.

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO BORROWING

4.01 Conditions of Initial Borrowing. The obligation of the each Lender to make its initial Borrowing hereunder is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

(a) the Administrative Agent shall have received this Agreement duly executed by the Loan Parties and the Lenders;

(b) if requested by any Lender, the Administrative Agent shall have received for such Lender such Lender’s duly executed Notes of the Borrowers;

(d) the Administrative Agent shall have received copies of each Borrower’s articles of incorporation and bylaws (or comparable organizational documents) and any amendments thereto, certified in each instance by its Secretary or Assistant Secretary (or comparable Responsible Officer);

(e) the Administrative Agent shall have received copies of resolutions of each Borrower’s Board of Directors (or similar governing body) authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, together with specimen signatures of the persons authorized to execute such documents on each Borrower’s behalf, all certified in each instance by its Secretary or Assistant Secretary (or comparable Responsible Officer);

(f) the Administrative Agent shall have received copies of the certificates of good standing for each Borrower (dated no earlier than 30 days prior to the date hereof) from the office of the secretary of the state of its incorporation or organization, and with respect to the Company, the State of Illinois;

(g) the Administrative Agent shall have received the initial fees called for by Section 2.09 to be paid on the Closing Date;

(h) the Administrative Agent shall have received reasonably requested financing statement, tax, and judgment lien search results against each Borrower and its Property evidencing the absence of Liens thereon except as permitted by Section 7.01;

(i) the Administrative Agent shall have received the favorable written opinion of counsel to each Borrower, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

(j) each of the Lenders shall have received, sufficiently in advance of the Closing Date, all documentation and other information requested by any such Lender required by bank regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules

and regulations, including without limitation, the United States Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) including, without limitation, the information described in Section 13.24; and the Administrative Agent shall have received a fully executed Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 (or its equivalent) for each Borrower; and

(k) the Borrowers shall have delivered the Minimum Collateral Amount for the Loan requested on the Closing Date.

Without limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 9.03, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 4.01, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.

4.02. Conditions to all Borrowings. The obligation of each Lender to honor any Loan Notice (other than a Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Loans to the other Type, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans) is subject to the following conditions precedent:

(a) The representations and warranties of the Borrowers and each other Loan Party contained in Article V or any other Loan Document shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of such Borrowing, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 4.02, the representations and warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.05 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to subsections (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 6.01.

(b) No Default shall exist, or would result from such proposed Borrowing or from the application of the proceeds thereof.

(d) The Outstanding Amount after giving effect to the Borrowing shall not exceed the Minimum Collateral Amount.

Each Loan Notice (other than a Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Loans to the other Type or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans) submitted by the relevant Borrower shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(a), (b) and (d) have been satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Borrowing.

ARTICLE V.

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

Each Loan Party represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:

5.01 Existence, Qualification and Power. Each Loan Party (a) is a corporation, partnership or limited liability company duly organized or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, (b) has all requisite power and authority and all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals to (i) own its assets and carry on its business and (ii) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (c) is duly qualified and is licensed and in good standing under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification or license, and (d) is in compliance with all Laws; except in each case referred to in clause (b)(i), (c) or (d), to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.02 Authorization; No Contravention. The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Person is party, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action, and do not and will not (a) contravene the terms of any of such Person’s Organization Documents; (b) conflict with or result in any breach or contravention of, or the creation of any Lien under, (i) any Contractual Obligation to which such Person is a party or (ii) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject; or (c) violate any Law.

5.03 Governmental Authorization; Other Consents. No approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority, including any Educational Agency, or any other Person is necessary or required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or enforcement against, any Loan Party of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, except to the extent such failure to obtain any required approval, consent, authorization, notice or filing in connection with the execution and delivery of any Loan Document would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.04 Binding Effect. This Agreement has been, and each other Loan Document, when delivered hereunder, will have been, duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party that is party thereto. This Agreement constitutes, and each other Loan Document when so delivered will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable against each Loan Party that is party thereto in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws relating to or limiting creditor’s rights generally or by equitable principles relating to enforceability.

5.05 Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect.

(a) The most recently delivered Audited Financial Statements (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; (ii) fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of

operations for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; and (iii) show all material indebtedness and other liabilities, direct or contingent, of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof, including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and Indebtedness.

(b) The most recently delivered unaudited consolidated financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries and the related consolidated statements of income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for the fiscal quarter ended on that date (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein, and (ii) fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby, subject, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments.

(c) Except as disclosed in any filings made with the SEC, since the date of the Audited Financial Statements, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.06 Litigation. Except as disclosed in the Company’s filings with the SEC or as set forth on Schedule 5.06 hereto, there are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrowers after due and diligent investigation, threatened or contemplated, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or against any of their properties or revenues that (a) purport to affect or pertain to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any of the transactions contemplated hereby, or (b) either individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.07 No Default. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in default under or with respect to any Contractual Obligation that would, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

5.08 Ownership of Property; Liens. The Company and its Subsidiaries have good record and marketable title in fee simple to, or valid leasehold interests in, all real Property necessary or used in the ordinary conduct of their business, except for such defects in title as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The property of the Company and its Subsidiaries is subject to no Liens, other than Liens permitted by Section 7.01.

5.09 Environmental Compliance. The Company and its Subsidiaries conduct in the ordinary course of business a review of the effect of existing Environmental Laws and claims alleging potential liability or responsibility for violation of any Environmental Law on their respective businesses, operations and properties, and as a result thereof the Company has reasonably concluded that, except as specifically disclosed in Schedule 5.09, no such violations of Environmental Laws and claims could, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.10 Insurance. The properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries are insured with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of the Company, in such amounts, with such deductibles and covering such risks as are customarily carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in localities where the Company or the applicable Subsidiary operates.

5.11 Taxes. The Company and its Subsidiaries have filed all Federal, state and other material tax returns and reports (including material foreign tax returns and reports) required to be filed, except to the extent that failure to have done so would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and have paid all foreign, Federal, state and other material taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon them or their properties, income or assets otherwise due and payable, except those which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP, except to the extent that failure to have done so would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. To the best knowledge of the Company and its Subsidiaries, there is no proposed tax assessment against the Company or any Subsidiary that would, if made, have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.12 ERISA Compliance.

(a) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, each Plan is in compliance with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and other applicable Federal or state Laws. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, each Plan that is intended to qualify under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination letter from the IRS or an application for such a letter is currently being processed by the IRS with respect thereto and, to the best knowledge of the Company, nothing has occurred which would prevent, or cause the loss of, such qualification. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Borrower and each ERISA Affiliate have made all required contributions to each Pension Plan and Multiemployer Plan, and no application for a funding waiver or an extension of any amortization period pursuant to Section 412 of the Code has been made with respect to any Pension Plan.

(b) There are no pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened claims, actions or lawsuits, or action by any Governmental Authority, with respect to any Plan that could be reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There has been no prohibited transaction or violation of the fiduciary responsibility rules with respect to any Plan that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) no ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (ii) no Pension Plan has failed to comply with the Pension Funding rules; (iii) neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to any Pension Plan (other than premiums due and not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA and ongoing contributions in the ordinary course); (iv) neither the Company nor any ERISA

Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability (and no event has occurred which, with the giving of notice under Section 4219 of ERISA, would result in such liability) under Sections 4201 or 4243 of ERISA with respect to a Multiemployer Plan (other than ongoing contributions in the ordinary course); and (v) neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that could be subject to Sections 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA.

5.13 Subsidiaries; Equity Interests. As of the Closing Date, the Company does not have any Subsidiaries other than those specifically disclosed in Part (a) of Schedule 5.13 and, as of the Closing Date, neither Borrower has any equity investments in any other corporation or entity other than those specifically disclosed in Part(b) of Schedule 5.13.

5.14 Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act.

(a) No Borrower is engaged or will engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the FRB), or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock and no proceeds of any Loans will be used to purchase or carry any margin stock or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock.

(b) No Borrower, any Person Controlling such Borrower, or any Subsidiary of such Borrower is or is required to be registered as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Neither the making of the Loans nor the application of the proceeds or repayment thereof by the Borrowers, nor the consummation of other transactions contemplated hereunder, will violate any provision of any such act or any rule, regulation or order of the SEC and the DOE.

5.15 Disclosure. Including items as disclosed in the Company’s filings with the SEC, the Borrowers have disclosed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, and all other matters known to it, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. No report, financial statement, certificate or other information furnished (whether in writing or orally) by or on behalf of any Loan Party to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact (known to the Borrowers in the case of any document not furnished by the Borrowers) or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, each Borrower represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time, it being recognized by the Lenders that such projections as to future events are not viewed as facts and that actual results during the period or periods covered by any such projections may differ significantly from the projected results.

5.16 Compliance with Laws. The Company and each Subsidiary thereof is in compliance in all material respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, Educational Laws, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its properties, except in such instances

in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted or (b) the failure to comply therewith, either individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.17 Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc. The Company and its Subsidiaries own, or possess the right to use, all of the material trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, patents, patent rights, franchises, licenses and other intellectual property rights (collectively, “IP Rights”) that are reasonably necessary for the operation of their respective businesses and, except as disclosed in Schedule 5.17, are not aware of any conflicts between such rights and the rights of any other Person which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as specifically disclosed in Schedule 5.17, no claim or litigation regarding any IP Rights is pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrowers, threatened, which, either individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.18 OFAC. No Loan Party, nor, to the knowledge of the Borrowers, any Related Party, (i) is currently the subject of any Sanctions, (ii) is located, organized or residing in any Designated Jurisdiction, or (iii) to the knowledge of any Borrower, is or has been (within the previous five (5) years) engaged in any transaction with any Person who is now or was then the subject of Sanctions or who is located, organized or residing in any Designated Jurisdiction. To the knowledge of the Borrowers, no Loan, nor the proceeds from any Loan, has been used, directly or indirectly, to lend, contribute, provide or has otherwise made available to fund any activity or business in any Designated Jurisdiction or to fund any activity or business of any Person located, organized or residing in any Designated Jurisdiction or who is the subject of any Sanctions, or in any other manner that will result in any violation by any Person (including any Lender, the Arranger, or the Administrative Agent) of Sanctions.

5.19 Title IV Compliance. Except (i) as disclosed in the Borrower’s filings with the SEC prior to the Closing Date, or (ii) to the extent the failure to comply with any of the following could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect when such failures are considered individually or in the aggregate, or (iii) as may have been previously resolved, with respect to each Educational Institution:

(a) Each Educational Institution is an “eligible proprietary institution of higher education,” as defined in 34 C.F.R. Section 600.5.

(b) Each Educational Institution has received an eligibility notification, as that term is defined in 34 C.F.R. Section 600.21.

(c) Each Educational Institution has met the standards for participation in Title IV Programs as set forth in 34 C.F.R. Section 668.16, and has a current program participation agreement with the Secretary.

(d) Each Educational Institution has at all times during which it has been owned by the Company or a Subsidiary acted with the competency and integrity necessary to qualify as a fiduciary in the administration of Title IV Programs, as provided by 34 C.F.R. Section 668.82.

(e) Except as disclosed on Schedule 5.19,

(i) Each Educational Institution has received all licenses, permits, and approvals of all Educational Agencies necessary to conduct their business, including without limitation all Educational Approvals necessary for any branch, learning site, campus addition, satellite, temporary space, classroom expansion or other location thereof, to conduct its operations and offer its educational programs.

(ii) No investigation or proceeding which, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to result in revocation or denial of any material license, permit or approval (including an Educational Approval), or a Significant Regulatory Event or in a finding or disallowance based upon Title IV ineligibility of any Educational Institution or for any branch, learning site, campus addition, satellite, temporary space, classroom expansion or other location thereof, owned or operated by the Company or a Subsidiary is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or a Subsidiary, threatened and to their knowledge, no ground exists that could reasonably be expected to result in a Significant Regulatory Event or in any such investigation or proceeding. To the knowledge of the Company and any Subsidiary, there is no ground for any Educational Agency to deny or materially delay the issuance of any Educational Approval.

(iii) The Company and each such Subsidiary’s operations with respect to each Educational Institution at all times during which it has been owned by the Company or a Subsidiary, have been conducted in all material respects in accordance with all relevant standards imposed by Educational Agencies, and all other applicable laws and regulations. Without limiting the foregoing,

(a)

each additional location of each Educational Institution is an eligible location pursuant to 34 C.F.R. § 600.32;

(b)

each Educational Institution has derived no more than 90 percent of its revenues from Title IV Program funds for any fiscal year as calculated under 34 C.F.R. § 668.14 and 668.28;

(c)

each Educational Institution has been in compliance with the applicable limitations set forth in 34 C.F.R. § 600.7;

(d)

each Educational Institution has timely reported any shifts in ownership or control, or the addition of new educational programs or locations, in compliance with 34 C.F.R. Part 600;

(e)

no Educational Institution, nor any location thereof, has closed, ceased operating, ceased offering instruction during any time period, or otherwise lost eligibility as defined in 34 C.F.R. § 600.40 under the direction, order or other mandate of the DOE or any other Educational Agency, or as a result of the imposition of any finding of liability or disallowance imposed by the DOE or any other Educational Agency, or following the initiation of any investigation, inquiry, program review or other type of compliance review, audit (including an audit by the Office of Inspector General) by the DOE, any Accrediting Body or any other Educational Agency;

(f)

each Educational Institution and each location thereof has obtained all Educational Agency approvals necessary to offer the educational programs currently offered;

(g)

each Educational Institution has complied in all material respects with the terms of its Program Participation Agreement and the requirements of 34 C.F.R. § 668.14, including without limitation the prohibition on the payment of commissions, bonuses, or other incentive payments set forth in 34 C.F.R. § 668.14(b)(22);

(h)

no Educational Institution has been placed by the DOE on a method of Title IV Program funding other than the advance payment method or Heightened Cash Monitoring Level I Procedures as defined by the DOE at 34 C.F.R. § 668.162(e)(1);

(i)

the Company, each Subsidiary or each Educational Institution, as applicable, has complied in all material respects with the applicable factors of financial responsibility set forth in 34 C.F.R. § 668.15 and §§ 668.171-175 at the corporate level at which the DOE measures financial responsibility, including all reporting requirements for institutions that are in the “zone alternative” or with respect to the posting of a Title IV Letter of Credit;

(j)

each Educational Institution has complied in all material respects with the requirements governing preferred lenders set forth in Title I, Part E of the HEA and 34 C.F.R. § 682.212(h) and with the requirements governing private educational loans set forth in Title I, Part E of the HEA and 15 U.S.C. §1631 et seq.

(k)

each Subsidiary and each Educational Institution, as applicable, has, at all times during which it has been owned by the Company submitted all reports, audits and other information, whether periodic in nature or pursuant to specific requests, for each Educational Institution (“Compliance Reports”) to all Educational Agencies with which such filings are required relating to its compliance with (i) applicable

accreditation standards governing its activities or (ii) laws or regulations governing programs pursuant to which such Educational Institute is approved or licensed or pursuant to which any Subsidiary or its students receive funding, except to the extent that failure to submit any such Compliance Report would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. To the best of the Company’s and each such Subsidiary’s knowledge, all such forms and records with respect to each Educational Institution have, at all times during which it has been owned by the Company or a Subsidiary, been prepared, completed, maintained and filed in all material respects in accordance with all Educational Laws, and are true and correct in all material respects.

(l)

to the best knowledge of the Company and each Subsidiary of the Company, all financial aid grants and loans, disbursements and record keeping relating thereto with respect to each Educational Institution, at all times during which it has been owned by the Company or a Subsidiary, have been completed in material compliance with all federal and state requirements. To the best of the Company’s and each of its Subsidiaries’ knowledge and except as previously disclosed in prior audits by DOE, no student at any Educational Institution has been funded prior to the date for which such student was eligible for funding, except to the extent that such prior funding would not have a Material Adverse Effect, and such student’s records conform in all material respects in form and substance to all relevant regulatory requirements.

As used in this section, all terms, unless otherwise defined herein, shall have the meanings as set forth in the citations referred to above or as otherwise defined in 34 C.F.R., Part 600 or Part 668, as the context requires.

5.20. Solvency. The Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, are Solvent.

5.21. No Broker Fees. No broker’s or finder’s fee or commission will be payable with respect hereto or any of the transactions contemplated thereby pursuant to any undertaking or arrangement by any Loan Party; and the Loan Parties hereby agree to indemnify the Administrative Agent and the Lenders against, and agree that they will hold the Administrative Agent and the Lenders harmless from, any claim, demand, or liability for any such broker’s or finder’s fees alleged to have been incurred in connection herewith or therewith and any expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising in connection with any such claim, demand, or liability.

5.22. Affiliate Transactions. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any contracts or agreements with any of its Affiliates on terms and conditions which are less favorable to such Loan Party or such Subsidiary than would be usual and customary in similar contracts or agreements between Persons not affiliated with each other (excluding contracts and agreements (i) among the Loan Parties, (ii) among the Loan Parties and their wholly-owned Subsidiaries, and (iii) among the Loan Parties’ wholly-owned Subsidiaries).

ARTICLE VI.

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation hereunder (other than contingent indemnification obligations not yet due) shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, the Borrowers shall, and shall (except in the case of the covenants set forth in Sections 6.01, 6.02, and 6.03) cause each Subsidiary to:

6.01 Financial Statements. Deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders:

(a) as soon as available, but in any event within 60 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year, and the related consolidated statements of income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP, audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of an independent certified public accountant of nationally recognized standing reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit;

(b) as soon as available, but in any event within 45 days after the end of each fiscal quarter of each fiscal year of the Company, (i) a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal quarter, and the related consolidated statements of income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of the Company’s fiscal year then ended, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year and the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and certified by a Responsible Officer of the Company as fairly presenting in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes; and (ii) the Company’s consolidated twelve (12) month cash flow forecast which shall include, but not be limited to, a reconciliation to such twelve (12) month cash flow forecast previously delivered to the Administrative Agent; and

(c) as soon as available, but in any event with 30 days after the end of each month, the Company shall deliver to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders a cash balance report as of the last day of such month (including a separate line item for Domestic Cash).

As to any information contained in materials furnished pursuant to Section 6.02(e), the Company shall not be separately required to furnish such information under clause (a), (b) or (c) above, but the foregoing shall not be in derogation of the obligation of the Company to furnish the information and materials described in subsections (a), (b) or (c) above at the times specified therein.

6.02 Certificates; Other Information. Deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders:

(a) Reserved;

(b) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Sections 6.01(a) and (b), a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Company;

(c) promptly after any request by the Administrative Agent, copies of any detailed audit reports, management letters or recommendations submitted to the board of directors (or the audit committee of the board of directors) of the Company by independent accountants in connection with the accounts or books of the Company or any Subsidiary, or any audit of any of them;

(d) promptly after the same are available, copies of each annual report, proxy or financial statement or other report or communication sent to the stockholders of the Company, and copies of all annual, regular, periodic and special reports and registration statements which the Company may file or be required to file with the SEC under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and not otherwise required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant hereto; and

(e) promptly, such additional information regarding the business, financial or corporate affairs of the Company or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may from time to time reasonably request.

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a), (b) or (c) Section 6.02(d) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Company posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Company’s website on the Internet; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Company’s behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that: (i) the Company shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent or any Lender upon its request to the Company to deliver such paper copies until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent or such Lender and (ii) the Company shall notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender (by facsimile or electronic mail) of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent by electronic mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents. The Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery of or to maintain paper copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the Company with any such request by a Lender for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.

The Company hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent and/or the Arranger may, but shall not be obligated to, make available to the Lenders materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of any Borrower hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on Debt Domain, IntraLinks, Syndtrak or another similar electronic system (the “Platform”) and (b) certain of the Lenders (each, a “Public Lender”) may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to any Borrower or its Affiliates, or the respective securities of any of the foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to such Persons’ securities. The Borrowers hereby agree that (w) all Borrower Materials that are to be made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Borrowers shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, the Arranger and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information with respect to the Borrowers or their securities for purposes of United States Federal and state securities laws (provided, however, that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 11.07); (y) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Side Information;” and (z) the Administrative Agent and the Arranger shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated “Public Side Information.” Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Borrower Materials delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(c) shall be deemed to be and treated as private documents and shall not be distributed to Public Lenders.

6.03 Notices. Promptly notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender:

(a) of the occurrence of any Default;

(b) of any matter that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, including (i) any material breach or material non-performance of, or any material default under, a Contractual Obligation of any Borrower or Subsidiary; (ii) any dispute, litigation, investigation, proceeding or suspension between any Borrower or Subsidiary and any Governmental Authority; or (iii) the commencement of, or any material development in, any litigation or proceeding affecting any Borrower or Subsidiary, including pursuant to any applicable Environmental Laws;

(d) of any material change in accounting policies or financial reporting practices by any Borrower or Subsidiary;

(e) of any Educational Institution’s failure to meet the “90/10 Rule” codified at 34 C.F.R. §§ 668.14 and 668.28 for one year;

(f) of the quarterly compliance with the 90/10 Rule of any Educational Institution that failed to comply with the 90/10 Rule during the prior fiscal year, which calculation shall be, certified by the appropriate Corporate Officer; and

(g) of (i) any pending or threatened loss of any Educational Approval by any Subsidiary or Educational Institution; (ii) any change to occur in state or federal laws, rules or governmental regulations or budgetary allocations or educational loan policies which could reasonably be expected to be a Significant Regulatory Event or have a Material Adverse Effect; (iii) any pending or threatened investigation, inquiry, program review or other type of compliance review, audit (including an audit by the Office of Inspector General) or proceeding against the Company, any Subsidiary or any Educational Institution by any Educational Agency that reasonably could lead to a Material Adverse Effect; (iv) the imposition by the DOE of a requirement that the Company or any Subsidiary or any Educational Institution post or procure or obtain the issuance of any Title IV Letter of Credit in order to establish the continued eligibility of any such entity to participate in Title IV Programs; (v) the imposition by the DOE of any restrictions on the ability of any Educational Institution to add new locations, to add new programs, or to modify existing programs that reasonably could lead to a Material Adverse Effect; or (vi) the occurrence of any other event which would be reasonably likely to cause any Educational Institution to lose its status as an “eligible institution,” as defined in 34 C.F.R. § 600.2 (and the other sections incorporated therein by reference) or its eligibility to participate in the Title IV Programs in which and to the extent that it currently participates.”

Each notice pursuant to this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer of the Company setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action the Borrowers have taken and proposes to take with respect thereto. Each notice pursuant to Section 6.03(a) shall describe with particularity any and all provisions of this Agreement and any other Loan Document that have been breached.

6.04 Payment of Obligations. Pay and discharge as the same shall become due and payable, all its obligations and liabilities, including (a) all material tax liabilities, assessments and governmental charges or levies upon it or its properties or assets, unless the same are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP are being maintained by such Borrower or Subsidiary; (b) all lawful claims which, if unpaid, would by law become a Lien upon its property; and (c) all Indebtedness, as and when due and payable, but subject to any subordination provisions contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing such Indebtedness unless the same are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP are being maintained by such Borrower or Subsidiary.

6.05 Preservation of Existence, Etc. (a) Preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence and good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization except in a transaction permitted by Sections 7.04 or 7.05, except that the Company shall not be required to maintain the existence or good standing of any Subsidiary (other than CECE or any Guarantor) which is no longer desirable in the conduct of business of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, (b) take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges, permits, licenses and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, except to the

extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (c) preserve or renew all of its registered patents, trademarks, trade names and service marks, the non-preservation of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

6.06 Maintenance of Properties. (a) Maintain, preserve and protect all of its material properties and equipment necessary in the operation of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted; (b) make all necessary repairs thereto and renewals and replacements thereof except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (c) use the standard of care typical in the industry in the operation and maintenance of its facilities.

6.07 Maintenance of Insurance. Maintain with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of the Company, insurance with respect to its properties and business against loss or damage of the kinds customarily insured against by Persons engaged in the same or similar business, of such types and in such amounts as are customarily carried under similar circumstances by such other Persons. The Borrower shall, upon the reasonable request of the Administrative Agent (not more than once per year unless requested during the existence of a Default), furnish to the Administrative Agent a certificate setting forth in summary form the nature and extent of the insurance maintained pursuant to this Section 6.07.

6.08 Compliance with Laws. Comply in all material respects with the requirements of all Laws, Educational Laws, and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its business or property, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted or a bona fide dispute exists with respect thereto; or (b) the failure to comply therewith could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

6.09 Books and Records. (a) Maintain proper books of record and account, in which full, true and correct entries in conformity with GAAP consistently applied shall be made of all financial transactions and matters involving the assets and business of such Borrower or Subsidiary, as the case may be; and (b) maintain such books of record and account in material conformity with all applicable requirements of any Governmental Authority having regulatory jurisdiction over such Borrower or Subsidiary, as the case may be.

6.10 Inspection Rights. Permit not more than two times per year representatives and independent contractors of the Administrative Agent and each Lender, at its expense, to visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors, officers, and independent public accountants, all at the expense of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as applicable, and at such reasonable times during normal business hours, upon reasonable advance notice to the Company; provided, however, that when an Event of Default exists the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or any of their respective representatives or independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing at the expense of the Borrowers as often as may be desired during normal business hours and without advance notice.

6.11 Use of Proceeds. Use the proceeds of the Borrowings for regulatory compliance and general corporate purposes not in contravention of any Law or of any Loan Document.

6.12 [Reserved].

6.13 Title IV Compliance. Except to the extent any of the following actions, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and (i) each of its Subsidiaries with annual revenues of more than $15,000,000 and (ii) its Subsidiaries representing no less than 85% of the aggregate annual revenues of the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis shall:

(a) Take no action which would cause any Educational Institution to fail to qualify as an “eligible institution,” as defined in 34 C.F.R. Section 600.2, including without limitation, under 34 C.F.R. Section 600.40;

(b) Take no action which would cause any Educational Institution to fail to qualify as a Proprietary Institution of Higher Education in accordance with 34 C.F.R. Section 600.5;

(c) Not permit more than ninety percent (90%) of each Educational Institution’s revenues during the most recent fiscal year to be derived from Title IV Program Funds based on the formula set forth in 34 C.F.R. Section 600.5(d);

(d) Maintain all Educational Approvals necessary to operate each Educational Institution as currently operated;

(e) Submit a materially complete application for a renewal of certification to the Secretary at least ninety (90) days prior to the expiration of such Educational Institution’s current period of participation or, in the event of the Secretary’s selection of an Educational Institution for recertification, submit a materially completed application for renewal to the Secretary on or before the date specified in the notice of selection for recertification;

(f) Comply with the application procedures set forth in 34 C.F.R. Section 600.20;

(g) Take no action that would cause any Educational Institution to undergo a change of ownership that would result in a change of control, as set forth in 34 C.F.R. Section 600.31;

(h) Cause each Educational Institution to meet the standards for participation in Title IV Programs in 34 C.F.R., Part 668, Subpart B, and to have a current program participation agreement with the Secretary;

(i) Monitor and prevent the Federal student aid published Cohort Default Rate for each Educational Institution from exceeding twenty-five percent (25%) for any three consecutive federal fiscal years for which such rates are published as calculated under 34 C.F.R. § 668.183, thirty percent (30%) for any three consecutive federal fiscal years for which such rates are published as calculated under 34 C.F.R. § 668.202. or forty percent (40%) for any federal fiscal year; and

(j) Cause each Educational Institution to comply with the standard of conduct required of a fiduciary in the administration of Title IV Programs, as set forth in 34 C.F.R. Section 668.82.

As used in this section, all terms shall have the meanings as set forth in the citations referred to above or as otherwise defined in 34 C.F.R., Part 600 or Part 668, as the context requires.

6.14 Acquisitions. Prior to consummating any Acquisition with a value in excess of $5,000,000, the Company shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent (in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to each Lender and in sufficient copies for each Lender) the following:

(i) Simultaneously with, or as soon as practicable after, the first public announcement of the Company’s intention to consummate an Acquisition, a brief summary of the substantive terms thereof, or if available, a copy of the executed purchase or merger agreement, together with a copy of such announcement;

(ii) At least 10 days prior to the consummation of such Acquisition (unless the first public announcement thereof or the execution of the relevant purchase or merger agreement occurs later, in which case upon such later date), a copy, certified by a Responsible Officer of the Company, of the executed purchase contract or merger agreement relating to such Acquisition; and

(iii) An officer’s certificate, executed by a Responsible Officer of the Company, dated the date of consummation of such Acquisition, certifying (A) that immediately before and after giving effect to such Acquisition no Default has occurred and is continuing or will exist, and (B) that the Acquisition is a Permitted Acquisition.

6.15 Post-Closing Requirements. No later than sixty (60) days after the Closing Date (or such later date as the Administrative Agent may agree to in its sole discretion), each Guarantor shall deliver to the Administrative Agent documents and other items of the types referred to in clauses (d), (e), (f) and (h) of Section 4.01 and favorable opinion(s) of counsel to such Guarantor (consistent with the opinions delivered on the Closing Date).

ARTICLE VII.

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation hereunder (other than contingent indemnification obligations not yet due) shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, the Company shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly:

7.01 Liens. Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property, assets or revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than the following:

(a) Liens pursuant to any Loan Document;

(b) Liens existing on the date hereof and listed on Schedule 7.01 and any renewals or extensions thereof, provided that the property covered thereby is not increased and any renewal or extension of the obligations secured or benefited thereby is permitted by Section 7.03(b);

(c) Liens for taxes not yet due or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP;

(d) carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s or other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of business which are not overdue for a period of more than 30 days or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP;

(e) pledges or deposits in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation, other than any Lien imposed by ERISA;

(f) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts and leases (other than Indebtedness), statutory obligations, surety bonds (other than bonds related to judgments or litigation), performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(g) easements, rights-of-way, restrictions and other similar encumbrances affecting real property which, in the aggregate, are not substantial in amount, and which do not in any case materially detract from the value of the property subject thereto or materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the applicable Person;

(h) Liens securing judgments for the payment of money not constituting an Event of Default under Section 8.01(h) or securing appeal or other surety bonds related to such judgments;

(i) Liens securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(e); provided that (i) such Liens do not at any time encumber any property other than the property financed by such Indebtedness and (ii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed the cost or fair market value, whichever is lower, of the property being acquired on the date of acquisition;

(j) Liens arising from precautionary uniform commercial code financing statements filed under any lease, consignment arrangement or bailment permitted by this Agreement;

(k) Liens on fixed assets when acquired in connection with Permitted Acquisitions;

(l) Liens on the Borrowers’ assets in favor of Subsidiaries securing loans and advances to the Borrowers which have been subordinated pursuant to the Guaranty (or otherwise in a manner reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent); and

(m) Liens in an aggregate amount not to exceed $25,000,000 at any time outstanding securing Indebtedness permitted hereunder (including letters of credit permitted hereunder).

7.02 Investments. Make any Investments, except:

(a) Investments held by such Borrower or Subsidiary in the form of Cash Equivalents or short-term marketable debt securities;

(b) advances to officers, directors and employees of the Company and Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount not to exceed $2,000,000 at any time outstanding, for travel, entertainment, relocation and analogous ordinary business purposes to the extent permitted under Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx;

(c) Investments of (i) any Loan Party into another Loan Party, (ii) any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party into a Loan Party and (iii) any Loan Party into a Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party so long as the aggregate amount of all such Investments does not exceed 25% of Shareholders’ Equity;

(d) additional Investments not exceeding $50,000,000 at any one time outstanding;

(e) Investments consisting of extensions of credit in the nature of accounts receivable or notes receivable arising from the grant of trade credit in the ordinary course of business, and Investments received in satisfaction or partial satisfaction thereof from financially troubled account debtors to the extent reasonably necessary in order to prevent or limit loss;

(f) Guarantees permitted by Section 7.03;

(g) Permitted Acquisitions; and

(h) other Investments not exceeding 15% of Shareholders’ Equity.

7.03 Indebtedness. Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:

(a) Indebtedness under the Loan Documents;

(b) Indebtedness outstanding on the date hereof and listed on Schedule 7.03 and any refinancings, refundings, renewals or extensions thereof; provided that the amount of such Indebtedness is not increased at the time of such refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension except by an amount equal to a reasonable premium or other reasonable amount paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such refinancing and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder;

(d) obligations (contingent or otherwise) of any Borrower or Subsidiary existing or arising under any Swap Contract, provided that (i) such obligations are (or were) entered into by such Person in the ordinary course of business for the purpose of directly mitigating risks associated with liabilities, commitments, investments, assets, or property held or reasonably anticipated by such Person, or changes in the value of securities issued by such Person, and not for purposes of speculation or taking a “market view;” and (ii) such Swap Contract does not contain any provision exonerating the non-defaulting party from its obligation to make payments on outstanding transactions to the defaulting party;

(e) Indebtedness in respect of capital leases, Synthetic Lease Obligations and purchase money obligations for fixed or capital assets within the limitations set forth in Section 7.01(i); provided, however, that the aggregate amount of all such Indebtedness at any one time outstanding shall not exceed $25,000,000;

(f) so long as no Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, unsecured Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $50,000,000 at any time outstanding; provided that such Indebtedness is not senior in right of payment to the payment of the Indebtedness arising under this Agreement and the Loan Documents; and

(g) Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $50,000,000 at any time outstanding in respect of surety bonds, letters of credit, and similar instruments issued in the ordinary course of business.

7.04 Fundamental Changes. Merge, dissolve, liquidate, consolidate with or into another Person, or Dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) to or in favor of any Person, except that, so long as no Default exists or would result therefrom:

(a) any Subsidiary (i) may merge with a Borrower, provided that such Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person, or (ii) may merge with any one or more other Subsidiaries, provided that when any Guarantor is merging with another Subsidiary, the Guarantor shall be the continuing or surviving Person; and

(b) any Subsidiary may Dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation or otherwise) to a Borrower or to another Subsidiary; provided that if the transferor in such a transaction is a wholly-owned Subsidiary, then the transferee must either be a Borrower or a wholly-owned Subsidiary.

7.05 Dispositions. Make any Disposition or enter into any agreement to make any Disposition, except:

(a) Dispositions of obsolete or worn out property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, in the ordinary course of business;

(b) Dispositions of inventory in the ordinary course of business;

(c) Dispositions of equipment or real property to the extent that (i) such property is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement property or (ii) the proceeds of such Disposition are reasonably promptly applied to the purchase price of such replacement property within 180 days of such Disposition;

(d) Dispositions of property by any Subsidiary to a Borrower or to a wholly-owned Subsidiary; provided that if the transferor of such property is a Guarantor, the transferee thereof must be to another Loan Party;

(e) Dispositions permitted by Section 7.04;

(f) Dispositions of Subsidiaries of the Company, or of assets or lines of businesses comprising campus locations, including those as of the Closing Date as set forth in Schedule 7.05 hereto, provided, that those that are not set forth in Schedule 7.05 shall be permitted so long as no Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom;

(g) Dispositions of Eligible Student Accounts Receivable; provided, however, that the gross book value of all Dispositions of Eligible Student Accounts Receivable permitted by this Section 7.05(g) shall not, in the aggregate, exceed $50,000,000 in any fiscal year; and

(h) any other Disposition not otherwise permitted under this Section 7.05 so long as (i) no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing immediately before and after giving effect to such Disposition and (ii) the book value of the assets so Disposed of as permitted by this Section 7.05(h) shall not, in the aggregate, exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the total assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries;

provided, however, that any Disposition pursuant to clauses (a) through (h) shall be for fair market value.

7.06 Restricted Payments. Declare or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, or incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so, except that:

(a) each Subsidiary may make Restricted Payments to the Company and to wholly-owned Subsidiaries (and, in the case of a Restricted Payment by a non-wholly-owned Subsidiary, to the Company and any Subsidiary and to each other owner of capital stock or other equity interests of such Subsidiary on a pro rata basis based on their relative ownership interests);

(b) the Company and each Subsidiary may declare and make dividend payments or other distributions payable solely in the common stock or other common equity interests of such Person;

(c) the Company and each Subsidiary may purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire shares of its common stock or other common equity interests or warrants or options to acquire any such shares with the proceeds received from the substantially concurrent issue of new shares of its common stock or other common equity interests; and

(d) the Borrower may make payment in its common stock in connection with a Permitted Acquistions.

7.07 Change in Nature of Business. Engage in any material line of business substantially different from those lines of business conducted by the Company and its Subsidiaries on the date hereof or any business substantially related or incidental thereto.

7.08 Transactions with Affiliates. Enter into any transaction of any kind with any Affiliate of the Borrower (excluding transactions (i) among the Loan Parties, (ii) among the Loan Parties and their wholly-owned Subsidiaries, and (iii) among the Loan Parties’ wholly-owned Subsidiaries), whether or not in the ordinary course of business, other than on fair and reasonable terms substantially as favorable to such Borrower or Subsidiary as would be obtainable by such Borrower or Subsidiary at the time in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate.

7.09 Burdensome Agreements. Enter into any Contractual Obligation (other than this Agreement or any other Loan Document) that (a) limits the ability (i) of any Subsidiary to make Restricted Payments to a Loan Party or to otherwise transfer property to a Loan Party, (ii) of any Loan Party to Guarantee the Indebtedness of the Borrowers or (iii) of any Loan Party to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist Liens on property of such Person; provided, however, that this clause (iii) shall not prohibit any negative pledge incurred or provided in favor of any holder of

Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(e) solely to the extent any such negative pledge relates to the property financed by or the subject of such Indebtedness; or (b) requires the grant of a Lien to secure an obligation of such Person if a Lien is granted to secure another obligation of such Person.

7.10 Use of Proceeds. Use the proceeds of any Loan to purchase or carry margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the FRB) or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock or to refund indebtedness originally incurred for such purpose.

7.11 Minimum Domestic Cash. Permit, at any time, Domestic Cash to be less than $75,000,000.

7.12 Capital Expenditures. Make or become legally obligated to make any expenditure in respect of the purchase or other acquisition of any fixed or capital asset (excluding (i) normal replacements and maintenance which are properly charged to current operations and (ii) expenditures made in connection with the acquisition, replacement, substitution or restoration of assets to the extent financed (a) from insurance proceeds (or other similar recoveries) paid on account of the loss of or damage to the assets being replaced or restored, (b) with cash awards of compensation arising from the taking by eminent domain or condemnation of assets, (c) with cash proceeds of dispositions permitted hereunder that are reinvested in accordance with this Agreement, and/or (d) with cash proceeds of equity issuances)), except for capital expenditures in the ordinary course of business not exceeding $30,000,000, in the aggregate for the Company and its Subsidiaries during any fiscal year.

7.13 Sanctions. Permit any Loan or the proceeds of any Loan, directly or indirectly, (i) to be loaned, contributed or otherwise made available to fund any activity or business in any Designated Jurisdiction; (ii) to fund any activity or business of any Person located, organized or residing in any Designated Jurisdiction or who is the subject of any Sanctions; or (iii) in any other manner that will result in any violation by any Person (including any Lender, Arranger or Administrative Agent) of any Sanctions.

7.14 No Changes in Fiscal Year. Change Company’s or any Subsidiary’s fiscal year from December 31 without the Administrative Agent’s prior written consent.

ARTICLE VIII.

EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

8.01 Events of Default. Any of the following shall constitute an Event of Default:

(a) Non-Payment. Any Loan Party fails to pay (i) when and as required to be paid herein, any amount of principal of any Loan, or (ii) within three Business Days after the same becomes due, any interest on any Loan, or any commitment or other fee due hereunder, or (iii) within five Business Days after the same becomes due, any other amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document; or

(b) Specific Covenants. (i) Any Borrower fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in any of Section 6.01, 6.02, 6.05, 6.10, 6.11, 6.15, or Article VII, or (ii) any Guarantor fails to perform or observe any material term, covenant or agreement contained herein or in any Guaranty; or

(c) Other Defaults. Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any other covenant or agreement (not specified in subsection (a) or (b) above) contained in any Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and such failure continues for 30 days after the earlier of (i) knowledge by an executive officer of such Loan Party or (ii) notice thereof has been received by either Borrower from the Administrative Agent or any Lender; or

(d) Representations and Warranties. Any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of any Loan Party herein, in any other Loan Document, or in any document delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be materially incorrect or misleading when made or deemed made; or

(e) Cross-Default. (i) The Company or any Subsidiary (A) fails to make any payment when due (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) in respect of any Indebtedness or Guarantee (other than Indebtedness hereunder and Indebtedness under Swap Contracts) having an aggregate principal amount (including undrawn committed or available amounts and including amounts owing to all creditors under any combined or syndicated credit arrangement) of more than the Threshold Amount, or (B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness or Guarantee or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event occurs, the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness or the beneficiary or beneficiaries of such Guarantee (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to be demanded or to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity, or such Guarantee to become payable or cash collateral in respect thereof to be demanded; or (ii) there occurs under any Swap Contract an Early Termination Date (as defined in such Swap Contract) resulting from (A) any event of default under such Swap Contract as to which the Company or any Subsidiary is the Defaulting Party (as defined in such Swap Contract) or (B) any Termination Event (as so defined) under such Swap Contract as to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is an Affected Party (as so defined) and, in either event, the Swap Termination Value owed by the Borrower or such Subsidiary as a result thereof is greater than the Threshold Amount; or

(f) Insolvency Proceedings, Etc. Any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer for it or for all or any material part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent of such Person and the appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for 60 calendar days; or any proceeding

under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any such Person or to all or any material part of its property is instituted without the consent of such Person and continues undismissed or unstayed for 60 calendar days, or an order for relief is entered in any such proceeding; or

(g) Inability to Pay Debts; Attachment. (i) The Company or any Subsidiary become unable or admits in writing its inability or fails generally to pay its debts as they become due, or (ii) any writ or warrant of attachment or execution or similar process is issued or levied against all or any material part of the property of any such Person and is not released, vacated or fully bonded within 30 days after its issue or levy; or

(h) Judgments. There is entered against the Company or any Subsidiary (i) a final judgment or order for the payment of money in an aggregate amount exceeding the Threshold Amount (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer does not dispute coverage), or (ii) any one or more non-monetary final judgments that have, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect and, in either case, (A) enforcement proceedings are commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order, or (B) there is a period of 30 consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, is not in effect; or

(i) ERISA. (i) An ERISA Event occurs with respect to a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan which results in liability of the Company under Title IV of ERISA to the Pension Plan, Multiemployer Plan or the PBGC in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount, or (ii) the Company or any ERISA Affiliate fails to pay when due, after the expiration of any applicable grace period, any installment payment with respect to its withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA under a Multiemployer Plan and such failure results in liability to the Company in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount;; or

(j) Invalidity of Loan Documents. Any Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases to be in full force and effect; or any Loan Party or any other Person contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document; or any Loan Party denies that it has any or further liability or obligation under any Loan Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind any Loan Document; or

(k) DOE Action. The DOE shall have, pursuant to Subpart G of 34 C.F.R. Part 668, notified any Educational Institution of any suspension, termination or limitation of Title IV Program participation for such Educational Institution that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and such suspension, termination or limitation shall not have been withdrawn or otherwise terminated within 30 days after such notification; or

(l) Emergency Action. The DOE shall have notified any Educational Institution that the DOE intends to initiate an emergency action against the Educational Institution pursuant to 34 C.F.R. § 668.83 and such action that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; or

(m) Loss of Educational Approvals. The issuance of a notice of intent by an Educational Agency to suspend, terminate, withdraw, limit or not renew an Educational Approval of any Educational Institution that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and such suspension, termination, withdrawal, limitation or decision not to renew shall not have been withdrawn or terminated within 30 days after such notification; or

(n) Significant Regulatory Event; Any Significant Regulatory Event shall have occurred; or

(o) Change of Control. There occurs any Change of Control.

8.02 Remedies Upon Event of Default. If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent shall, at the request of, or may, with the consent of, the Required Lenders, take any or all of the following actions:

(a) declare the Commitment of each Lender to make Loans to be terminated, whereupon such Commitments shall be terminated;

(b) declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrowers; and

(c) exercise on behalf of itself and the Lenders, all rights and remedies available to it and the Lenders under the Loan Documents;

provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to any Borrower under any Debtor Relief Law, the obligation of each Lender to make Loans shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, in each case without further act of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.

8.03 Application of Funds. After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 8.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable as set forth in the proviso to Section 8.02), any amounts received on account of the Obligations shall, subject to the provisions of Section 2.15, be applied by the Administrative Agent in the following order:

First, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent and amounts payable under Article III) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;

Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal and interest) payable to the Lenders (including reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of one single counsel to the Lenders, taken as a group, and amounts payable under Article III), ratably among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;

Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans and other Obligations, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third payable to them;

Fourth, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them; and

Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full, to the Borrowers or as otherwise required by Law.

ARTICLE IX.

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

9.01 Appointment and Authority. Each of the Lenders hereby irrevocably appoints BMO Xxxxxx Bank to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and no Loan Party shall have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions (except as provided in Sections 9.06 and 9.10). It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” herein or in any other Loan Documents (or any other similar term) with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable Law. Instead such term is used as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties.

9.02 Rights as a Lender. The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with the Company or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders.

9.03 Exculpatory Provisions. The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, and its duties hereunder shall be administrative in nature. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent:

(a) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing;

(b) shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable law, including for the avoidance of doubt any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any Debtor Relief Law or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any Debtor Relief Law; and

(c) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to any Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.

The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 11.01 and 8.02) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given in writing to the Administrative Agent by a Borrower or Lender.

The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.

9.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan that by its terms

must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender prior to the making of such Loan. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrowers), independent accountants and other experts selected by it with reasonable care, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.

9.05 Delegation of Duties. The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agents except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and non appealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agents.

9.06 Resignation of Administrative Agent.

(a) The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders and the Company. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Company, to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States (which successor shall be approved by the Company, such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or required if an Event of Default exists). If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Resignation Effective Date”), then the retiring Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above (which successor shall be approved by the Company, such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or required if an Event of Default exists). Whether or not a successor has been appointed, such resignation shall become effective in accordance with such notice on the Resignation Effective Date.

(b) If the Person serving as Administrative Agent is a Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (d) of the definition thereof, the Required Lenders may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, by notice in writing to the Company and such Person remove such Person as Administrative Agent and, in consultation with the Company, appoint a successor (which successor shall be approved by the Company, such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or required if an Event of Default exists). If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Removal Effective Date”), then such removal shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice on the Removal Effective Date.

(c) With effect from the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date (as applicable) (1) the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed) and (2) except for any indemnity payments or other amounts then owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent, all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender directly, until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or removed) Administrative Agent (other than as provided in Section 3.01(g) and other than any rights to indemnity payments or other amounts owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent as of the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date, as applicable), and the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section). The fees payable by the Borrowers to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrowers and such successor. After the retiring or removed Administrative Agent’s resignation or removal hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section 11.04 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring or removed Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring or removed Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.

9.07 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders. Each Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

9.08 No Other Duties, Etc. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the Bookrunners, Arrangers or other titles as necessary listed on the cover page hereof shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent or a Lender.

9.09 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrowers) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.09 and 10.04) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.09 and 10.04.

Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender in any such proceeding.

9.10 Collateral and Guaranty Matters. Without limiting the provisions of Section 9.09, the Lenders irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its discretion,

(a) to release any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document (i) upon termination of the Aggregate Commitments and payment in full of all Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations), (ii) that is sold or otherwise disposed of or to be sold or otherwise disposed of as part of or in connection with any sale or other disposition permitted hereunder or under any other Loan Document, or (iii) subject to Section 11.01, if approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Required Lenders;

(b) to subordinate any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document to the holder of any Lien on such property that is permitted by Section 7.01(i);

(c) to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty if such Person ceases to be a Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted under the Loan Documents or, if approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Lenders in accordance with Section 11.01; and

(d) to release any amounts maintained in the Collateral Account upon the request of the Company at any time and from time to time so long as, after giving effect to such release, the Minimum Collateral Amount equals or exceeds 110% of the Outstanding Amount (and the Administrative Agent agrees to and for the benefit of the Borrowers to so release such amounts upon request by the Borrowers).

Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release or subordinate its interest in particular types or items of property, or to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty pursuant to this Section 9.10.

The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have a duty to ascertain or inquire into any representation or warranty regarding the existence, value or collectability of the Collateral, the existence, priority or perfection of the Administrative Agent’s Lien thereon, or any certificate prepared by any Loan Party in connection therewith, nor shall the Administrative Agent be responsible or liable to the Lenders for any failure to monitor or maintain any portion of the Collateral.

ARTICLE X

GUARANTEES; JOINT AND SEVERAL OBLIGATIONS

10.1. The Guarantees. To induce the Lenders to provide the credits described herein and in consideration of benefits expected to accrue to the Borrowers by reason of the Commitments and for other good and valuable consideration, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, each Material Domestic Subsidiary party hereto (including any Subsidiary executing an Additional Guarantor Supplement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit E or such other form acceptable to the Administrative Agent) and each Borrower (as to the Obligations of the other Borrower and Loan Parties) hereby unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees jointly and severally to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and their Affiliates, the due and punctual payment of all present and future Obligations, including, but not limited to, the due and punctual payment of principal of and interest on the Loans, and the due and punctual payment of all other Obligations now or hereafter owed by the Borrowers under the Loan Documents and the due and punctual payment of all liability with respect to Swap Contracts and Cash Management Agreements, in each case as and when the same shall become due and payable, whether at stated maturity, by acceleration, or otherwise, according to the terms hereof and thereof (including all interest, costs, fees, and charges after the entry of an order for relief against any Borrower or such other obligor in a case under any Debtor Relief Law or any similar proceeding, whether or not such interest, costs, fees and charges would be an allowed claim against such Borrower or any such obligor in any such proceeding). In case of failure by any Borrower or other obligor punctually to pay any Obligations guaranteed hereby, each Guarantor hereby unconditionally agrees to make such payment or to cause such payment to be made punctually as and when the same shall become due and payable, whether at stated maturity, by acceleration, or otherwise, and as if such payment were made by such Borrower or such obligor.

10.2. Guarantee Unconditional. The obligations of each Guarantor under this Article X shall be unconditional and absolute and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, shall not be released, discharged, or otherwise affected by:

(a) any extension, renewal, settlement, compromise, waiver, or release in respect of any obligation of any Loan Party or other obligor or of any other guarantor under this Agreement or any other Loan Document or by operation of law or otherwise;

(b) any modification or amendment of or supplement to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any Swap Contract or Cash Management Agreement

(c) any change in the corporate existence, structure, or ownership of, or any insolvency, bankruptcy, reorganization, or other similar proceeding affecting, any Loan Party or other obligor, any other guarantor, or any of their respective assets, or any resulting release or discharge of any obligation of any Loan Party or other obligor or of any other guarantor contained in any Loan Document;

(d) the existence of any claim, set-off, or other rights which any Loan Party or other obligor or any other guarantor may have at any time against the Administrative Agent, any Lender, or any other Person, whether or not arising in connection herewith;

(e) any failure to assert, or any assertion of, any claim or demand or any exercise of, or failure to exercise, any rights or remedies against any Loan Party or other obligor, any other guarantor, or any other Person or property;

(f) any application of any sums by whomsoever paid or howsoever realized to any obligation of any Loan Party or other obligor, regardless of what obligations of any Loan Party or other obligor remain unpaid;

(g) any invalidity or unenforceability relating to or against any Loan Party or other obligor or any other guarantor for any reason of this Agreement or of any other Loan Document, or any Swap Contract or Cash Management Agreement, or any provision of applicable law or regulation purporting to prohibit the payment by any Loan Party or other obligor or any other guarantor of the principal of or interest on any Loan or any other amount payable under the Loan Documents or any Swap Contract or Cash Management Agreement; or

(h) any other act or omission to act or delay of any kind by the Administrative Agent, any Lender, or any other Person or any other circumstance whatsoever that might, but for the provisions of this subsection, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of the obligations of any Guarantor under this Article X.

10.3. Discharge Only upon Payment in Full; Reinstatement in Certain Circumstances. Each Loan Party’s obligations under this Article X shall remain in full force and effect until the Commitments are terminated and the principal of and interest on the Loans and all other amounts payable by the Borrowers and the other Loan Parties under this Agreement and all other Loan Documents (other than contingent indemnification obligations not yet due) and, if then outstanding and unpaid and owing, all liabilities relating to Swap Contracts and Cash Management Agreements shall have been paid in full. If at any time any payment of the principal of or interest on any Loan or any other amount payable by any Loan Party or other obligor or any guarantor under the Loan Documents, any Swap Contract or Cash Management Agreement is rescinded or must be otherwise restored or returned upon the insolvency, bankruptcy, or reorganization of such Loan Party or other obligor or of any guarantor, or otherwise, each Guarantor’s obligations under this Article X with respect to such payment shall be reinstated at such time as though such payment had become due but had not been made at such time.

10.4. Subrogation. Each Guarantor agrees it will not exercise any rights which it may acquire by way of subrogation by any payment made hereunder, or otherwise, until all the Obligations shall have been paid in full (other than contingent identification obligations not yet due) subsequent to the termination of all the Commitments. If any amount shall be paid to a Guarantor on account of such subrogation rights at any time prior to the later of (x) the payment in full of the Obligations and all other amounts payable by the Loan Parties hereunder and the other Loan Documents (other than contingent indemnification obligations not yet due) and (y) the termination of the Commitments, such amount shall be held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders (and their Affiliates) and shall forthwith be paid to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders (and their Affiliates) or be credited and applied upon the Obligations, whether matured or unmatured, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

10.5. Subordination. Each Guarantor (each referred to herein as a “Subordinated Creditor”) hereby subordinates the payment of all indebtedness, obligations, and liabilities of the Borrowers or other Loan Party owing to such Subordinated Creditor, whether now existing or hereafter arising, to the indefeasible payment in full in cash of all Obligations. During the existence of any Event of Default, subject to Section 10.4, any such indebtedness, obligation, or liability of the Borrowers or other Loan Party owing to such Subordinated Creditor shall be enforced and performance received by such Subordinated Creditor as trustee for the benefit of the holders of the Obligations and the proceeds thereof shall be paid over to the Administrative Agent for application to the Obligations (whether or not then due), but without reducing or affecting in any manner the liability of such Guarantor under this Article X.

10.6. Waivers. Each Guarantor irrevocably waives acceptance hereof, presentment, demand, protest, and any notice not provided for herein, as well as any requirement that at any time any action be taken by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any other Person against a Borrower or any other Loan Party or other obligor, another guarantor, or any other Person.

10.7. Limit on Recovery. Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, the right of recovery against each Guarantor under this Article X shall not exceed $1.00 less than the lowest amount which would render such Guarantor’s obligations under this Article X void or voidable under applicable law, including, without limitation, fraudulent conveyance law.

10.8. Stay of Acceleration. If acceleration of the time for payment of any amount payable by a Borrower or other Loan Party or other obligor under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, Swap Contract or Cash Management Agreement, is stayed upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of such Borrower or such other Loan Party or obligor, all such amounts otherwise subject to acceleration under the terms of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, or under any Swap Contract or Cash Management Agreement, shall nonetheless be payable by the Guarantors hereunder forthwith on demand by the Administrative Agent made at the request or otherwise with the consent of the Required Lenders.

10.9. Benefit to Guarantors. The Loan Parties are engaged in related businesses and integrated to such an extent that the financial strength and flexibility of the Borrowers and the other Loan Parties has a direct impact on the success of each other Loan Party. Each Guarantor will derive substantial direct and indirect benefit from the extensions of credit hereunder, and each Guarantor acknowledges that this guarantee is necessary or convenient to the conduct, promotion and attainment of its business.

10.10. Joint and Several. Each of the Company and CECE (each a “Borrower Loan Party”) hereby acknowledge and agree that each reference to “Borrower” in this Agreement shall be deemed a reference to each Borrower Loan Party collectively and each Borrower Loan Party hereby acknowledge and agree that it has joint and several liability on the Loans and on all Obligations owed by the Borrowers under this Agreement and that such liability is absolute and unconditional and shall not in any manner be affected or impaired by any of acts or omissions whatsoever by the Lenders, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Borrower Loan Parties’ joint and several liability on the Loans and other Obligations shall not be impaired by any acceptance by the Lenders of any other security for or guarantors upon the Loans or any other Obligation or by any failure, neglect or omission on the Lenders’ part to resort to any one or all of the Borrower Loan Parties for payment of the Loans or other Obligations or to realize upon or protect any collateral security therefor. Each Borrower Loan Party’s joint and several liability on the Loans and other Obligations shall not in any manner be impaired or affected by who receives or uses the proceeds of the Loans or for what purposes such proceeds are used, and each Borrower Loan Party waives notice of borrowing requests issued by, and loans made to, other Borrower Loan Parties. Such joint and several liability of each Borrower shall also not be impaired or affected by (and each Lender, without notice to anyone, is hereby authorized to make from time to time) any sale, pledge, surrender, compromise, settlement, release, renewal, extension, indulgence, alteration, substitution, exchange, change in, modification or disposition of any collateral security for the Loans or other Obligations or of any guaranty thereof. In order to enforce payment of the Loans and other Obligations, foreclose or otherwise realize on any collateral security therefor, and to exercise the rights granted to the Administrative Agent hereunder and thereunder and under applicable law, the Administrative Agent shall be under no obligation at any time to first resort to any collateral security, property, liens or any other rights or remedies whatsoever, and the Lenders shall have

the right to enforce the Loans and the other Obligations irrespective of whether or not other proceedings or steps are pending seeking resort to or realization upon or from any of the foregoing. By its acceptance below, each Borrower Loan Party hereby expressly waives and surrenders any defense to its joint and several liability on the Loans and other Obligations based upon any of the foregoing. In furtherance thereof, each Borrower Loan Party agrees that wherever in this Agreement it is provided that a Borrower Loan Party is liable for a payment such obligation is the joint and several obligation of each Borrower Loan Party.

10.11 Limitation. Notwithstanding any provision hereof or in any other Loan Document to the contrary, in the event any Guarantor fails to qualify as an “eligible contract participant,” as such term is defined in Section 1(a)(18) of the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended (taking into consideration all relevant facts, including guarantees in favor of such Guarantor by any other Loan Party or any other Person that qualifies as such an “eligible contract participant”), at the time (i) any transaction is entered into under an agreement evidencing or resulting in Obligations under Swap Contracts or (ii) such Guarantor becomes a Guarantor hereunder, then the Obligations under Swap Contracts guaranteed hereby by such Guarantor shall not include (x) in the case of clause (i) above, such transaction, and (y) in the case of clause (ii) above, any transactions outstanding under any agreements in respect of Obligations under Swap Contracts as of such the date such Guarantor became a Guarantor hereunder, in each case to the extent and only for so long as such guaranty otherwise would be unlawful under the Xxxx Xxxxx Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act or the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended.

ARTICLE XI

MISCELLANEOUS

11.01 Amendments, Etc. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by any Borrower or any other Loan Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders and the Borrowers or the applicable Loan Party, as the case may be, and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, however, that no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:

(a) waive any condition set forth in Section 4.01(a) without the written consent of each Lender;

(b) extend or increase the Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 8.02) without the written consent of such Lender (which, for clarity, shall not require the consent of the Required Lenders);

(c) postpone any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment or mandatory prepayment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to the Lenders (or any of them) hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby;

(d) reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or (subject to clause (ii) of the second proviso to this Section 11.01) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby; provided, however, that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary to amend the definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of the Borrowers to pay interest at the Default Rate;

(e) change Section 8.03 in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender;

(f) change any provision of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to amend, waive or otherwise modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender; or

(g) release all or substantially all of the value of the Guaranty without the written consent of each Lender, except to the extent the release of any Guarantor is permitted pursuant to Section 9.10 (in which case such release may be made by the Administrative Agent acting alone);

and, provided further, that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; and (ii) the Fee Letter may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the parties thereto. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder (and any amendment, waiver or consent which by its terms requires the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender may be effected with the consent of the applicable Lenders other than Defaulting Lenders), except that (x) the Commitment of any Defaulting Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender and (y) any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender that by its terms affects any Defaulting Lender disproportionately adversely relative to other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender.

Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the Administrative Agent may amend Schedule 2.01 to reflect assignments entered into pursuant to Section 11.06. Furthermore, notwithstanding anything contained herein in the contrary, the Administrative Agent and the Loan Parties may amend or modify this Agreement and any other Loan Document by written agreement signed by the Administrative Agent and the Company to cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency herein or therein.

Anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, this Agreement may be amended and restated without the consent of any Lender (but with the consent of the Company and the Administrative Agent) if, upon giving effect to such amendment and restatement, such Lender shall no longer be a party to this Agreement (as so amended and restated), the Commitment of such Lender shall have terminated, such Lender shall have no other commitment or other obligation hereunder and shall have been paid in full all principal, interest and other amounts owing to it or accrued for its account under this Agreement.

11.02 Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication.

(a) Notices Generally. Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in subsection (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by facsimile as follows:

(i) if to the Borrowers or any other Loan Party, to it at 000 X. Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention of Xxxxxxx X’Xxxxxxxx (Facsimile No. 000-000-0000; Telephone No. 000-000-0000; Email: xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx);

(ii) if to the Administrative Agent, to BMO Xxxxxx Bank N.A. at 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention of Xxxxx Xxxxxx (Facsimile No. (000) 000-0000; Telephone No. (000) 000-0000; Email: xxxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx);

(iii) if to a Lender, to it at its address (or facsimile number or email address) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.

Notices sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices sent by facsimile shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient); and notices delivered through electronic communications, to the extent provided in subsection (b) below, shall be effective as provided in said subsection (b).

(b) Electronic Communications. Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender pursuant to Article II if such Lender has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Sections by electronic communication. The Administrative Agent or the Borrowers may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.

Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient, at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing

clause (i), of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i) and (ii) above, if such notice, email or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient.

(c) Change of Address, etc. Any party hereto may change its address or facsimile number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto.

(d) Platform. (i) Each Loan Party agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, make the Communications (as defined below) available to the other Lenders by posting the Communications on Debt Domain, Intralinks, Syndtrak or a substantially similar electronic transmission system (the “Platform”).

(ii) The Platform is provided “as is” and “as available.” The Agent Parties (as defined below) do not warrant the adequacy of the Platform and expressly disclaim liability for errors or omissions in the Communications. No warranty of any kind, express, implied or statutory, including, without limitation, any warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement of third-party rights or freedom from viruses or other code defects, is made by any Agent Party in connection with the Communications or the Platform. In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to any Borrower or the other Loan Parties, any Lender or any other Person or entity for damages of any kind, including, without limitation, direct or indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of any Borrower’s, Loan Party’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of communications through the Platform. “Communications” means, collectively, any notice, demand, communication, information, document or other material provided by or on behalf of any Loan Party pursuant to any Loan Document or the transactions contemplated therein which is distributed to the Administrative Agent or any Lender by means of electronic communications pursuant to this Section, including through the Platform.

11.03 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement. No failure by any Lender or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided, and provided under each other Loan Document, are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by law.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the authority to enforce rights and remedies hereunder and under the other Loan Documents against the Loan Parties or any of them shall be vested exclusively in, and all actions and proceedings at law in connection with such enforcement shall be instituted and maintained exclusively by, the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 8.02 for the benefit of all the Lenders; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prohibit (a) the Administrative

Agent from exercising on its own behalf the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as Administrative Agent) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (b) any Lender from exercising setoff rights in accordance with Section 11.08 (subject to the terms of Section 2.13), or (d) any Lender from filing proofs of claim or appearing and filing pleadings on its own behalf during the pendency of a proceeding relative to any Loan Party under any Debtor Relief Law; and provided, further, that if at any time there is no Person acting as Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, then (i) the Required Lenders shall have the rights otherwise ascribed to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.02 and (ii) in addition to the matters set forth in clauses (b), (c) and (d) of the preceding proviso and subject to Section 2.13, any Lender may, with the consent of the Required Lenders, enforce any rights and remedies available to it and as authorized by the Required Lenders.

11.04 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.

(a) Costs and Expenses. Each Borrower shall jointly and severally pay (i) all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent), in connection with the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), and (ii) all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent or any Lender (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent or any Lender (limited, in the case of any Lender, to one counsel for all Lenders, taken as a group)), in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (A) in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or (B) in connection with the Loans made hereunder, including all such reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans.

(b) Indemnification by the Borrowers. The Borrowers shall indemnify the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each Lender and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses (including the reasonable and documented fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee), and shall indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnitee from all fees and time charges and disbursements for attorneys who may be employees of any Indemnitee, incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any Person (including the Borrowers or any other Loan Party) other than such Indemnitee and its Related Parties arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or, in the case of the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof) and its Related Parties only, the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including in respect of any matters addressed in Section 3.01), (ii) any Loan or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom, (iii) any actual or alleged presence or

release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory, whether brought by a third party or by any Borrower or any other Loan Party, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses (x) are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or (y) result from a claim brought by any Borrower or any other Loan Party against an Indemnitee for breach in bad faith of such Indemnitee’s obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, if such Borrower or such Loan Party has obtained a final and nonappealable judgment in its favor on such claim as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction. Without limiting the provisions of Section 3.01(c), this Section 11.4(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims, damages, etc. arising from any non-Tax claim.

(c) Reimbursement by Lenders. To the extent that the Borrowers for any reason fail to indefeasibly pay any amount required under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof) or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lender’s pro rata share (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought based on each Lender’s share of the Outstanding Amount at such time) of such unpaid amount (including any such unpaid amount in respect of a claim asserted by such Lender), such payment to be made severally among them based on such Lenders’ Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought), provided, further that, the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent). The obligations of the Lenders under this subsection (c) are subject to the provisions of Section 2.12(d).

(d) Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, no party shall assert, and each hereby waives, and acknowledges that no other Person shall have, any claim against any Indemnitee or any Loan Party, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or the use of the proceeds thereof (provided the foregoing shall not limit the obligations of the Loan Parties under clause (b) above). No Indemnitee referred to in subsection (b) above shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed to such unintended recipients by such Indemnitee through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby other than for direct or actual damages resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee as determined by a final and nonappealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.

(e) Payments. All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than ten Business Days after written demand therefor.

(f) Survival. The agreements in this Section and the indemnity provisions of Section 11.02(e) shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations.

11.05 Payments Set Aside. To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of a Borrower is made to the Administrative Agent or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent or any Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (b) each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

11.06 Successors and Assigns.

(a) Successors and Assigns Generally. The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that no Loan Party may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section, or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (f) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

(b) Assignments by Lenders. Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:

(i) Minimum Amounts.

(A) in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it or contemporaneous assignments to related Approved Funds that equal at least the amount specified in paragraph (b)(i)(B) of this Section in the aggregate or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and

(B) in any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrowers otherwise consent (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed).

(ii) Proportionate Amounts. Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Loans or the Commitment assigned;

(iii) Required Consents. No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section and, in addition:

(A) the consent of the Borrowers (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or (2) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; provided that the Borrowers shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within seven (7) Business Days after having received notice thereof; and

(B) the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender.

(iv) Assignment and Assumption. The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee in the amount of $3,500; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment. The assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.

(v) No Assignment to Certain Persons. No such assignment shall be made (A) to the Company or any of the Company’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries, (B) to any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (B), or (C) to a natural Person.

(vi) Certain Additional Payments. In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Administrative Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Loans previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (x) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent or any Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon) and (y) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under applicable Law without compliance with the provisions of this paragraph, then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.

Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto) but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05, and 11.04 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment; provided, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no assignment by a Defaulting Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender. Upon request, the Borrowers (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section.

(c) Register. The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrowers (and such agency being solely for tax purposes), shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it (or the equivalent thereof in electronic form) and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts (and stated interest) of the Loans owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement. The Register shall be available for inspection by any Borrower and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

(d) Participations. Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrowers or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural Person, a Defaulting Lender or the Company or any of the Company’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, each Lender shall be responsible for the indemnity under Section 11.04(c) without regard to the existence of any participation.

Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in the first proviso to Section 11.01 that affects such Participant. Each Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 3.01(e) shall be delivered to the Lender who sells the participation) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Sections 3.06 and 10.13 as if it were an assignee under paragraph (b) of this Section and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 3.01 or 3.04, with respect to any participation, than the Lender from whom it acquired the applicable participation would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation. Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Borrowers’ request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrowers to effectuate the provisions of Section 3.06 with respect to any Participant. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 11.08 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.13 as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of

the Borrowers, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any commitments, loans, letters of credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such commitment, loan, letter of credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.

(e) Certain Pledges. Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Note, if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

11.07 Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and to its Related Parties (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent required or requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over such Person or its Related Parties (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party hereto, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any Eligible Assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective Eligible Assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement, or (ii) any actual or prospective party (or its Related Parties) to any swap, derivative or other transaction under which payments are to be made by reference to each Borrower and its obligations, this Agreement or payments hereunder, (g) on a confidential basis to (i) any rating agency in connection with rating the Company or its Subsidiaries or the credit facilities provided hereunder or (ii) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers or other market identifiers with respect to the credit facilities provided hereunder, (h) with the consent of the Company or (i) to the extent such Information (x) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (y) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than a Borrower or any other Loan

Party. For purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from any Borrower or any Subsidiary relating to the Borrowers or any Subsidiary or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by any Borrower or Subsidiary, provided that, in the case of information received from any Borrower or Subsidiary after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders acknowledges that (a) the Information may include material non-public information concerning a Borrower or Subsidiary, as the case may be, (b) it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and (c) it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws.

11.08 Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and its respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of any Loan Party against any and all of the Obligations of such Loan Party now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender or its respective Affiliates, irrespective of whether or not such Lender or Affiliate shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of such Loan Party may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch, office or Affiliate of such Lender different from the branch, office or Affiliate holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided, that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (x) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.15 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and (y) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff. The rights of each Lender and its respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender or its respective Affiliates may have. Each Lender agrees to notify the Company and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.

11.09 Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum Rate”). If the Administrative Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or,

if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the Borrowers. In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by the Administrative Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.

11.10 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement, the other Loan Documents, and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent, constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic imaging means (e.g. “pdf” or “tif”) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

11.11 Survival of Representations and Warranties. All representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof. Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Administrative Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Borrowing, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied.

11.12 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. Without limiting the foregoing provisions of this Section 11.12, if and to the extent that the enforceability of any provisions in this Agreement relating to Defaulting Lenders shall be limited by Debtor Relief Laws, as determined in good faith by the Administrative Agent, then such provisions shall be deemed to be in effect only to the extent not so limited.

11.13 Replacement of Lenders. If the Borrowers are entitled to replace a Lender pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.06, or if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender or a Non-Consenting Lender or if any other circumstance exists hereunder that gives the Borrowers the right to replace a Lender as a party hereto, then the Borrowers may, at their sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 11.06), all of its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Sections 3.01 and 3.04) and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an Eligible Assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), provided that:

(a) the Borrowers shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee (if any) specified in Section 11.06(b);

(b) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 3.05) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrowers (in the case of all other amounts);

(c) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 3.04 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.01, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter;

(d) such assignment does not conflict with applicable Laws; and

(e) in the case of an assignment resulting from a Lender becoming a Non-Consenting Lender, the applicable assignee shall have consented to the applicable amendment, waiver or consent.

A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrowers to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

11.14 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.

(a) GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any claims, controversy, dispute or cause of action (whether in contract or tort or otherwise) based upon, arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document (except, as to any other Loan Document, as expressly set forth therein) and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of Illinois.

(b) SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION. EACH LOAN PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT COMMENCE ANY ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING OF ANY KIND OR DESCRIPTION, WHETHER IN LAW OR EQUITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR IN TORT OR OTHERWISE, AGAINST THE

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY LENDER, OR ANY RELATED PARTY OF THE FOREGOING IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATING HERETO OR THERETO, IN ANY FORUM OTHER THAN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS SITTING IN XXXX COUNTY AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS AND AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH ILLINOIS STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY LENDER MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AGAINST ANY LOAN PARTY OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.

(c) WAIVER OF VENUE. EACH LOAN PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SECTION. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.

(d) SERVICE OF PROCESS. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 11.02. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

11.15 Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF

LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

11.16 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), each Loan Party acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that: (i) (A) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Administrative Agent, the Arranger, and the Lenders are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent, the Arranger, the other Lead Arranger(s) and the Lenders, on the other hand, (B) each Loan Party has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (C) each Loan Party is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (ii) (A) the Administrative Agent, the Arranger and each Lender is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for the Borrowers, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates, or any other Person and (B) neither the Administrative Agent, the Arranger nor any Lender has any obligation to any Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) the Administrative Agent, the Arranger and the Lenders and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates, and neither the Administrative Agent, the Arranger, nor any Lender has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to any Loan Party or their respective Affiliates. To the fullest extent permitted by law, each Borrower and each other Loan Party hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Administrative Agent, the Arranger or any Lender with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.

11.17 Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents. The words “execute,” “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Assignment and Assumption or in any amendment or other modification hereof (including waivers and consents) shall be deemed to include electronic signatures, the electronic matching of assignment terms and contract formations on electronic platforms approved by the Administrative Agent, or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.

11.18 USA PATRIOT Act. Each Lender that is subject to the Act (as hereinafter defined) and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrowers that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Act”), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrowers, which information includes the name and address of the Borrowers and other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify the Borrowers in accordance with the Act. The Borrowers shall, promptly following a request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, provide all documentation and other information that the Administrative Agent or such Lender requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Act.

[Remainder Left Intentionally Blank]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.


“BORROWERS”

CAREER EDUCATION CORPORATION

By:		/s/ Xxxxxxx X. X’Xxxxxxxx
		Name: Xxxxxxx X. X’Xxxxxxxx
		Title: Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

CEC EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, LLC

By:		/s/ Xxxxxxx X. X’Xxxxxxxx
		Name: Xxxxxxx X. X’Xxxxxxxx
		Title: President and Chief Executive Officer


“GUARANTORS”

AMERICAN INTERCONTINENTAL UNIVERSITY, INC. BRIARCLIFFE COLLEGE, INC. COLORADO TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY, INC. INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF MERCHANDISING & DESIGN, INC. INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF MERCHANDISING & DESIGN, LTD. XXXXXXX-XXXXX, LIMITED SCOTTSDALE CULINARY INSTITUTE, LTD.

By:		/s/ Xxxxxxx X. X’Xxxxxxxx
		Name: Xxxxxxx X. X’Xxxxxxxx
		Title: Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

AIU ONLINE, LLC
LE CORDON BLEU NORTH AMERICA, LLC

By:		/s/ Xxxxxxx X. X’Xxxxxxxx
		Name: Xxxxxxx X. X’Xxxxxxxx
		Title: Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

XXXXXX ACQUISITION CORP.

By:		/s/ Xxxxxxx X. X’Xxxxxxxx
		Name: Xxxxxxx X. X’Xxxxxxxx
		Title: President and Chief Executive Officer


BMO XXXXXX BANK N.A., as
Administrative Agent and as a Lender

By:		/s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
		Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
		Title: Director

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CREDIT AGREEMENT DATED AS OF DECEMBER 27, 2012 AMONG CAREER EDUCATION CORPORATION, CEC EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, LLC, THE GUARANTORS FROM TIME TO TIME PARTIES HERETO, THE LENDERS FROM TIME TO TIME PARTIES HERETO, AND BMO HARRIS BANK N.A., AS...

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