The nation's biggest Christian university, Arizona's Grand Canyon University, says that it plans to appeal a record-breaking fine handed down by the U.S. Department of Education.

In October 2023, the DOE levied a record-breaking fine totaling nearly $38 million against the for-profit school. Following a federal investigation, the government alleged that Grand Canyon University misled its students about the cost of graduate programs.

Although they offer similar educational opportunities, for-profit universities like GSU are an entirely different entity than their nonprofit counterparts. Students accused of misconduct by their for-profit school face a daunting challenge that requires legal assistance. The Education Law Team at the Lento Law Firm can be reached at 888.535.3686 or send a message by clicking here.

Grand Canyon University's Background

Initially started in 1949 as a nonprofit organization affiliated with the Southern Baptist church, Grand Canyon parted ways with Southern Baptism in 1989 and has been operating privately on a for-profit basis since 2004. In the years after its restructuring as a for-profit organization, the university has seen an explosion of students. In 2008, fewer than 1,000 students were enrolled at Grand Canyon University; by 2017, the number had skyrocketed to 17,500.

Today, GCU serves over 100,000 students, the vast majority of them attending classes remotely and completing their work online.

The Department of Education's Allegations

An investigation by the Department of Education revealed that the university had been misleading students about the cost of its graduate degree programs since 2017. At that time, the school told prospects that the cost of a doctoral program was between $40,000 and $49,000—but the probe found that fewer than 2% of students who graduated paid tuition that aligned with the university's claim. More than three-quarters of them had to fork over an additional $10,000 to $12,000 to meet minimum requirements for their dissertation. According to the DOE's research, GSU was withholding information about “continuation courses” tacked onto students' curriculum vitae.

The $37.7 fine levied against Grand Canyon University for what the Department of Education calls “substantial misrepresentations” is the largest of its kind.

What Happens Now?

Following the Fine Announcement, the university has pledged to appeal, saying in a statement released in October that it “will take all measures necessary to defend itself from these false accusations.”

The statement maintains that the institution apprised students of the possible need to complete continuation courses before receiving their Ph.D. Also included is the rationale that doctoral programs have no fixed endpoint, like a Bachelor's or Master's degree, making it impossible for students to know in advance if additional time and money will be required.

“The time it takes to complete a dissertation is unique to each doctoral candidate, and there are many variables that affect the number of continuation courses they may need to take,” the statement said.

If You're at Odds with A For-Profit University

As we mentioned earlier, disciplinary issues at for-profit schools can be much more complicated than with public universities and colleges, and students accused of any infraction need to proceed with caution.

Are you facing such issues? If so, you need legal assistance from the Education Law Team at Lento Law Firm. Call 888.535.3686 or click here to find out how you can get help.