Education Department rescinds record $37 million fine against Grand Canyon University: 'Wrongly accused'
The U.S. Department of Education has rescinded a $37.7 million fine, with prejudice, against Grand Canyon University for alleged deceptive practices, according to the university.
The proposed fine was the largest ever issued by the department against a university.
University President Brian Mueller welcomed the decision to rescind the fine.
“The facts clearly support our contention that we were wrongly accused of misleading our Doctoral students, and we appreciate the recognition that those accusations were without merit,” Mueller said in a statement.
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“GCU is a leader in innovation, transparency and best practices in higher education and we look forward to working cooperatively with the Department in the future – just as we have with all regulatory agencies,” he continued.
The fine was imposed in October 2023 after the federal government reported that an investigation found that 78% of doctoral students who graduated between 2017 and 2022 required additional courses and incurred additional costs of at least $10,000 to complete their programs.
The university appealed the fine the following month, with Mueller accusing the federal government of being “out of control” and targeting one of the largest Christian universities in the country, according to a statement at the time.
Mueller also said in a speech at the time that the fine was “ridiculous” and noted that another top Christian university, Liberty University, was reportedly being threatened with a $37 million fine for allegedly underreporting crimes.
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“It’s interesting, isn’t it, that the two largest Christian universities in the country, this one and Liberty University, are both being fined almost the identical amount at almost the identical time?” he said. “Now is there a cause and effect there? I don’t know. But it’s a fact.”
The Department of Education’s move to rescind the fine ends a yearslong legal battle for the university.