Grand Canyon University
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A political storm is brewing in Phoenix, Arizona, as Grand Canyon University faces ongoing threats from Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona.
Biden administration
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Christians are witnessing the Biden administration’s assault on biblical beliefs, especially on issues concerning the sanctity of life and marriage.
Vowed
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It is not unexpected that Cardona, a member of this liberal administration, has “vowed” to close down the largest Christian university in America.
37.7 million
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Towards the end of October, GCU experienced “a $37.7 million fine brought by the federal government over allegations that it lied to students about the cost of its programs,”
according to the Associated Press, an allegation that GCU President Brian Mueller dismissed as “ridiculous.” surfaced. Concurrently, Liberty University, the second-largest Christian university in the United States, faced a $37 million fine for “alleged underreporting of crimes.”
Challenged
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In November, GCU challenged the fine, despite the hearing not being scheduled until January 2025. Mueller raises a crucial question about integrity: Is this a sincere concern for student welfare, or a deliberate assault on religious organizations?
Christian universities
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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?” the university’s leader stated during a presentation. “Now is there a cause and effect there? I don’t know. But it’s a fact.”
Administration’s choice
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In April, the House Appropriations Committee conducted a hearing focused on the administration’s choice to “[crack] down on GCU and other universities like it.”
Disapproval
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Throughout the session, Cardona and Democratic Representative Rosa DeLauro from Connecticut clearly expressed their disapproval of GCU and comparable institutions. “[W]e are cracking down not only to shut them down, but to send a message to not prey on students,” Cardona said.
Unprecedented
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Advocates for GCU believe that the fine appears to be unprecedented and influenced by ideological prejudice. This sentiment was echoed by Jon Schweppe, the Policy Director of the American Principles Project, who stated “The federal government’s education agenda is punishing schools that do not conform to their progressive ideology. It’s time we take a stand against this egregious abuse of power.”
Lawsuit
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The Goldwater Institute, a conservative research organization, filed a lawsuit against the Department of Education for “refusing to turn over” public “documents that explain why” the basis for penalizing GCU. The objective of their legal action is to uncover the rationale behind the fine.
Declining enrollment
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“With its motto of ‘private, Christian, affordable’ and its track record of graduating students into high-demand and high-paying jobs, GCU is a success story by any metric. And it stands apart from universities across the country that are facing declining enrollment, that are indoctrinating students with radical politics, and that are under attack for failing to defend the First Amendment,” GI wrote. “So then why are the feds targeting GCU, a popular university that seems to be doing everything right? That’s exactly what we’re going to find out.”
Support
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Despite the considerable ambiguity surrounding this situation, Mueller made an effort to inform The Washington Stand about the well-being of his staff, faculty, and students during these challenging circumstances. He also discussed ways in which believers worldwide can offer support.
Zero impact
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Mueller highlighted the numerous challenges GCU has encountered over time. However, despite the government’s intervention, he aimed to convey to the public that “interestingly enough, it has had zero impact on anything that we’re doing.”
Enrollments
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He continued, “The enrollments are just continuing to grow … [and] the morale is very high in terms of our faculty and staff. The campus is extremely vibrant. I mean, the students absolutely love this place. They’re extremely loyal to it, and so we just keep marching through it.”
Positive outlook
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Although the fine imposed by the Department of Education is “a problem, Mueller is grateful that GCU maintains a positive outlook.
Hope
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The Christian “mission, not politics, is our motivation, and it is our hope,” he told TWS. As a university, Mueller explained how they exist to “pour into” the community around them. He added, “[O]ur reach into the neighborhood and caring for disadvantaged populations has been a way to live out our faith” in a way “that has risen above … political divide.”
In the end
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In the end, backed by “both sides of the aisle” in Arizona, he noted, “[A]ll the issues we have are with a very small number of people in Washington, D.C.”
Encourage
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“We encourage people to be involved politically and vote,” Mueller said. “But our faith will stand above the politics always, and our politics will never become our religion.” Because, for “many people in our country today, their politics have become their religion, and that’s when things … go really bad in our society.”
Christian community
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He highlighted that GCU is “trying to be an example of a Christian community that can rise above those things and focus on helping people” by serving, as believers are instructed to do in Scripture.
Prayers
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Mueller ended by asking for prayers as they navigate these challenging times and for “the hearts of certain people in Washington, D.C., to be softened,” adding that “it’s hard to make progress and resolve differences when people just … don’t want to talk to each other.”
