Latest news with #GrandCanyonUniversity
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
FTC LAWSUIT VS. GRAND CANYON DISMISSED AGAINST ALL PARTIES
Decision fully exonerates GCU after years of politically motivated lawfare by Biden Administration officials against largest Christian university in country PHOENIX, Aug. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted unanimously today to dismiss its lawsuit against Grand Canyon University's largest service provider — Grand Canyon Education — and Brian Mueller, ending years of coordinated lawfare by government officials under the Biden Administration against the largest Christian university in the country. The lawsuit, which had already been dismissed by the United States District Court of Arizona against Grand Canyon University on jurisdictional grounds, has now been completely dropped after all parties filed a joint Stipulation of Dismissal with Prejudice with the court. In a unanimous ruling issued by FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson and the other two commissioners, he stated: 'This case, which we inherited from the previous administration, was filed nearly two years ago and has suffered losses in two motions to dismiss. These losses are compounded by recent events: Grand Canyon secured a victory over the Department of Education in a related matter before the Ninth Circuit; the Department of Education rescinded a massive fine levied on related grounds; and the Internal Revenue Service confirmed that Grand Canyon University is properly claiming 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation designation.' GCU President Brian Mueller said he was appreciative that current FTC officials took an objective look at the case and recognized the numerous agencies and courts that have already ruled in GCU's favor on the same allegations. 'As we have stated from the beginning, not only were these accusations false, but the opposite is true,' Mueller said. 'We go above and beyond what is required in our disclosures and are recognized as a leader in this area.' GCU has also maintained that the allegations were a coordinated effort by former officials within the Biden Administration to undermine a thriving Christian university. 'They threw everything they had at us for four years, and yet, despite every unjust accusation leveled against us, we have not only survived but have continued to thrive as a university,' Mueller said. 'That is a testament, first and foremost, to the strength and dedication of our faculty, staff, students and their families. Above all, it speaks to our unwavering belief that the truth would ultimately prevail.' BACKGROUND: A COORDINATED CAMPAIGN Shortly after GCU filed a lawsuit against the Department of Education challenging its nonprofit classification, then-FTC Commissioner Rohit Chopra publicly announced in October 2021 that his agency would work alongside ED and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to intensify scrutiny of for-profit institutions — a category which Democrats historically have opposed and which ED controversially kept GCU in 2019 despite prior approvals from all other regulatory bodies. Those agencies, under the guise of 'consumer protection,' collectively launched five investigations against GCU in what essentially were fishing expeditions requesting voluminous amounts of information in hopes of uncovering wrongdoing. Each claim by one agency subsequently triggered copycat lawsuits and investigations by the other agencies for the same claim, flooding GCU with duplicative allegations and forcing the university to expend thousands of employee hours and millions of dollars to defend itself. The major 'findings' of those inquiries — which were related to GCU's doctoral disclosures and nonprofit status — have now been repeatedly discredited or dismissed by multiple agencies and courts. Doctoral program disclosures: GCU's financial disclosures around continuation courses in its doctoral programs — which are common in higher education — were deemed a 'substantial misrepresentation' by former ED officials despite the fact that GCU provides more transparency than is legally required or that other universities typically provide. The same allegations, which resulted in an unprecedented fine of $37.7 million by ED, were reiterated in the FTC lawsuit. Numerous independent agencies and courts have refuted or dismissed those accusations: Notably, former ED officials, including Federal Student Aid Chief Operating Officer Richard Cordray and Secretary Miguel Cardona, did not cite any student complaints in imposing their unprecedented fine, yet publicly accused GCU of 'lying' to its students and called for the university to be 'shut down.' Nonprofit status: GCU's 2018 return to its historic status as a 501(c)(3) Arizona nonprofit institution, which followed a lawful and transparent process, was repeatedly contested by ED and cited again in the FTC lawsuit despite the fact that it had been approved or acknowledged by: In light of the Ninth Circuit ruling and IRS reaffirmation, ED is currently re-examining its classification of GCU as it pertains to Title IV funding and the university is hopeful that a decision will be rendered soon. Ten Arizona Congressional members have sent a bipartisan letter urging ED to recognize GCU's nonprofit status. VA audits: A VA State Approving Agency (SAA) inquiry in 2023 claimed that two factual and commonly used statements in GCU's advertising – 'Cybersecurity experts are in high demand' and 'Every company needs cybersecurity' – were somehow 'erroneous, deceptive or misleading.' Seventeen of the top 23 undergraduate cybersecurity programs in the U.S. News and World Report rankings have made similar statements about a variety of their cybersecurity programs. To our knowledge, none of those well-respected institutions have received any type of review of their advertising claims by the VA. After GCU disputed the findings and detailed its extensive processes to ensure the validity of its statements in marketing and advertising communications, the SAA was satisfied with GCU's response and took no further action. Second (2024) and third (2025) VA/SAA risk-based audits, both triggered by the FTC lawsuit, resulted in 'no substantiated findings' after they completed thorough on-campus examinations of the university's disclosures and processes. A LARGER PATTERN The disturbing pattern in the allegations brought by former agency officials in the Biden Administration is that they center on practices that are commonplace among institutions in higher education, yet GCU was singled out for disproportionate and unusually aggressive scrutiny. 'This was not about protecting students and went well beyond normal regulatory activity,' Mueller said. 'The language used by these officials, the record fines they sought, and the baseless accusations they made all point to a broader ideological agenda.' This 2024 commentary from the Goldwater Institute summarized the situation: 'The real motivation for department bureaucrats seems clear: even if they can't prove their allegations against GCU, they intend for the process to be the punishment.' LOOKING FORWARD With the FTC lawsuit now dismissed and all federal government allegations resolved in its favor, GCU is focusing on the future. 'We support common sense government oversight but we vehemently reject ideologically driven, weaponized government actions that are not applied equally and equitably to all institutions,' Mueller said. 'As an institution that has a strong record of cooperation and great relationships with 26 different regulatory and accrediting bodies, we are doing an exemplary job of addressing the many challenges that are plaguing higher education while also living out our Christian mission both on our campus and in the surrounding community. That is reflected in the growing demand from students and families who are seeking a higher education option at GCU that is affordable and taught from a Christian worldview perspective. That mission, not politics, is our motivation and we look forward to putting our full attention to those efforts in the future.' About Grand Canyon University: Grand Canyon University was founded in 1949 and is Arizona's premier private Christian university. GCU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers 353 academic programs, emphases and certificates for both traditional undergraduate students and working professionals. The University's curriculum emphasizes interaction with classmates, both in-person and online, and individual attention from instructors while fusing academic rigor with Christian values to help students find their purpose and become skilled, caring professionals. For more information, visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Grand Canyon University
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
FTC LAWSUIT VS. GRAND CANYON DISMISSED AGAINST ALL PARTIES
Decision fully exonerates GCU after years of politically motivated lawfare by Biden Administration officials against largest Christian university in country PHOENIX, Aug. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted unanimously today to dismiss its lawsuit against Grand Canyon University's largest service provider — Grand Canyon Education — and Brian Mueller, ending years of coordinated lawfare by government officials under the Biden Administration against the largest Christian university in the country. The lawsuit, which had already been dismissed by the United States District Court of Arizona against Grand Canyon University on jurisdictional grounds, has now been completely dropped after all parties filed a joint Stipulation of Dismissal with Prejudice with the court. In a unanimous ruling issued by FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson and the other two commissioners, he stated: "This case, which we inherited from the previous administration, was filed nearly two years ago and has suffered losses in two motions to dismiss. These losses are compounded by recent events: Grand Canyon secured a victory over the Department of Education in a related matter before the Ninth Circuit; the Department of Education rescinded a massive fine levied on related grounds; and the Internal Revenue Service confirmed that Grand Canyon University is properly claiming 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation designation." GCU President Brian Mueller said he was appreciative that current FTC officials took an objective look at the case and recognized the numerous agencies and courts that have already ruled in GCU's favor on the same allegations. "As we have stated from the beginning, not only were these accusations false, but the opposite is true," Mueller said. "We go above and beyond what is required in our disclosures and are recognized as a leader in this area." GCU has also maintained that the allegations were a coordinated effort by former officials within the Biden Administration to undermine a thriving Christian university. "They threw everything they had at us for four years, and yet, despite every unjust accusation leveled against us, we have not only survived but have continued to thrive as a university," Mueller said. "That is a testament, first and foremost, to the strength and dedication of our faculty, staff, students and their families. Above all, it speaks to our unwavering belief that the truth would ultimately prevail." BACKGROUND: A COORDINATED CAMPAIGN Shortly after GCU filed a lawsuit against the Department of Education challenging its nonprofit classification, then-FTC Commissioner Rohit Chopra publicly announced in October 2021 that his agency would work alongside ED and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to intensify scrutiny of for-profit institutions — a category which Democrats historically have opposed and which ED controversially kept GCU in 2019 despite prior approvals from all other regulatory bodies. Those agencies, under the guise of "consumer protection," collectively launched five investigations against GCU in what essentially were fishing expeditions requesting voluminous amounts of information in hopes of uncovering wrongdoing. Each claim by one agency subsequently triggered copycat lawsuits and investigations by the other agencies for the same claim, flooding GCU with duplicative allegations and forcing the university to expend thousands of employee hours and millions of dollars to defend itself. The major "findings" of those inquiries — which were related to GCU's doctoral disclosures and nonprofit status — have now been repeatedly discredited or dismissed by multiple agencies and courts. Doctoral program disclosures: GCU's financial disclosures around continuation courses in its doctoral programs — which are common in higher education — were deemed a "substantial misrepresentation" by former ED officials despite the fact that GCU provides more transparency than is legally required or that other universities typically provide. The same allegations, which resulted in an unprecedented fine of $37.7 million by ED, were reiterated in the FTC lawsuit. Numerous independent agencies and courts have refuted or dismissed those accusations: Similar doctoral claims were rejected by both the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia and 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in a parallel case (Young v. GCU). GCU's accrediting body, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), described GCU's disclosures as "robust and thorough" in its 2021 comprehensive review. A 2024 review of GCU's disclosures and processes by the Arizona State Approving Agency for the Department of Veterans Affairs found "no substantiated findings." Finally, in March 2025, ED itself rescinded the proposed fine, with prejudice — finding no wrongdoing by GCU and confirming that the university did not violate any Title IV requirements. ED stated: "Unlike the previous administration, we will not persecute and prosecute colleges and universities based on their religious affiliation." Notably, former ED officials, including Federal Student Aid Chief Operating Officer Richard Cordray and Secretary Miguel Cardona, did not cite any student complaints in imposing their unprecedented fine, yet publicly accused GCU of "lying" to its students and called for the university to be "shut down." Nonprofit status: GCU's 2018 return to its historic status as a 501(c)(3) Arizona nonprofit institution, which followed a lawful and transparent process, was repeatedly contested by ED and cited again in the FTC lawsuit despite the fact that it had been approved or acknowledged by: IRS State of Arizona HLC Arizona Board for Private Postsecondary Education NCAA Athletics Independent evaluations from two nationally recognized accounting/finance firms confirmed the nonprofit transaction was at fair market value and would benefit the university. GCU's status was further validated when a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously in November 2024 that ED lacked the authority under the Higher Education Act to apply the legal standard it used in making such a determination and remanded it back to the Department to apply the correct standard. And, in May 2025, the IRS reaffirmed GCU's status after completing a comprehensive four-year audit of the university. In light of the Ninth Circuit ruling and IRS reaffirmation, ED is currently re-examining its classification of GCU as it pertains to Title IV funding and the university is hopeful that a decision will be rendered soon. Ten Arizona Congressional members have sent a bipartisan letter urging ED to recognize GCU's nonprofit status. VA audits: A VA State Approving Agency (SAA) inquiry in 2023 claimed that two factual and commonly used statements in GCU's advertising – "Cybersecurity experts are in high demand" and "Every company needs cybersecurity" – were somehow "erroneous, deceptive or misleading." Seventeen of the top 23 undergraduate cybersecurity programs in the U.S. News and World Report rankings have made similar statements about a variety of their cybersecurity programs. To our knowledge, none of those well-respected institutions have received any type of review of their advertising claims by the VA. After GCU disputed the findings and detailed its extensive processes to ensure the validity of its statements in marketing and advertising communications, the SAA was satisfied with GCU's response and took no further action. Second (2024) and third (2025) VA/SAA risk-based audits, both triggered by the FTC lawsuit, resulted in "no substantiated findings" after they completed thorough on-campus examinations of the university's disclosures and processes. A LARGER PATTERN The disturbing pattern in the allegations brought by former agency officials in the Biden Administration is that they center on practices that are commonplace among institutions in higher education, yet GCU was singled out for disproportionate and unusually aggressive scrutiny. "This was not about protecting students and went well beyond normal regulatory activity," Mueller said. "The language used by these officials, the record fines they sought, and the baseless accusations they made all point to a broader ideological agenda." This 2024 commentary from the Goldwater Institute summarized the situation: "The real motivation for department bureaucrats seems clear: even if they can't prove their allegations against GCU, they intend for the process to be the punishment." LOOKING FORWARD With the FTC lawsuit now dismissed and all federal government allegations resolved in its favor, GCU is focusing on the future. "We support common sense government oversight but we vehemently reject ideologically driven, weaponized government actions that are not applied equally and equitably to all institutions," Mueller said. "As an institution that has a strong record of cooperation and great relationships with 26 different regulatory and accrediting bodies, we are doing an exemplary job of addressing the many challenges that are plaguing higher education while also living out our Christian mission both on our campus and in the surrounding community. That is reflected in the growing demand from students and families who are seeking a higher education option at GCU that is affordable and taught from a Christian worldview perspective. That mission, not politics, is our motivation and we look forward to putting our full attention to those efforts in the future." About Grand Canyon University: Grand Canyon University was founded in 1949 and is Arizona's premier private Christian university. GCU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers 353 academic programs, emphases and certificates for both traditional undergraduate students and working professionals. The University's curriculum emphasizes interaction with classmates, both in-person and online, and individual attention from instructors while fusing academic rigor with Christian values to help students find their purpose and become skilled, caring professionals. For more information, visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Grand Canyon University
USA Today
11-08-2025
- Science
- USA Today
James Greig Discusses Trends in Academia, Including Online Education and AI
For 14 years, James W. Greig II has served as an adjunct instructor at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. Prior to his teaching career, Dr. Greig was a member of the U.S. Air Force and went on to pursue higher education. He possesses degrees from Cornell University, Ball State University, University of Colorado Boulder and Capella University, where he received a Doctor of Philosophy in educational psychology. The Pandemic's Impact on Education 'It's not exactly new, but the growth of online education is something I think has raised some concerns,' Dr. Greig says. The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on education, forcing elementary, high school and college students to attend online courses to continue their education during the lockdowns. The fallout from that time has caused concern among educators and parents. There are indications that students who had to attend school at the elementary and high school level were noticeably behind where other students would have been at that same point in their education. While college students are more independent and self-motivated, younger students rely more on their parents for assistance. How much parents can help often depends on their own educational experience. Dr. Greig strives to study this topic, concentrating on elementary and high school students. Education is also being impacted by artificial intelligence (AI). 'The concerns about online education should be focused on the elementary grades because that's where the difficulties lie. For college students, the concern is different. There are some concerns that some students may use AI to generate papers,' Dr. Greig explains. It is estimated that between 60% to 70% of college students regularly use AI tools in their coursework. Dr. Greig does believe there is a role for AI in education, but not when it entails writing papers. Instead, he thinks there are practical uses, such as generating an outline or a reference list. Those would be acceptable in his estimation. Expanding Focus and Investing Time Dr. Greig attributes his successful career in academia to his openness to new ideas and knowledge outside his field of expertise. He prides himself on being willing to try new things and invests his time and effort in any project that presents itself. 'I'm never satisfied with something done part way. I want to see projects through to completion,' Dr. Greig says. Dr. Greig enjoys working with others and always maintains an open mind to the suggestions and ideas of others, though he refuses to take shortcuts. His goal is to bring a project to completion by doing things the right way and ensuring the final product can do what is required. It's this willingness to explore 'new areas, new ideas and new efforts' that Dr. Greig believes puts him at the forefront of his field. He has noticed that many people are unwilling to explore beyond their comfort zone, choosing instead to narrow their focus on their area of expertise. 'I've never felt that way, so I'm always willing to explore things that maybe I'm not quite so sure about that helped me grow,' Dr. Greig explains. About Marquis Who's Who®: Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms worldwide. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website,
Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why Athletics rookie Jacob Wilson has All-Star pitchers fuming: 'It's not fair'
ATLANTA — He's a 23-year-old kid. He still plays baseball video games before he goes to work, and Fortnite when he comes home. He loves pizza, burgers and a good milkshake. His name is Jacob Wilson, rookie shortstop for the Athletics of Sacramento. He also just happens to be the best pure old-school hitter in baseball. Wilson, who was playing at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix two years ago, will have his coming-out party at the All-Star Game. CAL RALEIGH: Big Dumper's Home Run Derby win a family affair He's the first rookie shortstop to be voted by the fans to start an All-Star game, the youngest A's player to start an All-Star Game since Vida Blue in 1971, and joins his father, Jack, as the only father-son combination to be All Star shortstops. 'What he's doing is unbelievable," said Kansas City Royals All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. 'It's great seeing a young guy hitting for that high of average. I look forward to talking to him about what he's doing as a hitter." In this world of launch angle and exit velocity, filled with walks, strikeouts and homers, Wilson is the anomaly. Wilson is hitting .332 with just 26 extra-base hits and nine home runs. And are you ready for this? He has struck out just 28 times and walked 20 times in 340 at-bats. It's as if Tony Gwynn and Rod Carew, who combined to win 15 batting titles in their Hall of Fame careers, walked through the door. Gwynn, a career .338 hitter, never struck out more than 40 times in a season during his career, and never walked more than 59 times. Carew, a career .327 hitter, struck out 62 or fewer times in his last 14 seasons, and never walked 80 times in a year. So here comes Wilson, the young kid, with an old soul, reminding everyone what baseball used to look like when there were pure hitters in the game. 'I cannot talk hitting with Jacob," A's All-Star DH Brent Rooker said, 'because I don't understand what he's doing up there. And what he does well, it's not what I do well. So I can't relate to what he's doing at all. 'He just goes up there, he sees the ball, he hits the ball on the barrel, and he gets hits. I absolutely cannot do that." So, just how do you get him out, anyway? 'Believe me, we've tried everything," Seattle Mariners All-Star catcher Cal Raleigh said. 'He just has really good zone control. He's not trying to do too much damage, but he can do damage. He's just a scrappy guy that is just trying to do whatever he can to get on base. 'It's impressive what he's able to do, especially at that young age." 'It's not fair' Yankees All-Star pitcher Carlos Rodon saw him in the American League clubhouse Monday, stopped him, and moaned about the difficulty of pitching to him. 'I said, 'Dude, I'm looking at scouting reports on you and it says to throw fastballs up and in because you're not supposed to have any hard contact.' I throw a four-seamer up and in, and you hit a double off me. Come on. 'You don't know what to expect with a guy that has low-miss, and can put up quality contact out there," Rodon said. "It's not fair. What do I do with a guy like this? You're not going to strike him out. So, you're trying to get a pitch that limits launch or limits exit velocity, and hopefully he gets out. That's what makes it tough, especially when you have a guy on base, because he's more than likely to drive that run in because of the ability to put the bat on the ball. 'It's very different what guys do now." Well, refreshing, even. 'It's a blast to watch, it's awesome to watch," Rooker said. 'Just the ability to swing at every pitch, hit every pitch, and get a hit on every pitch, is something that's unique in our game. And it makes him incredibly valuable. 'That's why you saw him elected as a starter. It speaks to the amount of success he's had, the impact he's had in a short time, and the statement he's making." Wilson's batting average and hit total is second only to New York Yankees MVP Aaron Judge, and Wilson could become the first Athletic player to hit higher than .321 since former A's MVP Jason Giambi in 2001. It's enough to make the great hitters of the past taking notice, delighted that the art of pure hitting is making a return. 'I've definitely got gotten a lot of comments from guys," Wilson said, 'on just wanting to go up there and swing. I want to go up there and be aggressive. That's what I love doing. I want to hit. 'I want to swing. I never want to walk. I just want to hit and get on base." Yep, the same mindset that Carew and Gwynn took throughout their careers, leading them right through the doors of Cooperstown. It's similar, as well, to San Diego Padres three-time batting champion Luis Arráez. He's a career .317 hitter who has never struck out more than 48 times or walked 50 times in a season during his seven-year career. 'That guy hits everything," Wilson says of Arráez. 'You throw the ball anywhere, and he'll swing and hit. It's pretty awesome just to watch, and from a hitter standpoint, you appreciate that. I love watching hitters go up there and just battle, whether its foul off a tough pitch, or just take their base hit the other way. He's a great example of pure hitting, and he does that every day." Certainly, he's a throwback with hitters today almost as thrilled drawing a walk than getting a hit. It will drive managers nuts watching their power hitter draw a walk with runners in scoring position instead of trying to drive in runs. 'What good is a walk from my power hitter if he can't run?" one NL manager told USA TODAY Sports. "All he does is clog the basepaths. I don't understand it." Neither does Wilson. 'There's a lot of guys that do that," Wilson said, 'that's part of their game. For me, that's not the strength that I have. I get up there and get thrown a lot of strikes because I hit. So, when they throw strikes, I go up there and just try to hit them. Some guys just enjoy wanting to walk. Not me. I want to hit. 'To me, batting average should be a stat that matters to every hitter.'' Who knows, maybe even one day, being a .300 hitter will be considered cool again. 'I can only hope," Wilson said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jacob Wilson: Athletics' All-Star rookie has MLB's top pitchers fuming
Fox Sports
25-07-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025 Heartfire TBT Roster
Heartfire, the 2023 TBT champions, are back in the quarterfinals in 2025. Check out the full roster for Heartfire. Heartfire Roster Walt Ellis – Shooting Guard (Grand Canyon University) Bryan Griffin – Power Forward (Xavier) Eric Griffin – Power Forward (Hiwassee, Garden City Community College and Campbell) Marcus Hall – Point Guard (Colorado) D.J. Kennedy – Small Forward (St. John's) Tevin Mack – Small Forward (Clemson) Tai Odiase – Center (University of Illinois – Chicago) Larry Owens – Small Forward (Oral Roberts University) Raphiael Putney – Power Forward (UMass) Craig Sword – Shooting Guard (Mississippi State) Jordan Stevens – Point Guard (Duquesne and Midwestern State) Eric Washington – Point Guard (Miami) Nick Wright, Chris Broussard, and Kevin Wildes discuaa Joel Embiid's cautious return from knee surgery and his ongoing battle with injuries, which limited him to just 19 games in the 2024-25 season. The panel debates how Embiid's chronic health issues impact the Philadelphia 76ers' championship aspirations and if "The Process" can ever truly achieve its potential with their star consistently sidelined. How to watch Heartfire in the TBT Quarterfinals Heartfire will face off against Aftershocks. Here's how to catch the game: Date: Sunday, July 27, 2025 Time: 9 p.m. ET Location: Wichita TV: FS1 Path to the Quarterfinals (1) Heartfire 71, (2) JHX Hoops (Kansas Alumni) 68 (1) Heartfire 89, (4) Sheffield Sharks 70 recommended Item 1 of 2 Get more from the The Basketball Tournament Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
