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Largest Christian University in America Gets Fined $37 Million. Coincidence or Targeted Attack?

Posted on Tuesday, April 23, 2024
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Grand Canyon University; christian university

A dust storm of political madness is brewing in Phoenix as Grand Canyon University faces the continued threats of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona.

Christians have watched as the Biden administration attacks biblical views left and right, with a particularly vehement disregard for the sanctity of life and marriage. As such, it can’t be too surprising that Cardona, a part of this leftist administration, has vowed to shut down America’s largest Christian university.

In late October, Grand Canyon University was hit with “a $37.7 million fine brought by the federal government over allegations that it lied to students about the cost of its programs,” The Associated Press reported—an accusation that GCU President Brian Mueller described as “ridiculous.”

Around the same time, Liberty University, America’s second-largest Christian university, also was fined $37 million “over alleged underreporting of crimes.”

Grand Canyon University appealed its fine in November even though a hearing is not expected until January 2025. But the question Mueller has is one of integrity. Is this genuine consideration for the well-being of students, or is this a targeted attack against religious institutions?

“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?” GCU’s president speculated in a speech. “Now is there a cause and effect there? I don’t know. But it’s a fact.”

The House Appropriations Committee held a hearing early this month about the Biden administration’s decision to “crack down on GCU and other universities like it.”

During the proceedings, Cardona and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., made their disapproval of Grand Canyon University and similar universities obvious. “[W]e are cracking down not only to shut them down, but to send a message to not prey on students,” Cardona said.

Supporters of GCU agree that the fine seems unprecedented and motivated by ideological bias. American Principles Project Policy Director Jon Schweppe said: “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.”

Another conservative think tank, the Goldwater Institute, sued the Education Department for “refusing to turn over” public documents “that explain why” the agency fined GCU. The goal of the lawsuit is to unmask the reason behind the fine.

“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,” the Goldwater Institute 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.”

Although immense uncertainty still surrounds this case, Grand Canyon University’s president took the time to share with The Washington Stand how his staff, faculty, and students are faring and how believers everywhere can help.

Mueller emphasized that GCU has faced various issues over the years. But despite the government’s action, he said he wanted people to know that “interestingly enough … it has had zero impact on anything that we’re doing.”

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 [the school] and so we just keep marching through it.”

And although the fine that Grand Canyon University was dealt by the Education Department is “a problem,” Mueller said, he is thankful that GCU remains optimistic.

Christian “mission, not politics, is our motivation and it is our hope,” he told The Washington Stand. As a university, Mueller explained, GCU exists to “pour into” the community around it.

“[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,” Mueller said. Ultimately, with support from “both sides of the aisle” in Arizona, he noted, “all the issues we have are with a very small number of people in Washington D.C.”

“We encourage people to be involved politically and vote,” Mueller said, adding: “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,” he said.

Mueller pointed out that Grand Canyon University is “trying to be an example of a Christian community that can rise above those things and focus on helping people” through service, as Scripture calls believers to do.

Mueller concluded with a request for prayer as the university works through these troubling times, and for “the hearts of certain people in Washington, D.C. to be softened.” He added that “it’s hard to make progress and resolve differences when people just … don’t want to talk to each other.”

Published originally by The Washington Stand

Reprinted with permission from The Daily Signal by Sarah Holiday.

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AMAC or AMAC Action.

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Veteran
Veteran
5 months ago

Where arecCardona’s law suits against Harvard, Yale, Berkley, Stanford, and Columbia, none of those Poison Ivy Institutes of Higher Marxist Indoctrination have ever been straight with their students.

Joe
Joe
5 months ago

So, if Christian universities get hit with fines for “underreporting crimes and misrepresentation of costs,” why don’t we see the same penalties imposed on secular universities? This is clearly another attack on Christians by an evil and corrupt Biden administration. Provided that we even have a free and fair election in November, if Trump doesn’t win, this country is screwed and we can kiss our liberties goodbye.

Sharon McIntire
Sharon McIntire
5 months ago

I received my master’s degree from GCU. Although I was never on the campus (I was already working and received my degree online) I was very impressed by the quality of the classes and the helpful, positive attitude of the college and its professors. It was more expensive to receive my degree there, but the quality of the classes more than made up for that. I’m glad GCU refuses to bow to the tyranny of our oppressive government, and I wish it well. May it continue to provide quality education based on Christian morals for years to come.

Pat R
Pat R
5 months ago

Well, really no big surprise. Seems the Declaration of Independence has been set aside and forgotten by those running the federal government. A refresher of just the beginning: “We believe these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

M3
M3
5 months ago

Line up all the Departments of the Biden Admin.; they are all guilty of something. Start from the W.H.Exec top, TREASON is the charge; even if the two offenses were true, they would be misdemeanors in comparison. The Constitution and the SCOTUS will find them guilty of TREASON….Start from the top; subtitle the BORDER ( check the Constitution on that) . Can you get Mayorkas out of your mind in the last 3 yrs: ‘ the border is security ‘; in the last 60 days it was ‘ its as secure as it can be, given the ‘ circumstances ‘; its all in the Wording!

Brian
Brian
5 months ago

The Constitution seems to mean nothing to this administration. They’re sore that institutions like GCU don’t indoctrinate their students, teaching them to disregard and disrespect the Constitution.

Philip Seth Hammersley
Philip Seth Hammersley
5 months ago

Someone once said, “There are no such things as coincidences.” That certainly applies here! “Elite” schools charge $80k or more a year to learn “queer studies” and other excrement plus support rioters and anti-Semites on campus! Then Slow Joe wants to cancel their loans? We are living in upside-down land!

anna hubert
anna hubert
5 months ago

By these standards every High school and every college should be shut down for misleading and lying to students

Lingvistika
Lingvistika
5 months ago

This looks like a replay of what Peter Schweizer calls a “smash and grab” in his book “Secret Empires”. An investor group led by a friend of Obama’s sold short stock in the University of Phoenix and then the administration harassed the university in court until its stock price dropped. The cronies then sold the stock back and bought the University of Phoenix corporation with the proceeds. Once they owned that, they stopped the legal harassment of that college but then sicked the administration on ITT Tech and other for-profit schools that competed with it. The cost of litigation and the subsequent inability to get financing from banks forced a lot of them to close.
This harassment of the Christian universities sounds very similar, even down to the phrase “victimization of students”, so someone needs to follow the money and figure out who will benefit from destruction of those colleges.

Joseph
Joseph
5 months ago

They should just do like the leftists do when they get some type of fine or ruling against them, just ignore it and continue business as usual. MAGA

RightGirl
RightGirl
5 months ago

Along with these articles that just make me fume, it would be nice to know if there’s something the average Josephine can do to let people know that this is NOT acceptable (i.e., who we can email, company, etc.).

Coy
Coy
5 months ago

All I have to say. Not enough of us Christians voted in the last Election or ran for some kind of office. Nobody can say we didn’t know what was going to happen. They stood right up in front of us, and told us what they were going to do. we really need to take back our Government. Not just VOTE out our Reps. also weed out the people behind our Reps. the Bureaucrats. I have a lot to say. Right I’ll just bite my tongue and keep writing to my Reps.

M3
M3
5 months ago

Who sent that order down to you Mr. Cardona? JB, Slammy Obammi or the Vatican. Now theres a Trio of Justice

John
John
5 months ago

The Socialist Democrats continue to wage war on the American People!

Rex
Rex
5 months ago

After watching a number of major higher education establishments overrun by violent “protests” and listening to the plight of Jewish students attempting to achieve an education while being set upon at all quarters on these campuses, this article is the FIRST time I have heard the education secretaries’ name mentioned in connection with ANY disciplinary action against any institution of higher learning. And it is for this engendered crap made up for the harassment of Christian colleges. We have to get things set straight again. This Bizarro world of the left’s creation has got to end soon!

Michael Keen
Michael Keen
5 months ago

They are anti American and Anti religious!!!

Jeri
Jeri
5 months ago

Convince me it wasn’t a targeted attack.

DenvilleSr
DenvilleSr
5 months ago

Biden has been accused of being a Cafeteria Catholic. He also takes a cafeteria approach to the Constitution by deciding which parts of it he ignores. If the voters don’t see this, I guess the nation deserves it’s fate.

S Chamblee
S Chamblee
5 months ago

Another assault against Christianity

Jerry
Jerry
5 months ago

One of the best things that could happen for the country is for the federal department of education to be disbanded.

Coach Terry
Coach Terry
5 months ago

Sooo… the Godless demoncRATic fascist party is Fining biblical Christian universities but nothing being done re ILLEGALS, Illegal invasion, illegal drugs at the Southern Border nor protecting the rights of our most vulnerable helpless innocent preborns, yet protecting Sodomite “unions”, the pretending defrauding trans that is an affront to Bio 101 ladies, and drag shows at ElementarySchools… WHAT VOTES DEMOCRAT ANYMORE EVER? How long b4 Godly Statesmen n Ladies stand up speak out and STOP this Evil wicked darkness? The no leadersh(^ has been exposed n revealed sooo WAITING

Marcia
Marcia
5 months ago

The Biden Administration is deplorable. When I see Biden and other left wing Democrats gaining in the polls, I wonder who is supporting this abomination.

Iron Mike
Iron Mike
5 months ago

Templers unite. The time has come to stand with St. Michael and slay the demonic powers that be. God grant us strength to battle Satan’s demons and restore the to your people. God is great. His power alone is mightier than all mankind. As Templers our aliegence is to the Almighty, the creator of all, and the only true God.
Amen

Lets Go Brandon
Lets Go Brandon
5 months ago

By these standards, the entire Biden administration should be shut down and jailed for treason

JudyG46
JudyG46
5 months ago

Exactly what the Bible says will happen in the last days”. Don’t worry, it’s only going to get worse, according to God’s word.
Make sure you are prepared with God’s word and that you are a saved child of God. Pray that Jesus returns sons for His saved ones and that others will receive Him into their lives before He comes.
Once we’re gone, then all hell will break loose because the Holy Spirit s restraint will be gone from the earth as we are raptured/caught up as it says in Scripture. Maranatha, come Lord Jesus. ????

Sam Fuller
Sam Fuller
5 months ago

TERM LIMITS. TERM LIMITS TERM LIMITS.
No more counterfeit Republicans.
The government works for the citizens, not the other way around. Protect our rights.
And you Liz Cheney , Never Trump Republicans.
Take a bow.
TRUMP/NUGENT 2024

LMB
LMB
5 months ago

Appears the DOJ/FBI are carrying out their leftist (Marxist) agenda!! One of several Marxist agenda items is attacking the church and those that express/teach Christian views!!

uncleferd
uncleferd
5 months ago

Liberals’ greatest hatred is people and institutions with strong intellect and closely-held values, because those people cannot be controlled with deceptive “logic”.

Sam Fuller
Sam Fuller
5 months ago

Trump got a massive fine also. Are all these fine dollars going to doing good or the further spread of corruption ,like putting illegal aliens in a 5 star hotel?

John
John
5 months ago

It’s simple Totalitarian Communist Democrat Party Comrade’s believe that the only GOD is the government and to not follow them blindly to slaughter is a crime.
They are just sowing more distrust among everyone. A people divided cannot stand.

Nana Jo
Nana Jo
5 months ago

I am an alumni of GCU. They were always up front and honest about tuition costs. It was a great experience. When I heard about this fine, I was appalled. I KNEW it had to be a targeted attack. And now Liberty, also. Wow.

B Foster
B Foster
5 months ago

The sooner we get rid of ALL this corrupt administration and corrupt politicians, the better! If we took away their money they would be just plain ole poor conniving losers!! Let them all live on $40K a year and buy their expensive gas, groceries and almost everything else!!

Bernard
Bernard
5 months ago

A Marxist, atheistic, agnostic plot to bring down the United States, the longest surviving Constitutional republic.

goldeneagle1947
goldeneagle1947
5 months ago

I have a two word response for Miguel Cardona, the “educated” clown from the State of Corrupticut.
The words rhyme with Cluck True.

Mike
Mike
5 months ago

Democrat communist agenda trying to destroy the base ethics of our country !! As a Veteran if indeed this absolutely despicable!!

Barrett T Smith
Barrett T Smith
5 months ago

Darkness hates The Light.

Jerry
Jerry
5 months ago

Satan is on the march.

Ed Ludwig
Ed Ludwig
5 months ago

There is a communist movement in government and it’s been brewing for a while. there is no room for Christianity in the communist doctrine so all religious institutions have to go away. They love what’s going on at the Ivy rot institutions because it indoctrinates our kids so well and we’re seeing the fruits of their labor at these so-called peaceful demonstrations across America. Jesus said let not your heart be troubled for I am in charge.

Gary
Gary
5 months ago

So, how many thought that all these attacks on Donald Trump were just about Trump? Our government under progressive so-called leadership is under attack. The veil of secrecy has come off, and we Americans who love this country and abide in the rights of freedom are under full scale attack. The attackers are cowards that have chipped away a path to implode our rights that has slowly moved away from ‘of the people, by the people, for the people.’ The constitution says if the experiment is not working, ‘we the people’ can fix. Washington’s farewell address showed that his biggest fear fo a United States republic is that there would come a time when our party system would produce a party in which its members loved more than they love the country. Fellow citizens, that time has come. In God’s name, what are we going to do about it?

David Delia
David Delia
5 months ago

Joe Bidens been the worse thing to happen to this country since the spanish flu.

Robert Zuccaro
Robert Zuccaro
5 months ago

All they have to do is openly support a Jew-hating protest in praise of terrorism and they’ll be golden with Democrats.

Susan
Susan
5 months ago

It’s OK to chant “death to America” if you attend Columbia or Harvard, but try to worship or glorify GOD, pay up!? This is evil to it’s core and GOD knows it!

Bob Chase
Bob Chase
5 months ago

Need some deep pockets for the counter suit to unmask this attack for what is truly represents. There is no crime here to prosecute. The LEFT is more interested in hitting targets financially. Political prosecutors are not hampered financially since they consume tax monies to support their evil deeds.

CJ Statler
CJ Statler
5 months ago

There is an evil force that permeates the current administration and every action it takes. May the fury of the wrath of God come upon every person involved in the attacks being conducted on our country and its citizens at this time and in the months to come.

Denise
Denise
5 months ago

2nd. Timothy 3; new testament…oh it’s in that “hated” book the Bible. All about the times we’re seeing more and more, and guaranteed it’s going to get even more frightening. Interesting history; Harvard, Yale and Princeton were originally divinity schools to train young ministers…oops.
Interesting how Timothy 2000 years ago described to a T what’s happening in our nation and world.

LauraC
LauraC
5 months ago

My guess is that the students from these universities aren’t graduating with no jobs and in debt a million dollars. Shame on them!

Ken Paul
Ken Paul
5 months ago

I hate to say it, and I’m only being sarcastic here, but maybe the college needs to riot. That’s seems to be the only thing Dems listen to (eye roll).

Papa John
Papa John
5 months ago

Democrats don’t want anyone smarter than them walking around in order to get elected.Most of us, who avoid public schools, achieve that by 6th grade.

Myrna
Myrna
5 months ago

Compared to the Ivy League activists, the contrast is black and white/

DrScottD
DrScottD
5 months ago

I graduated from Dallas Baptist University with my Bachelor’s in 97. If one is attacked by government unbridled power, then two, I suspect the others will be soon.
So let me say this very clearly for those who question the motives of this. Moreso for the one’s that believe they’re right and Christians must be stopped.
When people in power believe they can force their will, worldview, and beliefs upon the biblical based Christian communities through education and indoctrination using marxcommie tactics, we know Who’s going to win in the end. Your fight is not with the university but against the God that created the universe. We advise you don’t want to make a mistake in trying to punish these institutions because they won’t conform your way. I suggest you back off and remedy the problems with schools of higher education that truly are battling antisemitism, Left-wing MOB ideologues control, exorbitant fees, large student loan debts, indoctrination of marxcommie transformation, and militant protesters.

The aftermath of a disaster while the flag hangs.
Governor Tim Walz giving a speech at a Podium in September 2024
Fema.gov Disasters USA Government home page under magnifying glass.

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