“While the Department requires that universities provide cost estimates only for the first year in college for first-year, first-time students, and only for undergraduate programs, GCU goes beyond these requirements,” the school said in a statement. “GCU is looked at by its peers as an industry leader in transparency and its employees have been invited to speak at seven different higher education conferences on these matters.”
GCU has further alleged that the Education Department has levied this fine as retaliation for a lawsuit the university filed against it in 2021 after the Education Department rejected GCU’s request to be reclassified as a nonprofit entity.
“This speaks volumes about their agenda-driven motivation to bring harm to the university and the coordinated efforts being taken against GCU,” the school said.
GCU has been a for-profit school since 2004 when investors saved it from financial collapse. The university applied to be reclassified as a nonprofit in 2018 during the Trump administration but was denied after the Education Department alleged that GCU was still too closely affiliated with its previous parent company.
GCU has 20 days to appeal the Education Department’s fine.
