PHOENIX — The U.S. Department of Education has fined Grand Canyon University $37.7 million for "deceiving" thousands of students about the cost of its doctoral programs, the department announced Tuesday.
"GCU lied to more than 7,500 former and current students about the cost of its doctoral programs over several years," according to a DOE news release. "GCU falsely advertised a lower cost than what 98% of students ended up paying to complete certain doctoral programs."
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Universidad Grand Canyon multada $37.7 millones por ‘engañar’ a estudiantes sobre costo de doctorados
GCU has 20 days to request a hearing or provide documentation indicating why the fine shouldn't be imposed. GCU president Brian Mueller said shortly after the announcement was made they plan on appealing the decision and taking it all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary.
"We're not paying a dime," Mueller said. "We will fight this and we will fight this all the way."
In a five-page statement released in response to the DES announcement, GCU officials said they deny every accusation made by the federal agency and vowed to defend itself from the allegations.
"To be clear, GCU does not mislead or deceive students in any way," GCU wrote in its statement. "In fact, the opposite is true given that GCU goes above and beyond what is legally required."
Mueller said Tuesday the university has not received a single complaint form students in the program about the cost.
"Why aren't students complaining that they didn't know? Because we tell them all over the place," he said.
The university further called the large financial penalty to be "grossly inappropriate," especially when compared to other fines issued by the education agency.
Phoenix-based GCU, one of the largest Christian universities, has suggested the federal investigation is targeting a Christian school.
"Well, they haven't said it is, and I certainly haven't said it is," Chief Executive Officer Brian Mueller told Fox News Digital last week. "And I hope that it's not, but that the two largest Christian universities in the country are being investigated? Is that a coincidence? I don't know."
The for-profit university has been engaged in a long-running battle with federal officials over its plan to convert to non-profit status.
"Once we filed the complaint, the harassment started, the retaliation started," Mueller said.
The university president believes "something political is going on" with this situation.
GCU has 120,000 students, most of them online.
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