Grand Canyon University

Grand Canyon University
Former names
 Grand Canyon College
Motto Find Your Purpose
Type Private For-profit Christian Research University
Established 1949
Endowment None
President Brian Mueller
Administrative staff
 1,600
Students 14,500 (on-campus)
60,700 (on-line)
75,200 (total)[1]
Location 3300 W. Camelback Rd.
Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
Campus Urban
Newspaper GCU Today
Colors Purple, Black, White[2]
              
Athletics NCAA Division I
Western Athletic Conference
Sports 20 varsity teams
Nickname Lopes
Mascot Thunder the Antelope
Website www.gcu.edu

Grand Canyon University (commonly referred to as GCU or Grand Canyon) is a private Christian metropolitan[3][4][5] research university[6] located in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. GCU was founded in 1949 as a non-profit liberal arts college, and was purchased by Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (NASDAQ: LOPE) in February 2004. Currently Grand Canyon is the only for-profit university participating in NCAA Division 1 athletics.[7]

The university is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission[8] and provides campus-based as well as online postsecondary education services focused on graduate and undergraduate degree programs in education, liberal arts, business, science, engineering, math, theology and Christian studies, and health care through its eight colleges. [9]

The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education classifies GCU as a research university with moderate research activity.

History

The college was founded as a nonprofit institution in 1949 in Prescott. Arizona Southern Baptists felt the need to establish a faith-based institution that would allow local Baptists the opportunity to obtain a bachelor's or master's degree without going east to one of the Baptist colleges in Texas or Oklahoma. On October 8, 1951, Grand Canyon College relocated to its current location in Phoenix.[10]

Suffering financial and other difficulties in the early part of the 21st century, the school's trustees authorized its sale in January 2004 to California-based Significant Education, LLC,[11] making it the first for-profit Christian college in the United States.[12]

In the fall of 2014, with the school in a better place financially, it announced the exploration of a return to non-profit status on October 29. The university's president and CEO, Brian Mueller, said in a statement: "We do not have a philosophical issue with having a for-profit status and having investors. However, the stigma surrounding the for-profit industry – some of which is deserved, and some not – is real and it is not improving. And no matter what GCU does to separate itself, its detractors continue to try to use this stigma to detract from GCU’s success."[13] Mueller has noted that GCU has been immune to a lot of the problems associated with for-profit colleges, mainly because of its regional accreditation.[13]

March 4th, 2016, Grand Canyon's regional accreditation body, The Higher Learning Commission, formally rejected the university's petition for conversion to non-profit status. The commission's board of directors stated that the school did not meet all five criteria for "such a conversion". [14][15][16]

Campuses

Phoenix Campus

In 2006, the Grand Canyon University campus received a US$150 million makeover including a brick promenade, an aquatics center, with pool and hot tub, and a café offering an assortment of games and big-screen televisions.[17]

In 2009, Grand Canyon University's campus began work on a $60 million campus expansion project which includes a 500-bed dormitory, a 55,000-square-foot (5,100 m2) fitness and recreation center, 125-classroom facility, food court and bowling alley,[18] and a 5,000 seat arena. The GCU Arena, which opened on September 2, 2011,[19] is utilized for secular and non-secular concerts, speakers, and events, as well as being home to Grand Canyon University's Men's and Women's basketball teams, and Women's Volleyball games, beginning in the fall of 2013.[20] The three-year-old arena is already undergoing major expansion beginning in Spring of 2014 with the goal of expanding to about 7,000 seats.[21]

Albuquerque, NM Campus

Grand Canyon's Albuquerque offers Master's programs in reading and education and a traditional Bachelor's of Science in Nursing degree program.[22]

Satellite Campuses

The University operates several satellite Campuses in Arizona. These campuses, operated by the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, are currently located at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Banner Boswell Medical Center, and Scottsdale HonorHealth. The university also operates a satellite campus in Tempe, AZ, offering various master's programs in education.[22]

Academics

Grand Canyon University currently offers over 60 different Bachelor, Master and Doctoral degree programs through it's eight colleges. [23]

Residence halls

Grand Canyon University has 16 residence halls on its Phoenix campus.[24]

Freshman residence halls

Upper division housing

Apartments

Campus apartments consist of:

Transfer Student Options

Athletics

Baseball game, Gonzaga University at GCU, February 19, 2016

Grand Canyon University is currently a member of NCAA Division I with most sports participating in the Western Athletic Conference. Men's Volleyball competes in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association. It is the only for-profit institution at the NCAA's Division I level. In March 2013, former Phoenix Suns shooting guard Dan Majerle was hired as the 13th men's basketball coach. Majerle also will oversee GCU's transition into NCAA Division I basketball, in the WAC. GCU will be eligible for the postseason starting in the 2017-2018 season.

GCU also has a range of competitive club sports teams such as Men's and Women's Lacrosse and Rugby. Although the Men's lacrosse team has been a part of GCU athletics for some time, GCU did not include the sport in its jump from NAIA to NCAA. As a part of the MCLA, Grand Canyon won the 2015 National Championship as a club team. The 2015-2016 season is the third season for both the women's lacrosse team and the rugby team.

Recognition, ranking, statistics, and accreditation

Fortune Small Business

GCU was recognized as a top-five online school for entrepreneurs by Fortune.[25]

U.S. News

In the 2014–2015 school year, GCU admitted 54.8% of those applying, and had associated costs for tuition and fees of $17,050. It falls into the category of a for-profit Regional Universities (West), wherein it was ranked, in the 2016 Best Colleges from U.S. News, as a Tier 2 institution (meaning its ranking placed it in the bottom 25% of institutions in its category).[26]

Accreditation

Grand Canyon University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association, a regional accrediting body.[8] GCU is also licensed by the Arizona State Private Post-Secondary Education.[27]

Grand Canyon University, through its College of Business, is nationally accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs. The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and the Arizona State Board of Nursing accredit the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program. Finally, the Arizona State Department of Education has given formal approval of the work done at the University for the certification of elementary and secondary teachers and for the renewal of certificates.

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ "Brian Mueller is the rock helping Grand Canyon University roll" (PDF). Phoenix Business Journal. 2015-09-25. Retrieved 2015-10-15.
  2. ↑ "Brand Standards | Media & Branding | Grand Canyon University". Gcu.edu. Retrieved 2016-04-17.
  3. ↑ "GCU-Habitat for humanity". GCU Today. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  4. ↑ Template:Cote web
  5. ↑ "Grand Canyon University Foundation's Run To Fight Children's Cancer Raises $84,000 For Local Families In Need". 19 April 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  6. ↑ "Carnegie Foundation Classifications". Clasifications.carnegiefoundation.org. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
  7. ↑ Medcalf, Myron (July 29, 2013). "GCU's for-profit predicament". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  8. 1 2 Archived June 20, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.
  9. ↑ degree Degree Programs
  10. ↑ Accessed May 13, 2010
  11. ↑ Tammi Reed Ledbetter, Grand Canyon Univ. sold; trustees in advisory role, Baptist Press, Feb 10, 2004, Accessed May 24, 2006
  12. ↑ Bob Smietana, Christian Ed That Pays Off, Christianity Today, May 19, 2005, Accessed May 11, 2006
  13. 1 2 GCU to consider return to nonprofit status
  14. ↑ Public Disclosure Notice
  15. ↑ Grand Canyon University Denied Switch to Nonprofit Status
  16. ↑ Grand Canyon University Denied Request to Switch to Nonprofit Status
  17. ↑ Stanton, Alison (2006-10-11). GCU campus receives makeover. Arizona Republic, October 11, 2006. Retrieved on 2006-11-01 from http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/1011phx-GCUrenovation1004Z3.html
  18. ↑ "Where to Eat? New Campus Options Already Popular | GCU Today". News.gcu.edu. 2011-09-01. Retrieved 2014-08-21.
  19. ↑ "A Year’s Wait Is Over: Welcome, GCU Arena! | GCU Today". News.gcu.edu. 2011-09-08. Retrieved 2014-08-21.
  20. ↑ Anderson, J. Craig (2010-03-23). Arizona Republic, March 23, 2010. Retrieved on 2010-05-13 from http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/2010/03/23/20100323grand-canyon-univ-expand-phoenix.html.
  21. ↑ Bob McClay. "GCU to expand seating at new arena". ktar.com. Retrieved 2014-08-21.
  22. 1 2 "GCU Tucson Campus | Grand Canyon University". Gcu.edu. Retrieved 2016-04-17.
  23. ↑ , Retrieved on 2016-03-06 from http://colleges.startclass.com/l/104/Grand-Canyon-University
  24. ↑ ""RESIDENCE LIFE - Grand Canyon University"". Gcu.edu. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
  25. ↑ Top 5 e-schools, Fortune Small Business / CNN
  26. ↑ "Grand Canyon University | Best College | US News". Colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com. Retrieved 2016-04-17.
  27. ↑ "Accredited University | Grand Canyon University". Gcu.edu. Retrieved 2014-08-21.
  28. ↑ "Anthony B UFC Profile".
  29. ↑ "Henry Cejudo Grand Canyon University Alum". Retrieved 2014.
  30. ↑ "Henry Cejudo UFC". Retrieved 2014.
  31. ↑ "Efrain Escudero UFC Bio". Retrieved 2014.
  32. ↑ Accessed May 13, 2010
  33. ↑ Accessed May 31, 2010
  34. ↑ Accessed May 13, 2010

External links

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Coordinates: 33°30′45″N 112°7′48″W / 33.51250°N 112.13000°W / 33.51250; -112.13000

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