Grand Canyon Education

Last updated
Grand Canyon Education, Inc.
FormerlySignificant Education, LLC
Company type Private
LOPE
Industry For-profit education
Founded2003 [1]
FoundersChristopher C. Richardson
Brent D. Richardson [1]
Headquarters Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
Key people
 Brian Mueller
(Chairman, CEO)
W. Stan Meyer
(COO)
Daniel E. Bachus
(CFO)
Dilek Marsh
(CTO)
Kathy J. Claypatch
(CIO)
Daniel J. Briggs (CEO, Orbis Education Services)
Number of employees
5,800 [2]
Subsidiaries Orbis Education Services
Website www.gce.com

Grand Canyon Education (GCE) is an American for-profit corporation that provides services to universities, specializing in program development, online education, and operational support. Formerly affiliated with Grand Canyon University (GCU), a Christian university in Arizona, GCE became a separate publicly traded company (NYSE :  LOPE) in 2018.

Contents

Origins

Grand Canyon Education was originally founded as Significant Education, LLC and was based in California as a subsidiary of education entrepreneur Michael K. Clifford's company. [3] Clifford became managing director of Grand Canyon University when Significant Education's 2004 acquisition of the, at the time, financially-struggling University was approved by the GCU Board of trustees. After the acquisition, the former board of trustees served Clifford in an advisory role. [3] Significant Education was incorporated in 2005 and became publicly traded under Grand Canyon Education, Inc starting in 2008. [4] GCE trades on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol "LOPE". [4] [5]

Controversies

There have been growing controversies regarding Grand Canyon Education's relationship with Grand Canyon University as it has been widely believed that the two entities are too intertwined. [6] [7] One frequently cited reason for said belief is because Brian Mueller, the President and CEO of GCE, concurrently serves as the President of GCU.

It was alleged that GCU attempted to switch from for-profit status to non-profit status via its relationship with GCE to reduce the burden of its yearly $9.2 million property tax bill. [8] Some critics of for-profit education criticized the relationship between GCU and Grand Canyon Education, Inc. as being too intertwined. [6] [9]

Although some organizations have approved this transition, the U.S. Department of Education still classifies the university as a for-profit university. The government specifically stated that GCU is a captive client of Grand Canyon Education, and the college is operating for the benefit of shareholders of a for-profit company. [10]

Grand Canyon Education has also been accused of securities-law fraud due to its relation to GCU. [11] [12]

Subsidiaries

In December 2018, Grand Canyon Education announced it acquired Orbis Education Services, an education services provider that assists universities with pre-licensure healthcare program management [13]

Related Research Articles

The University of Arizona Global Campus is a public online university affiliated with the University of Arizona. The university announced a deal to acquire Ashford University in 2020 and completed the deal in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Canyon University</span> Private Christian university in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.

Grand Canyon University (GCU) is a private for-profit Christian university in Phoenix, Arizona.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy Stankiewicz</span> American baseball player and coach (born 1965)

Andrew Neal Stankiewicz is the head coach of the USC Trojans baseball team in Los Angeles and is a former Major League Baseball middle-infielder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zovio</span> Education technology services company

Zovio, formerly Bridgepoint Education, Inc. (BPI), was a publicly held, American for-profit education services company. It is no longer in operation. It was the online program manager for one online university, the University of Arizona Global Campus, until the contract termination was announced August 1, 2022. In April 2019, the company changed its name to Zovio, moving its headquarters to Chandler, Arizona. In 2020, the company sold Ashford University to the University of Arizona. Zovio also owned Waypoint Outcomes and Fullstack Academy and traded on NASDAQ under the ticket symbol ZVO.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">QuinStreet</span>

QuinStreet, Inc. is a publicly traded marketing company based in Foster City, California. QuinStreet offers performance-based marketing and search engine marketing services. QuinStreet was founded in 1999, and has launched or acquired dozens of websites and other media properties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Canyon Antelopes</span> Collegiate sports club in the United States

The Grand Canyon Antelopes are the 21 athletic teams representing Grand Canyon University, located in Phoenix, Arizona. Most of the university's athletic teams compete at the NCAA Division I level in the Western Athletic Conference. Men's volleyball competes in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) effective beginning in the 2017–18 academic year. The beach volleyball program competes in the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) through the 2024 season, after which it will become an inaugural member of the MPSF beach volleyball league.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Global Credit Union Arena</span> Entertainment facility in Arizona, United States

Global Credit Union Arena at Grand Canyon University is a 7,000-seat, 135,000-square-foot (12,500 m2) multi-purpose entertainment and athletics facility in Phoenix, Arizona, owned and operated by Grand Canyon University. The arena is the home of Grand Canyon University Lopes men's and women's basketball teams, men's and women's volleyball teams and other university events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Canyon Antelopes men's basketball</span> NCAA Division 1 program

The Grand Canyon Antelopes men's basketball team represents Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. They are a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). As of 2020 they are led by head coach Bryce Drew and play their home games at Global Credit Union Arena. They made the jump to NCAA Division I and joined the WAC on July 1, 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Canyon Antelopes baseball</span>

The Grand Canyon Antelopes baseball team represents Grand Canyon University, which is located in Phoenix, Arizona. The Antelopes, also known as the Lopes, are an NCAA Division I college baseball program competing in the Western Athletic Conference. They were in Division I from 1991 to 1998, the final four seasons with the Western Athletic Conference, and returned in 2014 with the WAC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Canyon Antelopes softball</span> NCAA Division I softball team

The Grand Canyon Antelopes softball team represents Grand Canyon University in NCAA Division I college softball. The team participates in the Western Athletic Conference. The Lopes are currently led by head coach Shanon Hays. The team plays its home games at GCU Softball Stadium located on the university's campus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Warren</span> American attorney and sports executive (born 1963)

Kevin Fulbright Warren is an American attorney and sports executive. He is the team president and chief executive officer (CEO) for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He was previously the commissioner of the Big Ten Conference from 2020 to 2023, overseeing negotiations for expansion of the conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark</span> Baseball stadium at Grand Canyon University

Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark is a college baseball stadium on the campus of Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. It hosts the Grand Canyon Antelopes of the Western Athletic Conference.

YurView Arizona is an American cable television channel serving Phoenix, Arizona, United States. The station is owned by Cox Communications. The station's studio facilities are located on the northwest end of Phoenix. The transmission signal is available to Cox cable television subscribers in central and southern Arizona, which includes the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas. It is on channel 4 on Cox's Phoenix-market systems and channel 7 on Cox's systems in southern Arizona.

The 2014–15 Grand Canyon Antelopes men's basketball team represented Grand Canyon University during the 2014–15 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. This was head coach Dan Majerle's second season at Grand Canyon. This season was year 2 of a 4-year transition period from Division II to Division I. As a result, the Antelopes were not eligible to make the NCAA Tournament and did not participate WAC Basketball Tournament. However the Antelopes could compete in the NIT, CIT, or CBI tournaments should they be invited. They finished the season 17–15, 8–6 in WAC play to finish in a tie for second place. They were invited to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament where they lost in the first round to Northern Arizona.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Mueller</span> American academic and university administrator

Brian E. Mueller is an American academic and university administrator. He is the current president of Grand Canyon University and CEO of Grand Canyon Education. Mueller has been the President of the university since July 1, 2008, and a director since March 2009. Mueller is also the CEO of the for-profit publicly traded Grand Canyon Education Inc that provides services to GCU.

Michael K. Clifford is an American education investor and consultant, and a proponent of education.

The Arizona State Sun Devils women's ice hockey team represents Arizona State University (ASU) in American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) women's Division I competition as a member of the Western Women's Collegiate Hockey League (WWCHL). It plays its home games at Mullett Arena in Tempe, beginning in the 2022–23 season.

Joshua David Braun is an American professional basketball player for the Geraldton Buccaneers of the NBL1 West. He played four years of college basketball for the Grand Canyon Antelopes, where he finished as the school's second all-time leading scorer and set the record for most career 3-pointers made. He was also a two-time first-team All-WAC honoree. He made his professional debut in 2019 in Australia with the Kalamunda Eastern Suns of the State Basketball League (SBL), where he was named the SBL Most Valuable Player. He then played two seasons in Germany wth Eisbären Bremerhaven of the ProA between 2019 and 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Grand Canyon Antelopes men's volleyball team</span>

The 2022 Grand Canyon Antelopes men's volleyball team represented Grand Canyon University in the 2022 NCAA Division I & II men's volleyball season. The 'Lopes, led by seventh year head coach Matt Werle, played their home games at GCU Arena. The 'Lopes were members of the MPSF and were picked to finish fourth in the MPSF preseason poll. The Lopes finished fourth in the MPSF but fell in the 1st Round of the MPSF Tournament to Stanford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Grand Canyon Antelopes men's volleyball team</span>

The 2023 Grand Canyon Antelopes men's volleyball team represents Grand Canyon University in the 2023 NCAA Division I & II men's volleyball season. The 'Lopes, led by eighth year head coach Matt Werle, play their home games at GCU Arena. The 'Lopes are members of the MPSF and were picked to finish fourth in the MPSF preseason poll.

References

  1. 1 2 "Grand Canyon Education Inc. LOPE (U.S.: Nasdaq)" . Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Grand Canyon Education Inc. LOPE (U.S.: Nasdaq)" . Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  3. 1 2 Ledbetter, Tammy Reed (February 10, 2004). "Grand Canyon Univ. sold; trustees in advisory role". Baptist Press . Archived from the original on February 25, 2014. Retrieved 2021-07-02.
  4. 1 2 "Form S-1 Registration Statement: Grand Canyon Education, Inc.", EDGAR Company filings database, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Notes to Financial Statements page F-7, May 13, 2008, retrieved 2020-12-17
  5. ↑ Grand Canyon Education, Inc. Common Stock (LOPE)
  6. 1 2 Moody, Josh. "For-Profit University Giant Goes Nonprofit Amid Questions And Concerns". Forbes. Archived from the original on February 12, 2019. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  7. ↑ "Letter to National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity" (PDF). ed.gov. 7 May 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 7, 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  8. ↑ "How the only for-profit Div. I school is building a monster in the desert". ESPN.com. February 21, 2018. Archived from the original on April 7, 2019. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  9. ↑ "Letter to National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity" (PDF). ed.gov. 7 May 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 7, 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  10. ↑ Leingang, Rachel (November 13, 2019). "GCU a 'captive client' to for-profit company, feds say". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  11. ↑ Wiles, Russ (February 5, 2020). "Grand Canyon Education's stock price drops after critical report from investment firm". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  12. ↑ Grand Canyon Education: The Educational Enron (PDF) (Report). Citron Research. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 7, 2020. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  13. ↑ Unglesbee, Ben. "Grand Canyon Education buys Orbis Education Services for $362.5M". Higher Ed Dive. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.