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Grand Canyon University Responds to ASU Cuts

Private university seeks ways to fill gaps left by drastic budget cutbacks

PHOENIX, Feb. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- As the community learns daily of cuts affecting the state's universities, Grand Canyon University (GCU) is preparing behind the scenes to pick up the slack.

"The situation facing our state's public universities is dire," said GCU CEO Brian Mueller. "Fortunately as a private institution that's unencumbered by the parameters set by the Board of Regents, we're able to expand programming to meet increased demand and help offset the cuts that will undoubtedly hit this community hard."

The ASU announcement comes at a time when GCU is finding ways to draw more students to its highly regarded education programs, business school and enhance its nursing and health sciences offerings.

"These are industries in which Arizona can't afford to falter, and we can help by growing these programs and looking at creative ways to make our private tuition more competitive with public universities," Mueller said.

GCU recently launched its sports management program, and has capacity in its existing programs that will be affected by the ASU cuts such as fire services management. Because of its west Phoenix location, the University is particularly well-positioned to recruit those who are affected by the cuts at ASU West campus.

"The state cuts will also impact students from the Maricopa Community College system who were hoping to move into programs at ASU - and we'll be a strong alternative for those prospects."

The University is considering aggressive financial aid incentives to attract high school seniors and second-career professionals. GCU already is known to have the most competitive financial aid available to active duty and retired military personnel seeking second careers.

"We already know that in down economies, private higher education typically does very well. What we hope is that in this down economy we can help ourselves as well as help the community in these critical areas," Mueller said.

Over the past five years, Grand Canyon University has experienced record-breaking growth, and has grown popular on-campus and online programs to meet the need. The university has also added to its NCAA-competitive athletic programs, long anchored by successful basketball and baseball teams. The University now offers 19 sports programs - more than any of the state's universities - including men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's swimming, men's and women's tennis, wrestling and the first men's college volleyball program in the state.

As tuition at public universities increase, and quality of programming diminishes with budget cutbacks, Grand Canyon University is in a unique position to capitalize on the down market and offer prospective students a richer experience - smaller classes, attentive faculty, abundant housing, NCAA athletics, community involvement opportunities and on-campus benefits that public universities cannot provide.

More information about GCU's programming is available at www.gcu.edu or by calling 888.226.7320.

About Grand Canyon University

Founded in 1949, Grand Canyon University is a traditional regionally accredited, private, Christian university offering campus-based and online bachelor's and master's degree programs through the Ken Blanchard College of Business, College of Education, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and College of Liberal Arts. The Phoenix-based school is ranked as having one of the top online education programs by OEDb (Online Education Database). GCU emphasizes individual attention for both traditional undergraduate students as well as the working professional. For more information visit www.gcu.edu.

SOURCE Grand Canyon University