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Largest Christian university in the US wins legal battle after probe from Biden Education Department
The president of the largest Christian university in the United States, Brian Mueller, told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that after winning a legal battle over their non-profit status, they “saw it coming.”
Grand Canyon University (GCU) won a legal battle by a 3-panel federal appeals court ruling in Phoenix, Arizona, last week.
“We saw it coming because of how the hearing went. And it was a 3-judge panel. It was a unanimous decision. People try to make something political out of everything,” Mueller said about the Department of Education’s objection to the university’s non-profit status.
The Biden Education Department (ED) denied GCU’s non-profit recognition after it was approved by the Arizona Board for Private Postsecondary Education, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the State of Arizona, and the Higher Learning Commission.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION RESPONDS TO LIBERTY UNIVERSITY OVER CLAIMS THEY ARE TRYING TO TARNISH THEIR IMAGE
Grand Canyon University President Brian Mueller talked to Fox News Digital about GCU’s recent legal victory following a Department of Education probe. (Grand Canyon University)
Mueller explained further to Fox News Digital that the ED “did not have the authority to deny our nonprofit status.”
“The IRS clearly has the authority to grant us nonprofit status. There’s an objective set of criteria that they use to do that, and they did it. The ED has never not honored what the IRS has determined,” Mueller said.
“This is the first time that they’ve ever done it,” he added.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously that the Education Department unlawfully applied an incorrect standard to determine the university’s nonprofit status.
The case is now being remanded back to ED.
“Today’s decision is a long-awaited correction to the Department’s unlawful application of a standard that improperly denied GCU of its nonprofit status, and we are hopeful for a quick affirmation of the university as a nonprofit institution,” GCU spokesperson Bob Romantic said on the day of the ruling via press release.
The former for-profit institution GCU was probed by ED shortly after the school returned to a nonprofit model in 2018.
“When GCU’s Board of Trustees decided to return the university to its historical status as a nonprofit institution in 2018, it did not envision years of hard-fought litigation against federal agencies,” Romantic said.
The department denied GCU’s nonprofit status for purposes of federal student financial aid and classified the school as a for-profit entity.
The Department of Education did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the recent ruling.
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The president of Grand Canyon University (GCU) told FOX News Digital on Tuesday that the university is being targeted by the Department of Education. (Fox News)
In October 2023, Mueller alleged that GCU was being unfairly targeted. The institution retaliated with a lawsuit against ED, arguing the department’s decision to deny its non-profit status was “arbitrary and capricious.”
Mueller explained to Fox News Digital last year that having a nonprofit status would help the university gain full access to grant-writing and research. GCU’s non-profit status grants it access to federal dollars due to the institution’s large Hispanic population. It was unable to access those federal dollars under the for-profit classification.
An official from ED responded to claims made by Mueller in a statement sent to Fox News Digital, claiming the department determined under the Trump administration in 2018 that GCU does not meet the Higher Education Act’s definition of a nonprofit because the majority of GCU’s revenues were allocated to a former owner, a for-profit entity.
GCU faced a number of investigations from ED and other federal agencies as well as a threat to be shut down by ED Secretary Miguel Cardona.
Department of Education (ED) Secretary Miguel Cardona vowed to “crackdown on shutting down” the largest Christian university in the U.S. (House Appropriations Committee)
Cardona in April vowed to shut down GCU during a House Appropriations Committee hearing about for-profit colleges. The Biden administration official claimed that “predatory schools” are “preying on first generation students.”
GCU is facing another hurdle while appealing a $37.7 million fine imposed by the ED in November last year on allegations that the Arizona-based higher learning institution misled students about the cost of its doctoral programs over several years. The fine is much larger than what ED previously gave to schools like Penn State ($2.4 million) and Michigan State ($4.5 million) for failing to address Jerry Sandusky and Larry Nassar’s crimes, respectively.
Furthermore, Republican lawmakers called for the ED’s Office of Inspector General to review the Biden administration’s conduct against GCU. Among them is Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., who alleged to Fox News Digital that the department’s actions seem to “be biased.”
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Emergency crews are attempting to rescue a woman from a tunnel in the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles Tuesday morning.
Firefighters were called to the 500 block of South Bixel Street around 8:20 a.m. on reports of a female entering a tunnel and being unable to exit, the Los Angeles Fire Department stated in a news alert.
The patient was able to communicate with arriving crewmembers and did not mention any injuries and did not seem to be in distress, the Fire Department stated.
An Urban Search and Rescue Team was also sent to the location.
Sky5 was over the scene at 9:45 a.m. where crews could be seen standing near a ladder leading into the tunnel.
Check back for updates on this developing story.
Southwest
Suzanne Simpson's husband went to dump site, Home Depot, car wash hours after realtor's disappearance: docs
Nearly six weeks ago, Texas realtor and mother Suzanne Simpson mysteriously disappeared, and authorities are still searching for her remains after charging her husband with murder.
The 51-year-old mother of four and luxury real estate agent went missing on Oct. 6 after allegedly fighting with her husband of 22 years, Brad Simpson, 53, in Olmos Park, in the San Antonio area.
“Yesterday, the Olmos Park Police Department along with the Texas Rangers have charged Brad Chandler Simpson with murder in the death of his wife Suzanne Clark Simpson,” Olmos Park Police Chief Fidel Villegas said during a press conference on Nov. 8. “We realize that this doesn’t bring closure to Suzanne’s family, but we hope it will allow them to enter the next phase of their grieving process with more clarity.”
“Officers in law enforcement have gathered enough evidence in order to charge him with murder,” Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson Deon Cockrell added during the press conference.
HUSBAND OF MISSING MOM SUZANNE SIMPSON CHARGED WITH MURDER
Missing Texas mom Suzanne Simpson is pictured with her husband Brad Simpson. (Facebook/Suzanne Simpson)
Authorities say there are no signs of Suzanne Simpson being alive since Brad Simpson physically assaulted her on Oct. 6, according to a recently unsealed arrest affidavit. This has been verified by her cellphone records, financial records, family, friends and co-workers, the report continues.
Here’s a timeline of events that unfolded before and after Oct. 6 based on court and police records and statements:
August
Suzanne Simpson told her personal banker that she was being physically abused by her husband, Brad Simpson, that he would commonly take her cellphone away and “that if she went missing to look for her in a lake.” Suzanne also told the banker that her husband would tell her children that she had lost her cellphone after he had taken it from her.
MISSING SUZANNE SIMPSON’S DAUGHTER SAID FATHER ‘TOOK MY MOTHER’S LIFE’ AFTER REAL ESTATE AGENT’S DISAPPEARANCE
General view of the home of Suzanne and Brad Simpson in San Antonio on November 12, 2024. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)
September 17
Brad Simpson sent a text message to a female, writing, “I still feel bad about tonight. I never should’ve grabbed her phone and drove off but she was so protective of it. My dumb ass didn’t know her passcode so I got locked out and had to bring it back. I really have no interest in looking through her phone or anybody else’s. these devices are the Devil.” This female later told authorities that Suzanne Simpson was aware that her husband would “track” her and that he was “extremely jealous.”
October 6
The Simpsons and their 5-year-old daughter attended a party at the Argyle club, a ritzy private club in Alamo Heights on the evening of Oct. 6. They were witnessed having a “verbal altercation” while at the party, according to an arrest affidavit.
At about 8:30 p.m., Suzanne Simpson and her daughter left the party and went to the H-E-B grocery store in San Antonio from 8:40 p.m. to 8:51 p.m., according to surveillance footage obtained by police. Suzanne Simpson and her daughter arrived at their house soon after, documents show.
HUSBAND OF MISSING TEXAS REAL ESTATE AGENT DENIES ‘LUDICROUS’ CHARGES AGAINST HIM: LAWYER
General view of the Argyle club in San Antonio on November 12, 2024. The Argyle is where Suzanne and Brad attended a party the night Suzanne disappeared. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)
The Texas Department of Public Safety released a photo of missing mom Suzanne Simpson from the night she disappeared. (The Texas Department of Public Safety)
At 9:15 p.m., Suzanne Simpson called a family friend to say she was coming over.
At 9:16 p.m., she called her mother to report that Brad Simpson had just assaulted her, “causing pain to her arm, back, and neck.”
At 9:25 p.m., she arrived at the family friend’s house.
After 10 p.m., a neighbor witnessed Brad and Suzanne Simpson arguing loudly and “physically struggling” in front of his residence. The neighbor observed that “Ms. Simpson was attempting to get away from Mr. Simpson’s grasp as he tried to pull her downwards” and that Brad Simpson chased after his wife and was trying to grab her, according to documents. The neighbor later heard screams coming from the wooded area across from his home.
At 10:22 p.m., Suzanne Simpson’s iPhone “Find My” application” showed her at her house, which was the last location listed for Simpson on the app.
MISSING TEXAS REAL ESTATE AGENT’S HUSBAND KEPT IN JAIL WITH HIGH BOND AS FAMILY RIPS HIS LACK OF COOPERATION
General view of the home of Suzanne and Brad Simpson in San Antonio on November 12, 2024. Suzanne Simpson disappeared under suspicious circumstances. last month. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)
About one hour after witnessing Suzanne and Brad Simpson fighting in front of his home, the same neighbor observed Brad Simpson’s truck leave the area and then return about another hour later.
The 5-year-old child of Suzanne and Brad Simpson later told a school counselor that on the evening of Oct. 6, Brad Simpson allegedly “pushed her mother against the wall, hit (physically) her mother on the face and hurt her mother’s elbow inside their residence” and also “turned off her mother’s phone because they were fighting.”
October 7
At 12:33 a.m., Brad Simpson and his truck were seen on surveillance footage at a San Antonio H-E-B grocery store, and his truck bed was clear of anything except a large ice chest.
At about 7:53 a.m., Brad Simpson’s truck was observed dropping his 5-year-old daughter off at school. Simpson’s truck bed area contained two white trash bags and a large ice chest, according to surveillance video obtained by police.
At about 9:12 a.m., Simpson’s vehicle was seen on the drive-through camera of Whataburger in Kendall County, Texas, where Simpson purchased food using his debit card. The surveillance footage shows three white trash bags, a heavy-duty trash can, an ice chest and a “large bulky item wrapped and secured in a blue tarp” that was held down by a firewood rack in the back of Brad Simpson’s truck, according to the affidavit.
General view of the Whataburger in Boerne, Texas, November 13, 2024. Brad Simpson’s truck was seen here on October 7, 2024, before arriving at a waste center around the same time his wife, Suzanne Simpson, disappeared. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)
At about 9:53 a.m., Simpson purchased two bags of cement, a construction bucket, a box of heavy-duty trash bags, Clorox disinfectant spray and insect repellent with cash at a nearby Home Depot, police learned through cellphone data, surveillance footage and a Home Depot receipt. Prior to his purchase, Simpson asked an unknown male in the parking lot for directions to the nearest dump in Boerne.
General view of a Home Depot in Boerne, Texas, November 13, 2024. According to an affidavit, Brad Simpson’s truck was seen here on October 7, 2024, and he bought items including Quikrete cement, trash bags, Clorox bleach and insect repellent around the same time his wife, Suzanne Simpson, disappeared. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)
During this time, Simpson “intentionally shuts off his cellular device” and his vehicle was later seen near the Kendall County Solid Waste site, according to the affidavit.
At 11:15 a.m., Simpson’s truck was seen at a Valero/Stripes gas station in Kendall County, where he used his debit card to buy gas for his truck and used cash to buy two juge of water. The white trash bags were missing from his truck at the gas station, but the blue tarp, firewood rack and trash can were still present. Simpson had changed from black sandals into “dark colored, cowboy styled boots,” according to surveillance.
General view of the Valero/Stripes gas station in Boerne, Texas, November 13, 2024. Brad Simpson was seen here on October 7, 2024, after leaving a local waste center around the same time his wife, Suzanne Simpson, disappeared under suspicious circumstances. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)
At 3:27 p.m., Simpson was observed picking up his daughter from school, and his truck bed was clear of the blue tarp and metal firewood rack.
At about 4:07 p.m., he was spotted on another surveillance camera “washing and cleaning the drive front (sic) side and the rear-left passenger side” of his truck at a car wash back in San Antonio.
TEXAS MOM, LUXURY REAL ESTATE AGENT MISSING AFTER PARTY AT EXCLUSIVE PRIVATE CLUB, HUSBAND ARRESTED
General view of the Bubble Bath car wash in San Antonio on November 13, 2024. Brad Simpson was observed cleaning his truck here on October 7, 2024. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)
On the evening of Oct. 7, friends of Suzanne Simpson met to discuss her disappearance. At this point, Brad Simpson had not called police or 911 to notify them of his wife’s disappearance, and a friend informed him that she was going to call the police.
At 9:57 p.m., a friend of Suzanne Simpson contacted police to report her missing.
At 10:11 p.m., Brad Simpson called police and left a voicemail. When officers contacted Brad Simpson at his home, he told police he had not heard from his wife since Oct. 6 at 11 p.m.
October 8
Simpson exchanged a series of ominous texts with James “Val” Cotter, his longtime friend and business partner. “If you’re in Bandera, can you haul a– to meet me at your house?” Simpson allegedly texted. “I don’t have much time.” In a later text to Simpson, Cotter wrote, “Get over here!! I won’t tell anyone” and “You’re my brother.”
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October 9
In the early morning, Brad Simpson was arrested on charges of assault causing bodily injury, family violence and unlawful restraint.
Texas Rangers executed a search warrant at the Simpson home in Olmos Park, where a Ranger observed “an indention located on the wall at the bottom of the stairway.” Brad and Suzanne Simpson’s daughter told police that the damage on the wall was recent and not there when she had previously visited the home.
Later that day, Rangers executed a search warrant of Brad Simpson’s property in Bandera County, where they found a ground-level burn site with a burnt laptop and multiple cellular devices.
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Brad Simpson (Kendall County Sheriff’s Office)
October 10
Rangers searched Brad Simpson’s truck and identified stains that tested “presumtively positive for blood.” Authorities later learned the blood belonged to Brad Simpson.
A family member informed law enforcement officers that Brad Simpson owned multiple firearms they wanted to surrender. The family member recovered several firearms from a locked room in the Simpson home and then transported the firearms to the Olmos Park Police Department, records show.
October 11
A federal detainer or charge was placed on Brad Simpson by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for illegally owning a firearm, according to an affidavit.
October 14
After several days of searching both in and around the Simpson family home in Olmos Park and surrounding wooded areas, investigators began searching a landfill on the Eastside of Bexar County. They searched the landfill for four days, but in the end, it appears they did not find Suzanne Simpson there.
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San Antonio police cadets search a landfill in the disappearance of Suzanne Simpson. (Chief Bill McManus/X)
October 21
Cotter was arrested on Oct. 21 and charged with tampering with evidence and possessing a prohibited weapon, both third-degree felonies, after being accused of hiding Brad Simpson’s gun.
October 22
On the evening of Oct. 22, two felony charges were filed against Brad Simpson for the exchange police say he had with Cotter.
General view of the Nix Realty Company office in San Antonio on November 12, 2024. Suzanne Simpson worked there until she disappeared under suspicious circumstances. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)
November 7
Authorities charged Brad Simpson with the murder of his wife, Suzanne Simpson.
“It is heartbreaking, but it brings our family some peace to know that authorities have gathered sufficient evidence to feel confident in moving forward with charges,” Brad Simpson’s brother, Barton Simpson, told Fox News Digital in a statement.
“This also helps us come to terms with the reality that Suzanne is no longer with us, allowing us to begin the difficult grieving process and focus on rebuilding our lives, especially for the sake of the children and our extended family.”
November 8
Authorities held a press conference announcing Brad Simpson’s murder charge.
“It’s always important to do what is right, especially when it is most difficult,” Barton Simpson, who has been vocal on social media about his brother’s lack of cooperation with law enforcement, said at the press conference. “The situation is heartbreaking to us, but it brings some peace, knowing that the authorities have gathered enough evidence to move forward with charges. This helps us come to terms with the reality that Suzanne is no longer with us.”
“It is our sincere hope and prayer that Brad will find the compassion and courage to end his family’s suffering by cooperating with the authorities to help us find his wife.”
Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson Deon Cockrell confirmed at the press conference that authorities are searching the Bandera area for Suzanne, adding to the list of locations law enforcement have previously searched.
“That is one of the areas where the evidence had turned us to, and we continue to search wherever any of the evidence comes up,” Cockrell said of the Bandera area.
MISSING TEXAS MOM SEEN IN LAST PHOTO BEFORE DISAPPEARANCE AS FAMILY FEARS WORST
Missing Texas mom Suzanne Simpson (Olmos Park Police)
Authorities believe Brad Simpson “intentionally and knowingly caused the death” of Suzanne Simpson “on or about Sunday, Oct. 6, according to the unsealed arrest affidavit.
Suzanne Simpson’s sister, Teresa Clark, recently told People she “knew immediately that [her] sister was gone,” adding that two red flags were when her sister failed to show up for a hair appointment and then to pick up her youngest child from kindergarten.
“They will find her,” Clark said. “She was a great mom and a great daughter and a great wife. She was beloved. We’re going to do everything we can to bring her home.”
Brad Simpson remains in Bexar County jail with bonds totaling $3 million and the federal hold by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the weapons charge.
His bond hearing scheduled for Wednesday has been delayed to Dec. 19. His attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.
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If you’re looking to spend a vacation at sea but haven’t decided which cruise line is best for your specific needs, a new online ranking shows the best options for every type of traveler, from families to luxury seekers.
U.S. News & World Report has released its 2025 Best Cruise Lines rankings, highlighting 18 of the most popular cruise lines across six categories ranging from couples and families, to which distinct parts of the globe you’re looking to experience.
From cruises that offer the best bang for your buck to experiences that spare no expense, the rankings aim to help travelers select the perfect cruise vacation based on expert evaluations, traveler ratings and other key factors.
Viking Ocean Cruises topped three categories: Best Luxury Cruise Lines, Best Cruise Lines for Couples, and Best Cruise Lines in the Mediterranean.
Disney Cruise Line also made a strong showing, maintaining its No. 1 positions in Best Cruise Lines for Families and Best Cruise Lines in the Caribbean.
And for thrifty vacationers, Celebrity Cruises earned the title of Best Cruise Line for the Money.
“Given the variety of cruise lines available, these rankings provide travelers a way to compare features, amenities, and offerings to find the right cruise,” said Nicola Wood, senior travel editor at U.S. News.
2025 Best Cruise Lines Highlights
Best Cruise Lines for the Money
- Celebrity Cruises
- Virgin Voyages
- MSC Cruises
Best Cruise Lines for Families
- Disney Cruise Line
- Royal Caribbean International
- Norwegian Cruise Line
Best Cruise Lines for Couples
- Viking Ocean Cruises
- Seabourn Cruise Line
- Celebrity Cruises
Best Luxury Cruise Lines
- Viking Ocean Cruises
- Seabourn Cruise Line
- Regent Seven Seas Cruises
The rankings were based primarily on three main factors: expert evaluations (30%), traveler ratings (50%), and health ratings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vessel Sanitation Program (20%). Expert ratings assessed the ship’s luxury, facilities and services, while traveler reviews provided first-hand insights into the experience of being onboard one of the ships.
Each cruise line was also evaluated on factors including price, family suitability, and destination options. Cruise ships and lines were only included in rankings if they met a minimum threshold for traveler reviews or itinerary availability.
For a full list of rankings and insights, visit U.S. News Cruise Rankings.
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