BTW, Grand Canyon is the only for-profit school in NCAA Division 1.
The Grand Canyon story over the last 20 years has been an interesting one. The classification as for profit puts them at a significant disadvantage to those institutions of "higher education" who received the non-taxable, subsidized non-for-profit status.
I wonder on the observation about profit or non-profit status whether an argument can be made that the administration of Grand Canyon is merely being more honest and that the university is behaving as a positive corporate citizen contributing back to the state and community in which they reside.
Harvard and other elite schools have non-for-profit status. One would be hard-pressed to argue that the actions of the trustees, shareholders and other stakeholders are not disimilar to a profit oriented business. Moreover there are significant taxpayer subsidies to non for profit status organizations that are in effect net transfers from the for-profit sector and from consumers and taxpayers. I'm really not convinced that there are net positive benefits from a policy that grants these large elite schools who have massive endowments subsidies in the form of tax advantages as well as other advantages that seem to negate transparency.
While not part of the tax code or governmental licensing as non-profit one would hope that non-profit status is granted to entities that are making an effort to foster positive spillovers from either public goods or governmental failure.
The Harvard Crimson had a really interesting editorial that explore this perception of abuse..
"Harvard’s Role As a Nonprofit | Opinion | The Harvard Crimson"
Harvard’s Role As a Nonprofit | Opinion | The Harvard Crimson.
If one looks to Arizona for potential areas of concern regarding the tax code one could profitably review the reporting on President Michael Crow and Arizona State University's use of tax exemption from local property taxes as well as income taxes to engage in development activities that are extraordinarily profitable.
As an Arizona resident I'm far less impacted by the subsidies and wealth transfers to Harvard than I am by those of Arizona State University my alma mater. Crow is a clever and shrewd gamesman and by removing large swaths of development from the tax rolls further pressures a budget in Arizona that is strained to meet the needs of education as well as a failed criminal justice system.
As a tax paying entity Grand Canyon University contributes back to the public coffers.
"Mark Brnovich Trying to End Michael Crow's Crony Capitalism | Phoenix New Times"
Mark Brnovich Aims to End Michael Crow’s Crony Capitalism, and That’s a Good Thing
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