Campus Disclosures

1. An acknowledgment that the institution signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the institution has used, or intends to use, no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.
   HEERF Studentcertificationagreement42020
2. The total amount of funds that the institution will receive or has received from the Department pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement [for] Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. $1,801,512
3. The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of the date of submission (i.e., as of the 30-day Report and every 45 days thereafter). $1,586,671
4. The estimated total number of students at the institution eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and thus eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act. 1,495
5. The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act. 1,496
6. The method(s) used by the institution to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they would receive under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
   HEERF Student COVID Expenses Survey – Google Forms
   HEERF Reasonable & Customary Calc
   HEERF Minimum Disbursement Calc
   HEERF Meeting Agenda 5_26_20 – Eligibility
7. Any instructions, directions, or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants.
   HEERF Grace Christian Mail – Important Information about the CARES Act
   HEERF Eligibility Letter to Students
   HEERF Grace Christian Mail – CASH FOR COVID – To Students with Survey
   HEERF Grace Christian Mail – Relief check on the way this week!
   HEERF Grace Christian Mail – FAQ’s from students invited to register 7-22-21
   HEERF Grace Christian Mail – Opportunity to register for FA-21 semester 7-22-21
   HEERF Grace Christian Mail – Grant Posted to Your Account 9-14-21
   Notice to students for re-sent Heerf from 2021 Dist
   Email to students announcing release take off hold to register Spring 2022
   Email to students announcing release take off hold to register Fall 2022
   Email to invite elligible students to receive HEERF June 2023

Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting

HEERF_Q12022_041022 REV 7-3-23

HEERF_Q12023_041023 REV 7-3-23

HEERF_Q22022_080522 REV 7-3-23

HEERF_Q22023_070323

HEERF_Q32021_101021 REV 7-3-23

HEERF_Q32022_102422 REV 7-3-23

HEERF_Q42021_011022 REV 7-3-23

HEERF_Q42022_100923 REV 7-3-23

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Grace Christian University seeks to comply with Policy FDCR.A.10.020 of the Higher Learning Commission:

An institution shall be able to equate its learning experiences with semester or quarter credit hours using practices common to institutions of higher education, to justify the lengths of its programs in comparison to similar programs found in accredited institutions of higher education, and to justify any program-specific tuition in terms of program costs, program length, and program objectives. 

This policy addresses three key areas:

1. PROGRAM LENGTH

The program length of all degrees is stipulated by the State of Michigan in the document published in October 2003, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ON THE ESTABLISHMENT AND APPROVAL OF NONPUBLIC COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN MICHIGAN:

• An associate degree shall be granted only after the successful completion of at least 60 semester hours or equivalent of collegiate level study.
• A bachelor’s degree shall be granted only after the successful completion of 120 semester hours or equivalent of collegiate level study.
• A master’s degree shall be granted only after the successful completion of the requirements for a bachelors degree and at least 30 semester hours of credit or the equivalent in courses applicable to the graduate degree.

The following table lists the degrees and program lengths offered at Grace Christian University:

Grace students who elect to declare a Dual Degree will typically earn a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies at Grace and the selected bachelor-level degree from the respective partner institution.  The number of credits necessary to earn the degrees will vary but meet the State of Michigan’s minimum requirements.

2. CREDIT HOURS

Grace Christian University also seeks to comply with the federal guidelines for the credit hour:

A credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally-established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than:

• One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or (2) at least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other activities as established by and institution, including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading toward the award of credit hours. 34CFR 600.2 (11/1/2010)

While the course offerings are diverse in modality and calendar, all courses are expected to meet certain minimum work load requirements.  For on-campus and hybrid classes, these requirements include both direct faculty instruction and out-of-class student work.  For undergraduate and graduate online courses, these requirements include student work completed under the direction of a faculty member.

• For the on-campus undergraduate program, a semester hour represents 750 minutes of classroom instruction and 1500 minutes of student work outside of class or its equivalent (37 ½ hours per semester hour).
• For the online undergraduate program, a semester hour represents 2,250 minutes of coursework or its equivalent (37 ½ hours per semester hour).
• For the graduate online program, a semester hour represents 3,000 miniues of coursework or its evalualent (50 hours per semester hour).

On-Campus Program
To ensure that this minimum work load is met, faculty members complete a course work load worksheet for each course taught on campus.  This worksheet is submitted and reviewed before the course is taught.  This information regarding the minimum work load is included in each course syllabus which must also be peer-reviewed prior to the beginning of classes.

Besides the minimum work load, every effort is made to ensure adequate seat time.  The on-campus program is primarily based on the traditional fall and spring semesters. The fall semester is fourteen weeks, while the spring semester is fifteen weeks.  When establishing the calendar for each semester in the on-campus program, the registrar’s office seeks to ensure a minimum seat time requirement of 12 ½ hours (750 minutes) per credit hour is met.  This calculation is based on 50 minutes times 15 weeks.

However, each course may vary in how this time is structured:

• Some three-credit classes meet twice each week for 90 minutes for a minimum of 25 sessions for a total of 37 ½ hours of seat time.
• Other three-credit classes meet once each week in 3 ¾ hour blocks for a minimum of 10 sessions for a total of 37 ½ hours of seat time.
• “Early Fall” courses meet for ten sessions over three weeks before the start of the regular semester. Three credit courses meet for a total of 40 hours of seat time, while two credit courses meet for 25 hours of seat time.
• Internships require students to complete 120 hours of field education in lieu of seat time.
• Private music lessons and group ensembles are available for students to take for one credit. Beyond the scheduled meeting times, students are expected to practice regularly.
• Students may enroll in team sports and/or activity classes for one credit graded as a pass/fail. This grade is based largely on their participation in scheduled practices and activities.
• Courses designed for high school students participating in dual enrollment must also meet the minimum work load requirements (112 ½ hours).
• Online and hybrid courses (including both F2F instruction and online activities) offered as part of the on-campus program must also meet the specified minimum work load requirements (112 ½ hours).

Online and Graduate Programs
Both the online and graduate programs use pre-designed curriculum guides which have been reviewed by faculty and staff to ensure compliance with the minimum work load requirements.  Online courses offered at the undergraduate level offered as part of the academic program aimed at adult learners are three credits each and five weeks in length. These courses must still meet the minimum work load requirement of 112 ½ hours.  Graduate courses, which are offered exclusively online, are also three credits each and are six weeks in length.  The minimum work load requirement for these graduate courses is 150 hours.

3. TUITION COSTS

Grace Christian University is committed to being reasonably priced when compared with other local institutions of higher education, as well as similar faith-based institutions throughout the country.  Each academic program (on-campus, online, and graduate) has its own tuition rate, which is established and approved by the board of directors annually.  These tuition rates, based on modality and degree level, are in large part determined by competitive analyses of similar programs of study in each modality offered at other institutions.

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See “Admission Information” in the appropriate catalog:
Online Undergraduate – On-Campus Undergraduate – Online Graduate

See “University Partnerships” in the appropriate catalog:
Online Undergraduate – On-Campus Undergraduate – Online Graduate

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that Grace Christian University operates in compliance with the provisions of the United States Federal Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), Public Law 110-315 and Higher Learning Commission Policy FDCR.A.10.050 concerning the verification of student identity in distance learning. All credit-bearing courses and programs offered through distance learning methods must verify that the student who registers for a distance education course or program is the same student who participates in and completes the course or program and receives academic credit.

In verifying the identity of students who participate in class or coursework the institution may make use of one or more methods at the option of the institution, which may include but need not be limited to: (1) secure login and pass code; (2) proctored examinations; and (3) new or other technologies and practices that are effective in verifying the identity of students. Such methods must have reasonable and appropriate safeguards to protect student privacy. Institutions must notify students at the time of registration or enrollment of any projected additional student charges associated with the verification of student identity such as separate fees charged by proctoring services, etc.  (HLC Policy FDCR.A.10.050)

1. Each student is assigned a unique username and password to log into the University’s learning management system (currently Blackboard). Students are responsible for providing complete and true information in any identification verification process.
2. An account is provided to an individual for the exclusive use by that individual. Attempting to discover another user’s password or attempts to gain unauthorized access to another person’s account is prohibited. It is against University policy for a user to give someone his or her password or allow others to use his or her account. Users are responsible for any and all users of their account. Users are responsible for all activity on their accounts.
3. Instructors will emphasize the academic integrity policy stated in the catalog and communication with students, as well as use normal teaching practices (e.g., reviewing student writing, conferencing with students) to verify student identity.
4. Any student found to have permitted another student to represent them for any portion of an online course will be dismissed from the course and may face further punitive measures including dismissal from the University.
5. All users of the University’s learning management system are responsible for maintaining the security of usernames, passwords, and other access credentials as required.

All methods of verifying student identity must protect the privacy of student information in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and any other applicable laws or regulations regarding the confidentiality of personally identifiable information, and the University’s Privacy Policy.

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There have been no federal investigations related to disclosure of Title IV information.

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The Student Right-to-Know regulations require all colleges and universities participating in federally funded financial aid programs to document information on the cohort of first-time, full-time freshmen entering the institution on or after July 1, 1996. Disclosure is not required until 150% of the estimated program length has elapsed. All colleges and universities entering into Program Participation Agreements with the Department of Education are required to complete the IPEDS Graduation Rate Survey of 1997 (Section 490 of the Higher Education Amendments of 1992, P.L. 102- 325.106. Stat. 448). Graduation and retention rates are those Grace Christian University reports to the Integrated Postsecondary Data System (IPEDS).

Bachelor’s Degree Graduation and Completion Rates

• Transfer, part-time, and non-degree students are not included in the graduation/completion rate.
• The graduation rate is based on six years of attendance which equates to 150% of the longest program.
• The graduation/completion rate does not include students who left the institution to serve in the armed forces, with an official church mission organization, or in the foreign service of the federal government. Students who died or were totally and permanently disabled are also excluded.
• The institution is not required to report the transfer-out rate since the mission of the institution does not include providing substantial preparation for students to enroll in other institutions.

Bachelor’s Degree Retention Rates

• First-time, full-time, bachelor’s degree-seeking, freshmen who returned for their second year of study.

Employment/Graduate Studies Rates

While Grace Christian University does not formally place students in jobs or guarantee employment, the University is concerned that graduating students are fulfilling the mission of the University through employment in their degree fields or are pursuing further studies. Rate is based on status six months year after graduation.

How is “First Destination” defined?

“Destination” is defined as full-time employment (30 hours or more per week) or continuing education within six months of graduation.

How are “First Destination” rates determined?

Each year, Grace Christian University surveys the current year’s graduates to determine their full-time employment or continuing education status within six months after commencement. The tables below report the results of the survey by On Campus Bachelor-Degree, Online Bachelor-Degree, and Online Master-Degree graduates.

First Destination Survey Results – On-Campus Bachelor’s Degree Graduates

First Destination Survey Results – Online Bachelor-Degree Graduates

First Destination Survey Results – Online Master’s Degree Graduates

Associate’s Degree

Bachelor’s Degree

Master’s Degree

Grand Total

This information is based on the 2022-2023 IPEDS report.  Further completions data for students receiving Pell grants is made available through the College Navigator website:  https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=Grace+Christian&s=all&id=170000#outcome.

For On-Campus Undergraduate, Online Undergraduate, and Online Graduate programs, please view our Tuition & Fees webpage.

See “Financial Information”  in the appropriate catalog:
Online Undergraduate – On-Campus Undergraduate – Online Graduate

See “Program Information”  in the appropriate catalog:
Online Undergraduate – On-Campus Undergraduate – Online Graduate

See “Faculty” in the appropriate catalog:
Online Undergraduate – On-Campus Undergraduate – Online Graduate

Grace Christian University is committed to serving students with disabilities, with the goal to ensure that every student who has a disability is protected from discrimination and provided with access to the needed services that will ensure equal access to all activities and programs pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

The University provides assistance to students with visual impairments, learning disabilities, mobility impairments, hearing impairments, chronic health conditions (including allergies), psychological disabilities and temporary disabilities so they may enjoy a complete range of academic and non-academic opportunities.  These accommodations include:

• wheelchair accessible traditional style (one story) residence halls for men and women;
• Scan in/push button automatic doors to assist students on residence halls, student common spaces and the academic building;
• wheelchair accessible ramps within the Student Commons to access all spaces provided for any student;
• wheelchair ramp access to the chapel;
• large projector and flat screens in classrooms and chapel;
• spaces in classrooms for wheelchair accessibility.

In accordance with the spirit of the legislative updates to the ADA, documentation requirements vary by situation. Because each person’s situation is unique, students in need of physical accommodations should talk with the Student Affairs staff to ensure their needs are met.

In addition to physical accommodations, the University also seeks to serve students with learning disabilities in all academic program.

See “Academic Accommodations” in the appropriate catalog:
Online Undergraduate – On-Campus Undergraduate – Online Graduate

See “Study Abroad” in the appropriate catalog:
Online Undergraduate – On-Campus Undergraduate – Online Graduate

See “Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)” in the appropriate catalog:
Online Undergraduate – On-Campus Undergraduate – Online Graduate

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