Liberty is now the largest private, nonprofit university in the U.S. - with $1 billion in net assets

[jsr]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/virginias-liberty-transforms-into-evangelical-mega-university/2013/03/04/931cb116-7d09-11e2-9a75-dab0201670da_story.html

Virginia’s Liberty transforms into evangelical mega-university
By Nick Anderson, Monday, March 4, 8:05 PM

LYNCHBURG, Va. — The small Baptist college that television preacher Jerry Falwell founded here in 1971 has capitalized on the online education boom to become an evangelical mega-university with global reach.

In the almost six years since Falwell’s death, Liberty University has doubled its student head count — twice.

Total enrollment now exceeds 74,000, with nearly 62,000 working toward degrees online in fields such as psychology, business, education, criminal justice and, of course, religion. That makes Liberty the largest university in Virginia — with more than double the number of students at No. 2 George Mason — and the largest private, nonprofit university in the country. With a slogan of “training champions for Christ,” Liberty also is the nation’s largest university with a religious affiliation.

The surging enrollment for a bastion of Christian conservatism in the central Virginia foothills highlights the school as a market leader at the crossroads of religion and higher education. Liberty figured out how to recruit masses of students via the Internet years before elite universities began ballyhooed experiments with free online courses.

[bluedigger]

1. They got a "Touchdown Jesus"?

I didn't think so.

[KamaAina]

4. They're an FCS school

f/k/a Division I-AA.

But for how long?

[bluedigger]

5. Had no idea.

My alma mater is as well. They're probably in the same conference.

[KamaAina]

8. But, as I feared, they're shooting for the big time

Flush with cash, Liberty is building a huge, $50 million library, replacing old dormitories and angling to place its Flames football team in a conference eligible for NCAA bowl games.

“It’s grown from being a small Bible school towards the goal of being a full-service university,” Falwell said in an interview. He said he aims to carry out his father’s vision: “To create for evangelical Christians what Notre Dame is for Catholics and Brigham Young is for Mormons.”

[bluedigger]

9. I bet that chaps Wake Forest's ass.

[exboyfil]

2. Brought to you by Pell Grants and Guaranteed Student Loans

[defacto7]

3. Of what use to humanity

is a pseudo educational institution that teaches facts that do not exist? That teaches some bits and pieces of the real shrouded in mythological nonsense? Christian education or religious education are the two biggest contradictions of terms that exist in our time. It's too serious to delve into oxymoronic metaphor... it's just plain contradictory. To get a real education in a religious institution is one thing, but these guys sell myth as fact. These guys sell a belief that learning psychology, business, education, criminal justice, etc. are ONLY legitimate under the guise of their religious bent.

Why have so many in America become so duped as to allow some educational institutions to become the most illegitimate on the planet... and thrive at it?

Deifying stupidity has become the new American dream.

[KamaAina]

6. Tell me again how it survived the early days?

Oh, right, with a big, fat loan from the Moonies.

[jsr]

7. .