HLGU asks U.S. Department of Education for protection from what it calls ‘unconstitutional mandate’

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Hannibal-LaGrange University (HLGU), affiliated with the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) since 1857, recently formally requested a religious accommodation from the U.S. Department of Education from a Biden-era regulation.

“Without timely action by the department, the university intends to file a lawsuit seeking relief to safeguard its religious freedoms,” a press release from the university said.

The contested regulation, implemented in the final months of the Biden administration, asks for independent religious bodies like the MBC to co-sign financial responsibility agreements called program participation agreements with universities such as HLGU. HLGU officials say the “co-signature mandate” interferes with the autonomy of religious institutions, forcing them either to assume financial liabilities or else relinquish their right to appoint trustees according to their religious doctrines.

“Demanding that Missouri Baptist churches give up their religious rights or face financial ruin is contrary to the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act,” said Jon Whitehead, counsel for HLGU. “This regulation threatens the religious autonomy of Baptist, Catholic and other denominational institutions and undermines longstanding principles of nonprofit governance.”

School officials say the department’s refusal to process HLGU’s program participation agreements (PPA) amendment without MBC’s co-signature and forced the university to lose access to more than $500,000 in Prison Pell Grant funds for eligible students, with anticipated future losses estimated at approximately $250,000 per semester. 

“Failure to secure a renewed PPA by 2026 would prevent HLGU from participating in Title IV programs entirely, creating devastating consequences for the university,” the press release said.

HLGU President Robert Matz initially sought administrative relief from the Department of Education but received no response, compelling the university to pursue legal options.

“The co-signature mandate is discriminatory and unconstitutional,” Matz said in the release. “We urge the department to align its actions with recent executive orders prioritizing religious liberty and deregulation, protecting institutions like HLGU that play a vital role in their religious communities.”

HLGU officials say they have extended an invitation to the department for dialogue aimed at resolving this issue in alignment with constitutional protections and recent presidential directives.

Hannibal-LaGrange University is a four-year Christian university fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.