Creating a new university requires lots of paperwork - much of which is sequential and takes many months. Some of the major steps are listed below with the progress to-date.

Step 1: Obtain the consent of the local bishop to include the word Catholic in the name of the new university.

This consent has been obtained from the Bishop Robert Brom, Bishop of the Roman Catholic diocese of San Diego on 11/21/2003.

Step 2: Form a California nonprofit, non-stock corporation organized for educational purposes under the California Nonprofit Corporation Law.

JP Catholic was organized on 12/3/2003 and the incorporation was approved by the State of California on 2/3/2004.

Step 3: Obtain an Employer Identification Number, an identifying number for all federal tax purposes.

Received 12/16/2003.

Step 4: Obtain federal tax exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

The IRS determined JP Catholic (formerly New Catholic University) to be exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code on 10/25/04. This means that financial contributions to JP Catholic received after its incorporation date of 12/3/2003 are deductible under section 170 of the code. JP Catholic is also qualified to receive tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers and gifts under sections 2055, 2106 or 2522 of the code.

Step 5: File application for state tax exempt status under Section 23701d of the California Revenue and Taxation Code.

This application was submitted Nov 8, 2004 and JP Catholic was notified of its exempt status in a letter dated 1/31/2005.

Step 6: Obtain temporary approval to operate from California's (now defunct) Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education.

On 10/25/2005, JP Catholic received temporary Approval to Operate a Degree Granting Institution in California from the State of California's Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education (BPPVE). The first draft application was submitted on July 6, 2004. JP Catholic can now legally recruit and admit students.

Approval is the legal requirement to open allowing JP Catholic to recruit and admit students. The accreditation process begins only after the university opens and can take 4 to 6 years. The BPPVE approves and regulates approximately 3,000 schools serving an estimated 400,000 students. The bureau establishes educational standards to serve as the minimum standard for instructional quality and institutional stability for private postsecondary schools in California. The application process included the completion and submission of an application, payment of a fee ($4,560), a copy of a proposed university catalog and documentation including financial statements and future projections, along with student enrollment projections.

As of October 25, 2005 JP Catholic has a temporary approval to operate from the BPPVE. JP Catholic can now legally recruit and admit students. BPPVE staff plans to schedule a site visit and provide JP Catholic with feedback on the findings generated from the visit. JP Catholic will then correct any observed deficiencies to BPPVE's satisfaction and can expect to obtain a full approval - usually for three years.

Step 7: JP Catholic filed with the State of California on June 25th, 2005 to legally change its name from New Catholic University to John Paul the Great Catholic University.

Step 8: JP Catholic leased a facility on Feb 1, 2006 and spent the next 8-months obtaining a Conditional Use Permit from the City of San Diego, which is required to operate a university at the leased location. This was a pre-requisite to obtaining a building permit to construct a classroom. Classes were held at Good Shepherd parish while we waited for permits and construction. Classes were first held at our leased facility on November 6th, 2006. In Sept 2007, JP Catholic almost doubled its classroom space from 4,400 to 7,400 sq feet. It increased the number of apartments leased to 15. In Sept 2009, JP Catholic increased its space to 14,300 sq feet, including a large sound stage and new Theology library space. It also increased the number of student apartments

Current Step: WASC accreditation. WASC - the regional accrediting agency accredits public and private schools, colleges and universities in California and the West. WASC has formal procedures by which institutions can move through the required stages that lead to accreditation.

1. Eligibility Screening - Complete
   All institutions seeking accreditation by WASC must first go through a screening process that determines that the institution is eligible to be considered for accreditation.
   
   JP Catholic, on January 30th, 2007, applied for Eligibility from the Senior College Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. WASC has reviewed the application and has determined that JP Catholic is eligible to proceed with an application for Candidacy for Accreditation. A determination of Eligibility is not a formal status with the Accrediting Commission, nor does it assure eventual accreditation; it is a preliminary finding that the institution is potentially accreditable and can proceed within three years of its Eligibility determination to be reviewed for Candidacy status with the Accrediting Commission. Questions about Eligibility may be directed to JP Catholic or to WASC at wascsr@wascsenior.org or 510.748.9001.
   
   Achieving Candidacy: JP Catholic has accepted WASC's invitation to move forward in its pursuit of accreditation. This initial eligibility is granted for a three year period through Spring 2010.
   
   JP Catholic's WASC Review Schedule:
   • Capacity and Preparatory Review (CPR): February 25-27, 2009
   • Educational Effectiveness Review (EER): Tuesday thru Thursday November 16-18, 2010.

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