> If you're just storing non-personal statistics on grades for courses of professors, how can they actually shut you down?

"I created a web app at the request of one of the schools & deans at the University I work for."

The provost has some authority over the deans and schools. Since the application is "owned" by his employer....

Yes, maybe he could continue it "on the side" but he may want to stay employed and if he got the grade information from the school, they can probably shut that down