(PatriotsUnited.org) – Philadelphia’s iconic University of the Arts (UArts), a major center of American creative arts since it opened in the 1870s, will close permanently this Friday.
This decision comes on the back of years of reduced enrollment, financial issues, and the recent loss of its college accreditation. The historic institution’s closure was decided by UArts officials, who disclosed that the board of trustees had approved the closure after learning that the school would lose its accreditation, which is needed for colleges to receive federal funding and maintain credibility.
The closure comes as many U.S. private liberal arts institutions face struggles amid climbing inflation and decreased application figures, along with the conclusion of pandemic-era stimulus funding. At least one college a week announced it would close or merge between January 1 and April 26 of this year, double 2023’s figures.
According to the university’s website, it was home to 1,300 students and 77 full-time faculty members in 2022. The college offered programs across the fields of art, music and theater and its campus was a long-running pillar of the city’s central business district. The school was also home to famed feminist cultural critic Camille Paglia, who reportedly retired in 2023.
Among the schools facing similar fates are Goddard College in Vermont and Fontbonne University in St. Louis. These closures underscore the precarious state of higher education institutions heavily reliant on tuition and facing shifting demographic and economic landscapes. The announcement of the closure prompted widespread backlash with students holding a protest on Monday, resulting in a question-and-answer session being canceled minutes before it
was scheduled to begin.
A spokesperson for the body which revoked the school’s accreditation admitted the decision had been made due to UArts’ administrators’ failure to offer students proper notice or plans for incumbent students. Students have spoken to the press about the “absurd” last-minute decision. UArts officials have now said they will help current students transfer to other institutions, particularly Drexel University, Moore College of Art and Design and Temple University.
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