Janice R. Andrews
June 2, 2024 – Following the loss of its accreditation, the University of the Arts (UArts) in Philadelphia has announced that it would close its doors on June 7, 2024. The neighborhood has been rocked by the news, which was announced on Friday.
“I think I’m shocked right now. Former pupil Aaron Foreman said, “I couldn’t even process what was going on when I was reading it.”
With effect from this Saturday, the university’s accreditation will no longer be granted by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). As such, UArts will not be accepting any new students for the autumn semester. The university will instead help current students transfer to other establishments, including as Moore College of Art and Design, Temple University, and Drexel University.
Although institutions who are denied accreditation can file an appeal, UArts has stated that it plans to close on Saturday. To assist students in finishing their education, the MSCHE had sought a teach-out plan by June 7, 2024, and a “supplemental information report” that was due by Wednesday at noon. Due to the material in the UArts supplemental information report, the accreditation was revoked.
UArts expressed its profound grief at the upcoming closure in a statement provided to NBC10, noting dwindling enrollments, decreased earnings, and rising expenses as the main causes. “With great sadness, we must inform that University of the Arts will close on Friday, June 7, 2024. UArts, like many other universities, has experienced years of dwindling enrollment, declining revenue, and rising expenses, leaving it in a precarious financial situation. The University will do everything in its power to assist its staff, instructors, and students when classes come to an end “said the statement.
“I am deeply disappointed and frustrated by the University of the Arts loss of accreditation and upcoming closure,” said Pennsylvania State Representative Ben Waxman. For many years, Center City Philadelphia’s creative and cultural scene has been anchored by this prestigious arts institution. Its demise represents a serious setback for the arts and education in our city as a whole, in addition to being a sad blow to our immediate neighborhood.”
Details on the town hall meetings that the university will be holding for the school community will be released over the weekend. President Kerry Walk and Judson Aaron, the chair of the board of trustees of the school, thanked the community for their support during this trying time and underlined the efforts made to prevent this outcome.
Since the 1870s, the University of the Arts, one of the oldest universities in the nation, has been a well-known organization in Philadelphia, fostering musicians and artists from all over the world. “My experience there has taught me a lot of things. Now that it’s almost over for all of these students, I find it sad,” Foreman continued.
For additional information, students should follow this link if they have any queries about the university’s loss of accreditation.
