On May 31, the University of the Arts (UArts) located in downtown Philadelphia, after facing several years of declining enrollment rates and increasingly severe financial challenges, announced that it will be closing its doors on June 7, 2024.
Established in 1876, the University of the Arts was formed from the merger of two century-old schools: the Philadelphia College of Art and the Philadelphia College of Performing Arts, making it one of the oldest art or music colleges in the United States. After attaining university status in 1987, the University of the Arts became one of the largest institutions of its kind in the U.S., offering programs in design, fine arts, media arts, crafts, music, dance, theater, and writing.
In a joint statement released by Judson Aaron, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and President Kerry Walk on May 31, they expressed that despite their best efforts, the university was left with no choice but to shut down. The statement cited financial fragility, declining enrollment numbers over the years, decreasing revenue, and escalating expenses as the insurmountable challenges faced by the institution.
The University of the Arts announced that it will support its students in continuing their education and obtaining degrees through transfer agreements with partner institutions such as Temple University, Drexel University, and Moore College of Art and Design.
On June 4, less than a year into his tenure as the President of the University of the Arts, Kerry Walk tendered his resignation.
With approximately 1,300 students, the University of the Arts is home to six academic buildings in the heart of Philadelphia’s art district, three dormitory buildings in the art district, nine professional performance spaces on campus, and eleven exhibition/gallery spaces.
Just two days after the sudden announcement of the university’s closure, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), the accrediting body for the University of the Arts, declared on May 31 that it was revoking the university’s accreditation. MSCHE has been a globally recognized accreditation institution accredited by the U.S. Secretary of Education since 1952.