The University of the Arts, an institution with roots almost a century and a half old in Philadelphia, has abruptly announced it will close this week, citing declining enrollment and revenues as well as increasing expenses. University President Kerry Walk and the chair of the board of trustees, Judson Aaron, announced the June 7 closure in a notice posted Friday night on the university's website, calling it "heartbreaking" and "deeply painful," the AP reports. Separate town halls are planned Monday with students, faculty, and staff, they said.
- Officials at the university—which has offered programs in design, fine arts, media arts, music, dance, and theater—said that summer courses will be canceled and that a new class will not be enrolled in the fall. They vowed to help continuing students transfer to other institutions such as Temple and Drexel universities and the Moore College of Art and Design.