Marylhurst Board of Trustees Votes to Close University by End of 2018

Marylhurst University announced in May 2018 that the university would close by the end of the year; the last classes were offered summer term 2018. This website is no longer actively maintained; the information presented here is for archival purposes.

Students, faculty and staff to receive support throughout transition

After months of extensive analysis and thoughtful deliberation, the Marylhurst University Board of Trustees has voted that the University will stop all operations by the end of 2018. The 50-acre property will be returned to the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, who will make future plans for the property in alignment with their mission and values.

The Sisters of the Holy Names created Marylhurst nearly 125 years ago with a mission to provide a Catholic, post-secondary liberal arts education to students of all faiths, and with an emphasis on educating ethical leaders of competence, conscience and compassion who will work to create a more just, humane and sustainable world. We know today that Marylhurst has fulfilled this mission.

While this was a painful and challenging decision, we believe it was the right one. The Board’s vote was the result of a long and careful decision-making process – a process that put students, faculty and staff first, and which occurred before the University faced far greater risks.

Like many small, private, liberal arts colleges and universities, we have seen a steady decline in enrollment since the end of the Great Recession. The Board and University leadership reviewed numerous reorganization scenarios and strategies to create alternate forms of revenue; you can read more about these in the Board’s resolution to close. Despite these efforts, we were unable to see a viable financial path that would have enabled us to sustain the high level of academic programming for which we have always strived and that would not cause harm to our students, faculty and staff.

Unlike other university closures, which have frequently followed a loss of accreditation, mounting debt, recalled loans or bad audits, we are fortunate to have monitored our situation closely so we could make this decision before encountering any of those problems. Making the decision at the end of the regular academic year also allows time for us to work with students to consider their options and transfer to other programs next fall or winter, or to graduate as early as this summer.

While this decision is difficult for all of us who cherish this great University and embrace its mission, it is made with a sense of quiet resolve that we have chosen the most responsible and respectful path forward.

Our priority over the coming months will be to provide support to our students, faculty and staff as they process this announcement and plan a transition to continue to pursue their educational and professional goals.

