Philadelphia City Council examines ‘sudden closing' of UArts

Philadelphia City Council passed a resolution on Thursday to hold hearings in order to determine what the closure of the University of the Arts could have on higher education in the area and the school's students and staff.

During Thursday's City Council meeting, City Councilmember Mark Squilla (D-1st dist.) presented a bill that would permit council's committee on education to begin holding hearings to "hold hearings to explore the sudden closing of the University of the Arts and the negative impacts on the current student body, staff and the higher education system in Philadelphia."

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In the resolution, Squilla noted that the recent announcement that the school would shutter on June 7, "caught many by surprise, including current students, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, the university's accreditor, and the City of Philadelphia."

On Tuesday, the school's president Kerry Walk resigned from her role the day after UArts canceled a town hall where they were supposed to meet with students and staff to answer questions.

And, staff members have told NBC10 that there was no indication the school would be closing which has left them scrambling to find new jobs.

In a statement, City Councilmember Isaiah Thomas (D-At-Large) said the committee on education would investigate the school's closure "to the furthest extent possible."

“The University of the Arts' sudden closure was a massive blow to the students and faculty of the prestigious school, as well as the Avenue of the Arts and the broader Arts and culture community," Thomas said in a statement. "As a matter of due diligence, Council’s education committee will investigate this issue to the furthest extent possible, in search of the answers that the University of the Arts has failed to provide about their abrupt closure."

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The resolution was approved during Thursday's meeting of City Council. However, just when the council's committee on education might hold hearings on the closure of the University of the Arts is not yet known.