"California College of the Arts will close by the end of the 2026-27 academic year amid enrollment declines that have rendered its business model unsustainable, officials announced. But the Wednesday announcement at a press conference at San Francisco's City Hall came with surprising fanfare. Though CCA is going away, Vanderbilt University is stepping in to purchase its campus, giving the private institution in Tennessee a foothold on the West Coast."
"The move comes after recent financial struggles for CCA, which laid off 23 employees in 2024 and closed other vacant positions to address a $20 million budget gap. While the private college raised nearly $45 million recently, those funds were evidently not enough to stave off closure. CCA enrolled 1,308 students in fall 2024, according to recent federal data, down from a recent high of nearly 2,000 students in fall 2016."
California College of the Arts will close by the end of the 2026-27 academic year after sustained enrollment declines and financial shortfalls. Vanderbilt University will purchase the San Francisco campus, plan undergraduate and graduate programming including art and design, and maintain the college's archival materials. CCA faced a $20 million budget gap, laid off 23 employees in 2024, and raised nearly $45 million recently, which proved insufficient. Fall 2024 enrollment stood at 1,308 students, down from nearly 2,000 in 2016. Vanderbilt is expanding nationally with additional campus initiatives in New York and West Palm Beach.
Read at Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs
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