Martin University Announces Closure

"Closure seemed inevitable after the private university announced in December it was pausing operations, terminated staff en masse and encouraged students to transfer out. On Dec. 30, the Board of Trustees made a formal closure announcement that flew largelyunder the radar. The board said that "declining enrollment, increasing costs and accumulated debt left the university without sufficient operating cash to function as an institution of higher learning""

"The only predominantly Black institution in Indiana, Martin had struggled financially for years. Last year Republican governor Mike Braun left the private university out of his budget proposal, cutting off an expected $5 million in funding that the university clearly needed to survive. As a private university, Martin did not regularly receive state funding but had in recent budget cycles. Auditors warned the university in its last three available audits that it was at risk of shutting down due to several financial challenges."

Martin University will shut down after the Board of Trustees announced closure following a December pause in operations, mass staff terminations, and encouragement for students to transfer. The board cited declining enrollment, increasing costs, and accumulated debt that left the university without sufficient operating cash. The Higher Learning Commission dispute of a trustee claim that HLC instructed closure was noted. The institution was the only predominantly Black university in Indiana and had faced long-term financial struggles, including a lost $5 million budget allocation, auditor warnings across three audits, a costly cyberattack, and enrollment declining from nearly 1,000 in 2010 to 223 in 2023.

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