To the Temple community, 

As you know, just three months ago, the University of the Arts (UArts) suddenly announced that it would be closing its doors. As a hallmark of Philadelphia’s longstanding cultural traditions, there is no overstating what a tragedy the loss of UArts was for its students, the city, the region and the entire Commonwealth.

In the immediate aftermath of UArts’ closing, Temple University made its first priority clear: we worked diligently to ensure that all UArts students had a path to completing their studies. With the fall semester now underway, we are excited that more than 330 former and prospective UArts students have enrolled here at Temple, and we are greatly appreciative of our hardworking faculty and staff members who have worked tirelessly to meet these students where they are.

We also previously shared that we would explore all options and possible solutions that might help preserve the arts and the rich legacy of this 150-year-old institution. While we still maintain that commitment, the university will not be moving forward with a transaction at this time.

When we were first notified of the imminent closure of UArts, we had hoped to preserve as much of the institution’s legacy as possible. We moved swiftly to expedite a due-diligence process that, under normal circumstances, would have taken a year or more. We engaged external experts who are well-versed in complex higher education transactions. We also engaged in numerous conversations with the Office of the Governor, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Office of the Mayor and other regulators and state and local officials in search of a path forward. In pursuing a potential path, particularly as a state-related institution, we have an obligation to act responsibly with university resources, with our focus always being on carrying out our mission.

After an exhaustive effort by our internal and external team, we were unable to identify a solution that would be in the best interest of Temple’s community and mission.

We remain steadfast in our commitment to the UArts community. We have allocated our own financial aid dollars to ensure these students will pay no more in net tuition and required university fee costs than they would have at UArts. We have fast-tracked a new bachelor of fine arts in illustration and emerging media to support the interests of incoming UArts students. And our Division of Student Affairs has worked to create a cohort community for UArts students on two floors of Johnson and Hardwick Halls.

We will continue to explore opportunities with other non-profit organizations that might allow us to revitalize and activate UArts’ facilities. Our commitment to supporting the arts and education in the City of Philadelphia is unwavering, and once again, we want to thank all faculty and staff who have worked around the clock to support the talented UArts community.

Sincerely,

Richard M. Englert
President

Gregory N. Mandel
Senior Vice President and Provost

Ken Kaiser
Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer