Concordia, Portland to Close.

• https://www.cu-portland.edu/news/concordia-university-portland-ceases-operations-after-spring-2020-semester
• Concordia University-Portland’s Board of Regents voted that the university will cease operations at the end of the Spring 2020 academic semester
  
• Saturday, April 25, 2020, will mark the commencement ceremony for the final graduating class of Concordia University – Portland
  Saturday, May 2, 2020, will mark the commencement ceremony for the graduating class of Concordia University School of Law
• The Board’s decision came after years of mounting financial challenges, and a challenging and changing educational landscape. Although the Board would have liked the facts to have been different, Regents came to their decision because they believed that it is in the best interest of the students, faculty, staff and community of Concordia University-Portland.
• The Board made this decision to prioritize the well-being of students, faculty and staff, and fulfill its fiduciary obligations. In the Board’s best judgment, a thoughtful and orderly closure process offers the best possible outcome for all affected parties.
• Throughout this process, students, faculty and staff will remain our top priority. We are committed to transitioning students into new institutions that fit their educational needs and helping faculty and staff transition to the next phase of their professional lives.
• Concordia University-Portland is hardly alone in facing such difficulties. In recent years, many small, private, liberal arts colleges have closed owing to financial pressures and other factors, such as low enrollments and small endowments. Religiously affiliated colleges have been particularly hard hit
• The Northeast Portland campus has been part of the Portland community for more than a hundred years.  Upon closure, the University will return to Northeast property to the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and one of our lenders, the Lutheran Church Extension Fund.    We expect they will seek a buyer for the 24-acre campus property. 
• Upon closure of the University, we will sell the law school campus property in Boise.  We are in active conversations with several institutions that share similar missions and core values with the Concordia University – Portland, to provide options for law students to make a smooth transition and complete their degree.  Those conversations are ongoing, and we will keep you apprised as more information becomes available. 

• For the most up to date information, please visit https://cu-portland.edu/closure

Editor’s Note – Stay tuned to Steadfast as we will give some analysis of this situation in the coming days.