SAN MARCOS, Calif. (KGTV) — Students and faculty were shocked and had more questions than answers after the University of Saint Katherine in San Marcos abruptly announced its closure.
While the university says the shutdown will occur at the end of the semester on May 18, students and teachers say classes are done effective immediately. Saint Katherine has around 300 students and lists 43 faculty members.
“No one was warned. The plug was just pulled around 4 o’clock yesterday, and the rest is, quite literally, history," said junior Ethan Penrod.
“It just feels so impersonal. It feels like we’ve been abandoned and just been completely left to figure this out on our own," added junior Josh Citron.
SKU President and Founder Frank J Papatheofanis declined an ABC 10News request for an interview. However, in an email, he said university leaders had aggressively sought funding for two years:
"Our Board learned of a dramatic change in our finances just two weeks ago and tried again to find the funds to keep us open. The students were informed as soon as the decision was reached."
Students and faculty are trying to figure out what happens next. Throughout Friday, students arrived seeking answers about their grades for the current semester, how they apply for transfers and whether their credits are transferable to other universities.
Complicating factors is that nearly all SKU students are also athletes. If they wish to continue their athletic careers, they need to not only find a school that will accept transfers at this point in the academic calendar but also have their sport with open spots and potential scholarship money available.
In an email from Papatheofanis to students obtained by ABC 10News, he listed several other Christian schools that he says have committed to take SKU transfers. He also points out that as an accredited university, SKU credits are transferable to other schools, based on their policies. And students who are living in university-arranged housing can remain through May, provided rent is paid.
Students who arrived at the university offices on the second floor of an office building along the 78 freeway found few people available to answer their questions.
Several professors who were there to begin packing their belongings attempted to help and offered assistance as references or recommendation letters. However, those professors are now also out of work.
"They’re not getting any money to help us, so that’s the gray area right now is just hoping that they will be able to help us despite being off the payroll," Citron said.
Several students and professors say they believe the commencement ceremony in May will continue as scheduled.
In his email to students, Papatheofanis said all students will also be assigned a final independent study project and that he is working on a plan to offer credit to students who have just one additional semester of school remaining so they can graduate in May.
