URBANA — The closure of Urbana University will impact 321 jobs at the university, the majority coming from adjunct faculty and student workers, according to a WARN notice filed with the state by the university’s parent school Franklin University.
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“This closing is the result of and necessitated by the unforeseen and unprecedented Coronavirus pandemic and the associated governmental orders and business interruption, which has caused a significant adverse economic impact on the University,” the university wrote in the letter to the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services.
The university said the closing will be permanent and will result in the termination of all employees, with the exception of “a small number of direct placement transfers and a few others selected to transfer to Franklin University.”
The school publicly announced the closure of the Champaign County campus on Tuesday, the same day most of the terminations were scheduled to take place, according to the state notice.
Urbana University is a branch campus of Franklin University, based in Columbus.
“As a result of this decision, academic programming will be moved to Franklin University, while athletic offerings and on-site administrative roles will cease at the Urbana branch campus,” the university said.
The university previously reported 111 full-time employees were impacted by the closure.
“Those who will not continue at Franklin will be offered severance packages that include outplacement assistance to help with this difficult transition,” the university announced.
Urbana University currently has 1,254 students.
“Our highest priority is to ensure students experience a seamless transition of their academic studies and that our branch campus employees have the resources to make their transition as well,” said Dr. David Decker, President, Franklin University. “As institutions of higher education across the country struggle to identify ways to stay open, we will do all we can to help students identify the best alternative forward to fulfill their education goals in an affordable manner.”
Seventy-five percent of the students are enrolled in the College Credit Plus program, the Post-Baccalaureate Education program, the MBA-Healthcare program, and the London Correctional Institute program.
“These students will continue their studies uninterrupted and unchanged, as their instruction does not occur on the Urbana campus,” the school said.
The remaining 350 students are residential and commuter students who are currently completing the semester online.
“These students will be able to complete their academic programs online through Franklin University,” the university said. “Students who prefer to transfer to other institutions will be assisted in doing so. For students in the final stages of their studies, a flexible “teach out plan” (a plan for the completion of their academic program) will be developed.”
Urbana University was founded in 1850 and was acquired by Franklin University in 2014.
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