Cardinal Stritch president reveals more about the university's closing. Here's what we now know

The abrupt closure of Cardinal Stritch University at the end of this semester has left hundreds of students and employees with questions about what their futures may hold.

"I want to reassure you that we are doing our best to have answers for you," Cardinal Stritch President Dan Scholz said in a video announcing the Fox Point school's closure.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel interviewed Scholz on Wednesday, two days after the announcement.

Here's what we know:

Why is the school closing?

Cardinal Stritch has lost a massive number of students over the past 15 years. Federal education data show the school enrolled more than 6,000 students in the year before the Great Recession. That dropped to about 1,250 this year.

Fewer seats filled means fewer tuition dollars flowing into college coffers. That exacerbates the school's budget, which publicly available tax documents show has been running at a financial deficit for seven of the last eight years.

Scholz didn't provide the size of the school's deficit at the time of the announcement. At the request of the Journal Sentinel, a school spokesperson is working to obtain that number from the chief financial officer.

Did Cardinal Stritch consider merging with another school?

Yes, Scholz said. But the time it takes to merge and receive the proper accreditation is between 18 and 24 months, time he said Cardinal Stritch didn't have.

"We literally explored every option, and we worked with our Board of Trustees, obviously, very closely on this," he said. "We worked with my senior leadership team. We explored everything and way beyond what, probably, what most people think about, but in the end, this was the only pathway forward. If we could have done anything differently, we surely would've."

What was the timeline like for school leaders arriving at this decision to close? Why weren't students and staff notified sooner?

Technically, the Board of Trustees voted on the matter last week and then sent it to the Sisters of St. Francis for approval, Scholz said.

Given the state of the school's finances and enrollment, was this decision really made so quickly?

Scholz said he didn't know the exact timeline, but school leaders were probably debating all options as of a month ago.

"It had only been in the last few weeks that, you know, it's not like, it's not like we were trying to deceive anyone," he said. "It was the timeline that we were working with. We, we were constantly reviewing our financials, our enrollment data, trying to determine, you know, having all of these other options in front of us. It, it didn't become clear until really late."

Only a very tight circle of people knew about the discussion, Scholz said.

"The timing was really sensitive and, in the end, it happened fast," he said. "And that's what obviously made it so painful. But it took long because we tried every single option that we could think of. And once it was finally exhausted, we felt like we had, we had no other choice."

What's next for students?

Students close to completing graduation requirements may receive services this summer "to the extent financially possible," Scholz said.

For others, Cardinal Stritch is finalizing partnerships with local colleges and universities to relocate existing students. The school's academic advising staff and student counseling service center will be available during the transition to answer questions.

Which schools have transfer agreements with Cardinal Stritch?

About 30 schools have reached out, Scholz said April 12. The school is hoping to offer a complete list with details on the agreements next week. Some will be teach-out programs, which is when schools honor and accept students' existing credits. Others will be transfer programs, meaning not all credits may be accepted.

Some schools have confirmed they are offering transfer opportunities to Stritch students:

• Mount Mary University has a plan for Stritch students to transfer without losing any credits or class standing. An informational webinar will be held 7 p.m. April 27.

• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will offer Stritch students a free and streamlined admissions process. Those who enroll for the summer or fall terms will receive a $1,000 transition grant if they apply by June 1.

• Concordia University Wisconsin is offering direct admission and competitive financial aid packages for undergraduates. At the graduate level, Stritch students can expect tuition prices that are equal to or lower than their current programs, and all transfer credits will be accepted.

• Carroll University is developing “teach out” agreements for Stritch students with the goal that students graduate based on their current academic schedule. There will be a virtual meeting at 7 p.m. April 18 and an on-campus open house from 9-11:30 a.m. April 22.

• Marquette University will host a student transfer fair at Cardinal Stritch in the coming weeks.

• Alverno College is signing transfer agreements to accept Cardinal Stritch students at all degree levels. Financial aid directors at both schools are discussing how Alverno can match the educational costs for Cardinal Stritch students.

• UW-Whitewater will participate in Cardinal Stritch’s general transfer fair on April 21, at the Kliebhan Conference Center. The university is also holding virtual open house sessions on April 19 and April 21.

Will students receive the same financial aid award at the school where they transfer?

It depends, Scholz said. Cardinal Stritch is trying to establish agreements with other schools that would match their out-of-pocket costs.

But the costs of schools vary. For example, a student transferring to a school with a higher tuition rate may receive a larger financial award. But the goal is to keep the net cost to students similar to what they were at Cardinal Stritch.

What can students expect during the transfer process?

A college closure isn't without precedent in Wisconsin. Just a few years ago, another small, religious school − Holy Family College in Manitowoc − closed and nearby schools opened their doors.

In the days after Holy Family's announcement, the school signed transfer agreements with Alverno College, Mount Mary, Carroll University, Cardinal Stritch, Bellin College, Lakeland University, Marian University and the UW-Green Bay.

The agreements guaranteed admission to students in good academic standing, with a promise to accept all transfer credits and waive application fees. They also provided expedited academic and financial aid counseling.

What about Cardinal Stritch employees?

The roughly 200 employees who work for the school will need to to find jobs elsewhere. How much support they may receive from the school is unclear. Scholz vaguely said Cardinal Stritch will "work closely with (employees) on employment matters," and staff will continue to have access to the employee assistance program.

Mount Mary encouraged Cardinal Stritch faculty and staff to apply for vacant positions at their school.

Marquette is hosting a job fair at the Cardinal Stritch Conference Center 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 19 for employees to meet with Marquette hiring managers and human resources representatives.

What will happen to Cardinal Stritch's 40-acre campus?

The school owns the land and will likely eventually sell it to a commercial Realtor or perhaps another institution, Scholz said.

What about outside groups scheduled to host events on campus later this year?

Cardinal Stritch will try to honor all booked events but it will be handled on a case-by-case basis, Scholz said. The school's event coordinator is working with groups.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available. Have a question about Cardinal Stritch's closure? Email Milwaukee Journal Sentinel higher education reporter Kelly Meyerhofer at kmeyerhofer@gannett.com or call 414-223-5168.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What happens after Cardinal Stritch University closes in Milwaukee