Cardinal Stritch University In Fox Point Closing At End Of Semester

By Henry Redman, Wisconsin Examiner

April 11, 2023

Cardinal Stritch University, the private Catholic school in Fox Point that has been teaching students since 1937, will close at the end of the semester in May, the university’s president announced Monday.

“We’re all devastated by this development, but after examining all options this decision was necessary,” President Dan Scholz said in a video announcement. “I wish there was a different path we could pursue. However, the fiscal realities, downward enrollment trends, the pandemic, the need for more resources and the mounting operational and facility challenges presented a no-win situation.”

The university’s board of trustees recommended to the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi because the school “could no longer provide high-quality educational experiences our students deserve,” Scholz said.

The announcement comes after the university celebrated its 85th anniversary last summer.

Federal enrollment data shows that in the 2018-19 academic year, there were 2,400 students attending the university but that had dropped to 1,400 by fall 2021. Like many other small schools reliant on tuition dollars, the enrollment decline meant unsustainable losses in revenue.

The school offered 60 academic programs and was known for serving a diverse population of students. Enrollment data shows about a quarter of the student body was Black or Hispanic and about a third of the population received Pell Grants, which are reserved for students with the most financial need.

The university announced it would continue some programs through the summer to help students who are close to completing their graduation requirements. A graduation ceremony is still planned for this spring at the Wisconsin Center.

The closure of Cardinal Stritch marks the continued struggle of small schools across Wisconsin. In 2020, Holy Family College in Manitowoc announced it would be closing due to a combination of declining enrollment, rising operating costs and the COVID-19 pandemic. Holy Family had a student population of about 360 students at the time.

Last fall, the UW System announced the two-year campus at UW Richland would be closing to in-person classes this spring. That announcement has sparked a community effort to keep the public university campus open.

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