The University of Providence Board of Trustees voted on Oct. 27 to cease operations at the end of the current school year, “after exhausting all viable paths forward.”

The final day of instruction is Aug. 20, 2027, which is the end of the summer session, according to the university, but some academic and administrative activities will continue beyond that date to ensure students receive their final grades, academic records and other necessary support.

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“We recognize the grief and uncertainty this decision will bring to students, families, employees, alumni and the Great Falls community,” Dr. Caroline Goulet, UP president, said in a release. “Our responsibility now is to care for the people who make up this university community, maintain the quality of their educational experience, and provide clear guidance and support as they prepare for what comes next.”

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In December 2025, the university’s board declared financial exigency so it could make substantial organizational changes, specifically reductions in operational spending, personnel structure and academic offerings, in the hopes of staving off closure.

The university’s efforts in response to declining enrollment and increasing financial pressures included restructuring academic programs, reducing operating expenses, pursuing new enrollment and revenue strategies and exploring potential partnerships with other institutions.

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“These actions eased immediate pressures but did not produce a viable long-term operating model,” according to a UP release.

According to UP, it joins about 49 other public and private nonprofit colleges that have closed or announced plans to close since 2020 and about nine nonprofit colleges have announced they’ll cease operation in 2026.

UP’s board and sponsors considered a range of options in recent months, including merger and acquisition.

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Some students will be able to complete their degree at UP and others will be able to use an “approved teach-out arrangement with a partner institution of higher education or transfer to another college or university, based on their academic program, progress toward completion and individual circumstances,” according to UP.

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UP told faculty and staff about the closure the morning of Oct. 27 and in a release, officials said individual meetings with all employees will start Oct. 28 to provide details about employment timelines, compensation and benefits, responsibilities during the transition and available support resources.

The university was founded in 1932 and currently serves:

• 630 total students on campus and online
• 397 campus students
• 281 students living on campus
• 541 undergraduate students
• 89 graduate students
• 15 athletic teams, 8 women and seven men
• 312 student athletes
• 23 coaches
• 244 employees
  • 93 full-time staff
  • 7 part-time staff
  • 41 full-time faculty
  • 103 adjunct faculty

The university will work to preserve its institutional records and “sacred and historical assets,” providing information in the coming months about alumni records, transcripts and ways for alumni to remain connected.

The university release did not include information about future plans for its buildings and property, including the university center that was completed in 2019 as part of a $25 million campus-wide project.

*University of Providence photo