1 week Ago
ANN ARBOR, MI – Concordia University is slated to layoff 41 employees, including on its Ann Arbor campus, at the end of this school year as part of its ongoing consolidation and restructuring of academic programs. The private, Lutheran-based university notified the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity March 31 of its plans under Concordia University, Inc., representing CUAA and CU of Wisconsin.
The termination of employees becomes effective May 31 or within two weeks after, according to the notice. The university announced plans to eliminate athletic teams, as well as downsizing academic programs last year, while also shifting focus away from its Geddes Road presence. Although those plans have not been well supported among everyone in the wider CU Ann Arbor community, university administrators looked to dispel what they called a misnomer that the local campus was closing entirely during an interview March 25.
“It’ll be all academic, so there won’t be any athletics, which I think everyone knows that we’re finishing up our athletic season this spring,” said Michael Duffy, CUAA interim executive director. “Our online presence will stay. Our graduate programs up here are staying,” he said, referring to Concordia’s north building facilities off Plymouth Road.
“And then, slowly adding new academic programs kind of as (accrediting bodies) approve them.” Erin Laverick, CU’s associate vice president of academic and student success, said they were excited to refocus on hands-on learning experiences, “which we didn’t always have down on our central campus” in a few primary areas, including their doctorates of occupational therapy and physical therapy, as well as their physicians assistant program. CU struck teach-out agreements with two other colleges last fall — Madonna University in Livonia and Lourdes University in Sylvania, Ohio — to accommodate students looking to leave the downsized Ann Arbor campus after this year.
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