Tulane campus closing in Madison
Tulane University announced plans Thursday to shutter its Madison campus.
University President Michael A. Fitts and Suri Duitch, vice president for Academic Innovation and dean of Continuing Studies, emailed students Thursday that the campus of School of Continuing Studies would be closing at the end of the spring semester, pending approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
An explanation for the decision was not provided in the email, but Fitts and Duitch stated the move would allow the School of Continuing Studies "to focus more attention on its New Orleans and Gulf Coast campuses, and on online programs, where we believe there are great opportunities for our current and future students."
Jackson State University also has a Madison campus.
Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler did not return repeated calls for comment.
In 2013, when JSU announced plans to open a Madison campus, Butler and Tulane University officials petitioned the state College Board to rescind what they called the "premature" approval of Jackson State University's plans to open a Madison campus.
Butler said at the time that the city wanted to make sure that JSU would not compete for students with Tulane, which opened a Madison branch in 2010 after the city approached the New Orleans university about locating there.
"We worked very hard to get one of the top 50 universities in this city, and I don't want to see anything detrimental to their success," Butler had said in January 2013.
Tulane's email to students said they have several options that may include taking online courses at the university's School of Continuing Studies, continuing at another SCS campus or transferring to another institution.
Belhaven University, located in Jackson, has agreed to match tuition at the School of Continuing Studies.
"To provide SCS Madison students with a pre-arranged option to finish degrees locally, we have built a unique partnership with Belhaven University because of the similarity of Tulane’s and Belhaven’s curricula, the availability of flexible programming at Belhaven, and Belhaven’s proximity to Madison," the email stated.
Belhaven University President Roger Parrott said Belhaven was committed to making a "smooth transition" for Tulane students.
"We want to serve them well," Parrott said. "Tulane has done a good job in Madison so we want to make sure we give (the students) that same level of high service and academics at the quality we’re used to."
According to the email, those who have completed the residence requirement for graduation from Tulane may finish their coursework in a comparable degree program at Belhaven or another institution and upon completion reapply to Tulane to transfer credits and apply for a Tulane degree. Tulane will evaluate the application for a degree in accordance with the graduation requirements in effect at the time of the application.
Sherry Chance, assistant dean at the Madison School of Continuing Studies campus, planned to hold two meetings with students on the Madison campus. One was scheduled for Thursday. Another is set for 5:30 p.m. Monday. Parrott will also be at the Monday meeting.
Contact Sarah Fowler at sfowler@gannett.com or 601-961-7303. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.