University officials of Saint Xavier have confirmed that the school’s Orland Park campus will be ceasing operations indefinitely and immediately. The closure comes amid recent tuition hikes and financial burdens weathered by the University.
The location, built on donated land with a tax-exempted bond, joins the former Arizona campus of superfluous facilities that Saint Xavier has closed down.
Daniel Klotzbach, Saint Xavier’s Chief Financial Officer, commented that the closure of the facility has been in the pipeline for quite a bit of time. “The background is that the Orland Park campus had been for sale for a couple years… This past spring, the decision was made to not offer any classes there after March of 2018,” said Klotzbach.
The CFO adding that the University has no plans to reclaim the campus in the future.
The facility, as Klotzbach stated, has been sold to Tinley Park-based buyers that intend on using the building to give back to the community.
“We sold [the campus] to Community Services Foundation (CSF). It is a non-profit organization… and their mission is ‘To develop and create opportunities for individuals with disabilities that will support and inspire independence,’” said Klotzbach.
The CFO also mentions that CSF plans to move all of their offices and services to the location. CSF, for their part, have begun to remodel the interiors of the buildings.
The University’s reasoning for the closure boiled down to the simple budgetary constraints that the Orland Park campus imposed, with Klotzbach noting the impracticalities of the campus based on its usage.
“There were only a handful of classes being offered there and the facility was underutilized. The cost of maintaining the facility outweighed the revenue that we could generate there,” said Klotzbach.
Despite the closure, officials have stated that the loss of the campus will not affect the educational progress of students that attended classes at the location.
SXU President Laurie Joyner made it explicitly clear that the closure would not be disruptive. “Our first priority in making the decision to sell was to ensure that it was not disruptive to students,” said Joyner.
Klotzbach mirrored the thought, remarking that “there was no unique or special programming at Orland Park” and that the Orland Park location was redundant. “Nearly all of the students who attended classes at Orland Park also attended classes on the Chicago Campus… All current students who attended classes at Orland Park in the past have been able to continue [and] complete their studies on our Chicago campus,” said Klotzbach.
This sentiment is reflected in some students that are aware of the closing, with those in the know unsure as to how the closing has affected the Chicago campus’ operations.
“I didn’t even know anyone that went there… I’m not sure how it impacted [Chicago] students’ day-to-day schedules,” said Jazmin Quinones, a Senior Education major.
If anything, the campus closure was received as a boon by administration officials, with Klotzbach and Joyner highlighting the fact that the University will be able to lift some of the financial burdens it has accrued throughout the years.
“We will be able to eliminate costs associated with operating the facility. In addition, the proceeds of the sale are being used to pay off the bonds we issued to construct the facility,” said Klotzbach.
Nevertheless, Klotzbach pointed out that despite the aid the transaction brings, the University was ultimately unable to generate a profit.
“… All of the proceeds had to be used to pay off the bond debt which we incurred when the building was built,” said Klotzbach.
Understandably, some students are skeptical towards the projected long-term benefits of the sale, citing other program cuts and closures that the school has made before the Orland Park campus.
“I think it looks negatively for the school… if they were trying to save money, I think they would’ve closed the Orland Park campus first before programs,” said Quinones.
For clarity, Quinones’ own Education program was folded into the College of Arts and Sciences after the School of Education was deemed too small a program to dedicate an entire branch of the University.
“It lessens the prestige of the school,” said Quinones of the fate of the School of Education. She further opined that she was hesitant on the tangible benefits the campus closure held for students.
Regardless, the CFO elucidated upon the benefits of this transaction further, observing that the sale will “reduce the University’s debt and annual debt service” so that SXU will accumulate less interest over time.
“…The closing will help to reduce operating costs. This reduction of expenses helps to make an SXU education more affordable,” said Klotzbach.
Joshua Mira
News Editor
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