University of Phoenix closing Merrillville campus
By Carole Carlson ccarlson@post-trib.com | 648-3154 October 22, 2012 4:40PM
University of Phoenix is closing more than 100 campuses nationwide including the one in Merrillville. | Jeffrey D. Nicholls~Sun-Times Media
Updated: October 26, 2012 3:48PM
MERRILLVILLE — The University of Phoenix is closing its Northwest Indiana campus along with more than 100 campuses across the country.
Spokesman Rick Castellano said Monday the campus at 8401 Ohio St. is no longer accepting new students, but will allow enrolled students to complete their degrees in the classroom or online. The campus has about 200 students.
If they choose to stay in the classroom, he said it would likely be in the current campus or one nearby. “We’ll have conversations with our students,” he said. The Indiana Commission on Higher Education could weigh in on the decision, he said.
“It’s more of a wind-down or phasing out,” Castellano said. “The doors aren’t closing tomorrow.”
Castellano said the shuttering of the Merrillville campus means the loss of 13 jobs.
Nationwide, 25 campuses and 95 satellite campuses will be closed.
The move comes after the school’s parent company, Apollo Group Inc., said last week its fiscal fourth-quarter net income declined 60 percent because of decreased enrollment and higher costs.
Castellano said the school has initiated a tuition freeze for classroom and online classes for current students.
