dpGREAT FALLS — The University of Providence will close at the end of the 2026–2027 academic year, university leaders announced Tuesday, after efforts to cut costs, increase enrollment and find a merger partner failed to produce a sustainable path forward.
WATCH: PROVIDENCE TO CLOSE AFTER CURRENT ACADEMIC YEAR
University of Providence to close after nearly 95 years in Great Falls
The Board of Trustees voted at 8:45 a.m. Tuesday to end educational operations. The final day of instruction will be Aug. 20, 2027. Some academic and administrative work will continue afterward to provide final grades, records and other student support.
The decision follows the university’s declaration of financial exigency earlier this year.
At an afternoon press conference, board chair Terry Cosgrove said negotiations over a possible alternative to closure continued through last week. He declined to identify potential merger or acquisition partners, citing nondisclosure agreements.
University leaders said restructuring academic programs, reducing expenses and pursuing new enrollment and revenue strategies eased immediate financial pressures but did not provide a viable long-term operating model.
Cosgrove said additional setbacks narrowed the university’s options: accreditation probation related to financial sustainability and the loss of authorization to serve online students in many states. The university remains accredited.
He credited financial support from Providence with keeping the school operating while leaders searched for a solution. The university has no debt, Cosgrove said, but needed more tuition revenue.
“We just needed to attract more students to make it viable,” he said. “And we tried, but we weren’t successful.”
Watch the full press conference below:
Full press conference: University of Providence closing
What happens to students?
President Dr. Caroline Goulet said the university’s priority is helping every currently enrolled student find a path to completing their degree.
Some students will be able to graduate from Providence before instruction ends. Others will need to transfer or complete their programs through teach-out agreements with partner institutions.
Those agreements will establish details about completing programs, including tuition and scholarships. Goulet said partner schools will be announced as agreements are signed.
Students will receive individual guidance from academic advisers, faculty, student services and financial aid staff. Registration will continue, and campus housing will remain available.
Goulet said the university will also assist students who choose to transfer independently, although that process may be less straightforward than moving through a formal teach-out agreement.
Montana University System offers help
The Montana University System announced Tuesday it will work with Providence to help students identify options for completing their degrees, including transferring to a public university campus.
The system said its goal is to help students build on their academic progress with as little additional disruption as possible.
Montana Commissioner of Higher Education Clayton Christian said students have already invested significant time, effort and resources in their education.
“You do not have to navigate this transition alone,” Christian said.
Students should begin by speaking with their Providence adviser. Those considering a Montana University System campus can explore programs, transfer options and campus contacts at mus.edu/providence, including opportunities in Great Falls and online.
For additional assistance, students can contact Angela DeWolf King, director of transfer and special projects, at [email protected] or 406-449-9143.
Athletes make up more than 75% of students
The university currently enrolls roughly 430 students, according to figures shared at Tuesday’s press conference. Goulet said more than 75% of the student body participates in athletics. There are 15 sports teams that compete in the Frontier and Cascade Conferences.
She said Argo teams will finish their current year of competition. The university will help student-athletes identify opportunities to complete their degrees and continue competing elsewhere, including through agreements with institutions that offer athletic programs.
Other schools have already expressed interest in Providence students and athletes, Goulet said. Where they go next will be each student’s decision.
University leaders said faculty, staff and students learned of the closure Tuesday morning, following the board’s vote.
Goulet said that when the university recruited athletes and met with their families, leadership believed the school would remain open.
Employees face transition
The university has approximately 115 faculty and staff members, according to Goulet.
Individual employee meetings will begin Wednesday, Oct. 28, to discuss employment timelines, compensation, benefits, transition responsibilities and available support.
The university is also arranging career transition assistance, guidance on unemployment resources and mental health support.
Board faculty representative and Interim Associate Provost Deborah Kottel, who began working at the school in 1980, said faculty were devastated by the decision but remained committed to helping students.
She said some students responded to the announcement by expressing concern for their teachers.
“They weren’t speaking about themselves,” Kottel said. “They were speaking about the faculty, and they were worried about us and our ability to move forward.”
Campus future undecided
No plans for the expansive 68-acre campus or its facilities were announced Tuesday.
Providence Health System Chief People Officer Greg Till said the immediate focus is supporting students and employees and maintaining the quality of education through the university’s final year.
Information about the property’s future will be shared when available, he said.
Founded in 1932 through the efforts of the Sisters of Providence, the Ursuline Sisters and the Catholic Bishop of Great Falls, the university expanded access to higher education at a time when opportunities for women were limited.
For decades, it was known as the College of Great Falls before being renamed to the University of Great Falls in 1995. In 2017, the institution was rebranded as the University of Providence through a partnership with Providence St. Joseph Health.
Cosgrove, a 1969 graduate of what was then the College of Great Falls, described the decision as personally difficult and credited faculty and staff with helping him complete his education.
The university says it will work with Providence Ministries to preserve its history, archives, traditions, and sacred and historical assets. Information about alumni records and transcripts will be provided in the coming months.
Updates will be posted at uprovidence.edu. Students, families and employees can send questions to [email protected].
(original report) The University of Providence will cease educational operations at the end of the 2026-2027 academic year, the university announced Tuesday.
The decision comes after the university’s Board of Trustees voted Tuesday to cease the school’s educational operations at the conclusion of the current academic year. The vote came after the university exhausted all viable paths forward, the school said.
The university’s final day of instruction will be Aug. 20, 2027.
Outside of educational instruction, the university will still have some academic and administrative activities that will continue beyond that Aug. 20 date to ensure students receive their final grades, academic records and more.
“We recognize the grief and uncertainty this decision will bring to students, families, employees, alumni and the Great Falls community,” said Dr. Caroline Goulet, president of the University of Providence. “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.”
The school said it will now focus on “maintaining a strong academic experience, helping students complete their degrees or transition to another institution, supporting faculty and staff with dignity and respect and stewarding the institution responsibly through closure.”
The closure comes after the university looked for a sustainable path forward over the past several years as enrollment continually declined and financial pressures increased. Before this decision, the university had restructured academic programs, reduced operating expenses, pursued new enrollment and revenue strategies and explored potential partnerships with other institutions.
“For nearly 95 years, the University of Providence has been an important Catholic ministry,” said Terry Cosgrove, chair of the Board of Trustees. “While this chapter of the University’s history is ending, its mission and impact will endure through the generations of graduates, faculty, staff, Sisters and partners who have carried the spirit of Providence into their communities. We are committed to honoring that legacy with the same compassion, dignity and integrity that have guided the University since its founding.”
For current students who won’t finish their degrees before the university closes, the university has approved a teach-out arrangement with a partner institution or transfer to another college, based on their program, progress and individual circumstances.
The school is also setting up individual meetings with all employees Wednesday, Oct. 28 to provide information about employment timelines, compensation and more.
“Our employees have served this institution and its students with dedication, often through exceptionally difficult circumstances,” Goulet said. “Their contributions are an enduring part of the University’s legacy. They deserve our gratitude, timely information and thoughtful support as they navigate this transition.”
The University of Providence was founded in 1932 by a collaborative effort between the Sisters of Providence, the Ursuline Sisters and the Catholic Bishop of Great Falls.
“While we let go with heavy hearts, the mission and spirit of Providence will continue to live on through graduates of this fine institution and the faculty and staff who have served so well over the years,” said Mary Anne Sladich-Lantz, president of Providence Ministries.
