Siena Heights University announced on Monday that it will be closing at the end of the 2025-26 academic year. The institution said the decision is due to its “financial situation, operational challenges, and long-term sustainability.”

Siena Heights University first opened as a Catholic institution in 1919 by the Adrian Dominican Sisters. It offered classes both on campus and online. Its online programming course ranked high in the U.S. News and World Report.

Although most of its 1800 students took classes on campus, Siena Heights University also has centers in other parts of Michigan, such as Dearborn, Benton Harbor, Monroe, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, Lansing and Jackson, according to CBS News.

“For 105 Years, Siena Heights University has been a beacon of light in a world sometimes cast in darkness,” president Dr. Douglas B. Palmer said in a statement. “The spirit of Siena Heights will continue long after the institution itself closes its doors because it lives in every graduate, faculty member, and staff person who has been on campus – whether in-person or online.”

Why is Siena Heights University closing?

Senior leadership cited financial strain and operational challenges, as well as difficulty regarding long-term sustainability.

“Despite the dedication of our board, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and supporters, continuing operations beyond the coming academic year is no longer feasible,” a statement read.

The number of students enrolled had dropped in the last two decades. The university listed over 2,300 students in fall 2008 and over 1,800 by 2023, according to MLive.

Yet, Siena Heights University announced that it had welcomed the largest freshman class in its history last August. Among the 445 students, over 100 entered the university via the Brain Gain program, a tuition-free opportunity that helps Michigan high school students pursue an education in private institutions.

Over 90% of undergraduate students also received financial aid, according to the school’s website.

What happens next for Siena Heights University students?

The university said it plans on continuing activities as usual for the 2025-2026 academic year. Students can expect a regular schedule regarding athletics, residential life, spring 2026 commencement and other community events.

“We are deeply grateful to the faculty, staff, students, and alumni who have worked hard decade after decade to make Siena Heights an incredibly special place,” Dr. Palmer said. “We look ahead to the next academic year planning all the activities one would normally get including athletics, residential life, and great events that we share with our alumni and entire community.”

The Siena Heights University president said students’ academic progress remains a top priority.

“We are already working on a list of academic partners who are prepared to take your full academic credit, to facilitate your transfer and to ensure that there is no interruption to your academic progress,” he added, according to MLive.