Stratford University Closing Its Campuses

Stratford University announced it will close its campuses at the end of the term.

The Virginia-based university made the announcement in an email sent to students on Friday.

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According to school officials, the Department of Education decertified their accreditor and the department stopped them from enrolling new students. Officials said without those new students, they don't have the money to continue operations.

Stratford University first became at risk of losing its accreditation in February 2020, News4 reported at the time.

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In the email to students, university president Dr. Richard R. Shurtz said he was making the announcement with a “heavy heart.” He said “unfortunate circumstances" led up up to the decision.

"We worked hard to save the school, leaving no stone unturned. We almost had an investor from Silicon Valley, but the actions of the Department made the deal impossible,” Shurtz said.

There will be a series of meetings in the coming weeks to help students choose a transfer school. The first is on Monday at the Alexandria campus.