Martin University is the only predominantly black university in Indiana.
Martin University plans to cease operations at the end of this semester.
College officials called the move a “pause” but stopped short of calling it a closure. They attributed the pause to financial challenges, declining enrollment and a lack of donations.
“The Board of Trustees has announced a suspension of operations at the end of the semester. No final decision has been made on a permanent closure. Discussions continue regarding how to advance Martin’s mission,” Martin spokesperson Keona Williams wrote Inside higher education Via email.
While official language suggests a pause, it seems unlikely Martin will resume operations given the financial challenges it faces and historical precedent, which suggests institutions rarely revive after ceasing operations. Some colleges, like Knoxville College, are bucking the trend. The historically black college in Tennessee suspended operations in 2015, reopened in 2018 and is currently working to regain accreditation.
In light of Martin’s financial struggles, Board of Trustees Chairman Joseph Perkins noted in a press release that the private university needs “more community support,” especially for “first-generation college students who are courageously fighting to give their families a better life.” Martin is seeking donations to keep operations going through December. The college’s president, Sean L. Huddleston, resigned late last month.
If Martin closes, Indiana will lose its only predominantly black institution.
The decision to suspend operations comes as Martin’s has teetered on the edge of closure for years and received warnings in three recent public audits that the company could collapse due to significant financial challenges in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, the University’s enrollment has declined. While enrollment has stabilized, it has not yet returned to the University’s pre-pandemic levels. The University incurred additional liabilities during the year due to additional borrowings deemed necessary by management and the Board of Trustees to operate, including the use of restricted funds to meet operational needs,” the auditors wrote.
Its latest audit also noted that Martin “experienced a major cyberattack that resulted in widespread damage to university records and required significant resources to operate and recreate university records,” which “considered significant time and effort due to staff turnover and instability within the finance and operations teams.”
Enrollment has also declined significantly in recent years, as auditors noted.
Martin College had nearly 1,000 students in fall 2010, but by fall 2023 it had just 223 students, according to federal enrollment data.
Founded in Indianapolis in 1977, Martin’s website states that its mission is to “serve low-income, minority and adult learners,” with the majority of its students being black and female over the age of 25. The university is named in honor of civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. and St. Martin de Porres, a Peruvian saint who worked for racial harmony in the 16th and 17th centuries.
