Why some University of the Arts students were granted diplomas after the school's closure
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Jimmy Butterfield was excited to finish his undergraduate studies at the University of the Arts. After completing three years, the Wilmington native said he had three more semesters to go to earn his two degrees: one in music performance (saxophone) and the other in MBET, the school's Music Business, Entrepreneurship & Technology program. After the school closed last month, like many students, he had to scramble to figure out where he would complete his undergraduate degrees.
Now, he won't have to. He got his diploma mailed this month. It's a year earlier than he thought he'd get it.
Butterfield and several of his friends received emails on June 21 from the University Registrar's office saying:
Greetings,
We are pleased to inform you that, following a detailed review of your academic records, it has been determined that you have completed all outstanding degree requirements. MSCHE has given us conditional approval to confer degrees, and we will be processing your degree today.
Diploma orders will be placed on Monday, June 24, 2024, and you can expect a shipping notification to be sent to your personal email address around Monday, July 8, 2024.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us.
Butterfield says he and his fellow students in similar situations were somewhat confused. He had roughly 11 credits left to complete his MBET degree and three semesters of saxophone lessons left to complete his saxophone performance degree. He said he was pleasantly surprised to receive a diploma from the now-defunct institution, but it comes with mixed emotions.
"I would've never expected it to pan out this way, but I couldn't be more grateful with how it did," Butterfield said. "But it's just very bittersweet because it just feels like there's a stain on it."
Monday, CBS News Philadelphia received an email confirmation from Franklyn Cantor, the chief of staff at UArts, saying, "We were able to confer degrees to 133 additional students who had completed their degree requirements."
Butterfield says he was signed up for more classes to complete his MBET degree, such as Advanced Mixing and Mastering and Advanced Microphone Techniques. And he doesn't understand the timeline for receiving his diploma, which is signed by former UArts President Kerry Walk. After all, he received the email about his degree being conferred more than a week after Walk resigned. But at the same time, he's not going to question it.
"I'm super grateful to have my diploma," he said.
Butterfield is now enrolled at Temple University to pursue his Master's degree starting this fall.
Meanwhile, another rising senior, Stevie Reynolds, is transferring to Temple University in order to complete undergraduate studies.
Reynolds was pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting at the University of the Arts and a minor in musical theater. Now, the 21-year-old is going to earn a Bachelor of Arts in acting at Temple, since the school doesn't offer an acting BFA.
"It's really difficult that I worked so hard to get a BFA, and I'm receiving a lesser degree," Reynolds said.
But for the New Hope, Minnesota, native, it's the loss of community that hurts the most.
"I don't have family out here," Reynolds said. "The family I've created in Philly came from UArts, and it feels like my family is starting to like fracture a little bit. I have people going to school all over the East Coast now. We're all separating."
Reynolds, too, is feeling mixed emotions about the lack of closure.
"I'm feeling conflicted because I want to be excited because the Temple people have been so nice to us, like they're welcoming us with open arms, but it's hard to be excited right now," Reynolds said.