Philadelphia City Councilmember Mark Squilla calls for investigation into closure of University of the Arts
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia City Councilmember Mark Squilla is calling for an investigation into the abrupt closure of the University of the Arts.
Squilla introduced a resolution Thursday that passed in City Council to hold hearings about the closure of UArts.
"It's up to us as elected officials to call for hearings to get down to the bottom of what is really going on," Squilla said. "How do we protect both the students and the staff and the people working there but also protect the city as a whole? The University of Arts is a big institution in the city of Philadelphia and we have to do everything in our power to save it and make sure that the process that was taken was done appropriately and all the answers that we're receiving are the correct answers."
Squilla said he was in "total shock" once the news about the school's closure was unveiled last week. He said the city will be looking into other opportunities, including the possibility of merging with other universities in the city and working with state and federal partners.
"We really need to hold people accountable," Squilla said. "We really need to look at the challenges it's created for the students and the staff and making sure we can provide them the answers they deserve in this process."
Earlier this week, two lawsuits were filed against UArts, including one from a group of faculty members who are part of the labor union United Academics of Philadelphia.
The school abruptly announced last week that it would be closing on Friday and university President Kerry Walk resigned on Tuesday.
UArts also abruptly canceled a town hall on Monday as students were searching for answers about the closure during a large demonstration on Broad Street.
As students and staff continue to search for basic answers, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education indicated that the reason the university is set to shut down is because of cash flow.
"I just want to know what happened and I want to know my employment status is," said Jean Murphy, who works at UArts. "I want to know when my paycheck will come. I want to know if I will get paid out for my vacation."
Squilla said he'll do everything he can to save UArts.
"We're with them here. The University of Arts is a treasure. Them being a student in the city of Philadelphia is something we want to protect, and give them every opportunity in the city of Philadelphia to go to school here. And the people who work there -- a lot of people spend their whole lives in that institution and we want to make sure that their backs are also protected and that by making sure we slow this process down and just don't take their answer and say, 'It's done, sorry it's done.' I think as an elected body we have more to say here and hopefully do whatever we can to put those protections in place."