Mercyhurst University Decides Not to Build West County Campus
March 21st, 2013
It's been nearly 8 years since Mercyhurst University announced plans to build a campus in West County.
It looks like those plans will not come to fruition.
We were told that lower enrollment than first anticipated was one of the reasons the West County campus will not happen.
It was April of 2005 that Mercyhurst officials announced they would be building a West County campus in Girard.
The next year, university officials purchased the former Faith Lutheran Church on East Main Street to be used as a temporary facility until several buildings could be constructed on the 400 acres that once housed the Divine World Seminary.
But in an e-mail to Mercyhurst faculty and trustees, it was announced that the Mercyhurst administration is considering phasing out its program in the West County after May of 2014, this would give the 22 students already enrolled time to complete their programs.
The programs now at Mercyhurst West would be moved to the North East campus.
The lack of students seemed to be the final nail in the West County campus.
Besides the lack of student enrollment, the economy also played a part.
The university will hold onto the 400 acres.
According to the e-mail, a geological study showed the property grounds contain potential commercial hydrocarbons like gas and oil, but there are no plans at this time to drill.
It's been nearly 8 years since Mercyhurst University announced plans to build a campus in West County.
It looks like those plans will not come to fruition.
We were told that lower enrollment than first anticipated was one of the reasons the West County campus will not happen.
It was April of 2005 that Mercyhurst officials announced they would be building a West County campus in Girard.
The next year, university officials purchased the former Faith Lutheran Church on East Main Street to be used as a temporary facility until several buildings could be constructed on the 400 acres that once housed the Divine World Seminary.
But in an e-mail to Mercyhurst faculty and trustees, it was announced that the Mercyhurst administration is considering phasing out its program in the West County after May of 2014, this would give the 22 students already enrolled time to complete their programs.
The programs now at Mercyhurst West would be moved to the North East campus.
The lack of students seemed to be the final nail in the West County campus.
Besides the lack of student enrollment, the economy also played a part.
The university will hold onto the 400 acres.
According to the e-mail, a geological study showed the property grounds contain potential commercial hydrocarbons like gas and oil, but there are no plans at this time to drill.
