St. Andrews University in Laurinburg to close at the end of the spring semester
St. Andrews University, the small, private college in Laurinburg, will close in less than two weeks.
The university announced on Friday its plans to “cease operations” on May 5 at the end of the spring semester, “unless otherwise needed to support a smooth and compassionate transition.”
The decision came “after extensive financial analysis, strategic review and exhaustive recovery efforts,” per the announcement.
“For many years, St. Andrews has worked diligently to balance affordability, student experience, and academic quality,” the announcement read. “Despite these efforts and the steadfast dedication of its faculty, staff, students, and alumni, the financial realities of maintaining operations in Laurinburg have become unsustainable.”
The university, established in 1961 as a Presbyterian college, had struggled financially for years — decades, even — with enrollment dwindling to just a few hundred students in recent years.
The university lost its accreditation from the the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges in 2007, citing financial issues. In 2011, as St. Andrews sought to keep afloat, Webber International University of Florida acquired the Scotland County college, allowing it to regain accreditation.
St. Andrews is perhaps best known for its world-class equestrian program, which has continued to operate even as the school hit headwinds. Once home to a thriving liberal arts and humanities curriculum, the university slashed its offerings in those disciplines as its struggles mounted, according to reporting by Border Belt Independent and The Assembly.
Nelson Marquez, president of Webber International, said in a statement Friday that university officials “explored every viable path forward.”
“But the persistent financial and enrollment challenges facing St. Andrews could no longer be mitigated through internal solutions alone,” Marquez said. “This was a deeply painful but necessary decision.”
According to the university’s announcement, “transition plans are already underway to ensure continuity for students and support for faculty and staff.” Those efforts include developing “teach-out” plans with other accredited universities that will allow students to complete their degrees and providing “personalized transition guidance, including employment resources and benefit counseling” for faculty and staff.
Several students wrote on Facebook that they learned of the plans to close St. Andrews through the university’s announcement on the platform Friday.
This story was originally published April 25, 2025 at 1:18 PM with the headline "St. Andrews University in Laurinburg to close at the end of the spring semester."
