Concordia University Ann Arbor has formally entered into teach out partnerships with Lourdes University and Madonna University, Catholic institutions located in Sylvania, Ohio, and Livonia, Michigan, respectively.
In June 2024, Concordia’s leadership team shared the difficult news that, due to financial uncertainties facing the university, the portfolio of offerings at CUAA will be significantly reduced starting in academic year 2025-26.
Concordia leaders have been working to ease CUAA students’ transition and see them successfully complete their academic programs. As required by institutional accreditation, Vice President for Student Success Elizabeth Polzin, EdD, has secured these teach out and transfer options through partnerships with schools in geographical proximity to CUAA.
Representatives from the two schools will be on Concordia’s campus in the near future to meet with interested CUAA students.
Madonna and Lourdes are the first universities to sign a formal agreement with Concordia. Polzin said she is continuing to work with at least two other institutions in hopes of additional teach out agreements in upcoming months.
“Madonna and Lourdes were quick to seek ways to serve our impacted students and offer opportunities for program completion,” Polzin said. “We are pleased to provide students with institutional options that have a reputation of academic excellence and are committed to student success.”
Lourdes University Visit
October 30 & 31
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Outside the Cafeteria
November 6
11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. | Outside the Cafeteria
Info Session TBD (Check your email for details)
Madonna University Visit
October 28 & 29
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Outside the Cafeteria
October 29 (Informational Session)
3-5 p.m. | Science 102
What is a teach out agreement?
Teach out agreements are official arrangements made between institutions when one institution decides to discontinue an academic program. The primary goal is to ensure students can continue and complete their education with minimal disruption. To that end, teach outs often come with a provision that the partner university will match net tuition costs, as well as the expected timeline for program completion.
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) must ultimately approve teach out agreements. Polzin will submit a provisional plan to HLC once all teach out agreements are signed.
“We have been working closely with our HLC Liaison to ensure we meet expectations for teach out procedures and care for our students,” Polzin said. “We don’t anticipate any impediments to formalizing these agreements once they are signed by the universities involved.”
How does a teach out differ from a transfer option?
Concordia is also working to secure transfer partnerships as another option for CUAA students. Transfer options differ from teach out agreements in that they do not require HLC approval. As a result, a transfer institution is not required to guarantee such things as automatic admission, fixed tuition costs, or a compatible timeline for program completion. However, many of CUAA’s transfer partners have opted to ensure some of these, so it is still advantageous for Concordia students to explore transfer schools as a viable option, said Polzin. In some instances, a transfer school could end up offering a more advantageous package than what is typical for transfer students.
Currently, Concordia has transfer agreements with the schools listed below. More schools will be added to the list before the academic year ends. For the most up-to-date transfer information, visit cuaa.edu/teachout.
- University of Illinois Springfield
- Wayne State University
- Walsh College
- Concordia University Chicago (coming soon)
Another ‘guaranteed admission/matched aid’ option
Because of CUAA’s relationship with Concordia University Wisconsin, Ann Arbor students also have an opportunity to continue their studies on the CUW campus. Advantages of transferring to CUW include:
- Automatic admission (no need to reapply)
- Total amount of institutional aid awarded at CUAA will be matched at CUW
- Guaranteed roster spot for all athletes (excluding men’s and women’s hockey)
If students are interested in transferring to CUW, they should start by completing this form.
Learn more
A list of the currently approved teach out programs through Madonna and Lourdes is accessible on CUAA’s Teach Outs webpage (linked below). Teach out and transfer updates will continue to be shared on this page throughout the 2024-25 academic year. Click below to access more complete information or to view the latest updates.