Fontbonne University in Missouri to close due to budget problems and declining enrollment

By JIM SALTER
Associated Press

A century-old university near St. Louis will shut down next year. The president of Fontbonne University, in Clayton, Missouri, said Monday that the school will close due to declining enrollment and ongoing budget problems. Fontbonne was founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1923, first as a place to educate young Catholic women. Enrollment for the fall semester was 874 students, down sharply from a decade ago. Public and private colleges and universities across the country have announced mass layoffs in recent months, as well as program eliminations and campus closures.