Squamish’s Quest University ‘suspending’ programs citing financial instability
Posted February 24, 2023 10:29 am.
Last Updated February 24, 2023 11:15 am.
Quest, a private non-profit university in B.C., is suspending classes at the end of the current term as it struggles with financial security.
In a statement Thursday evening, the university says it will finish providing programming in April 2023 “so the Board and the Executive can focus on restructuring finances and operations.”
“The University will continue current operations through the Spring and then undertake an evaluation as to when it may be able to resume future enrollments and full academic programming,” the university wrote.
Several factors contributed to the Feb. 22 decision, the university says, citing that it has been “unable to secure” additional funding required to operate past the spring.
“As a result, the Board concluded that it had no alternative but to make the responsible decision it has at this time,” Quest said.
“The Board’s first priority is to protect our current and prospective students. It is not prepared to continue offering our innovative programming if the University cannot confidently deliver the full 2023/24 academic year.”
Quest says its focus now is to support graduating students in completing their studies in the spring and helping other students transfer credits to other universities.
“A number of transfer agreements have been established with other schools and students will receive one-on-one assistance to transition their credits to other post-secondary institutions. Prospective students that have paid application fees or made enrollment deposits for September 2023 will be refunded those fees,” it said.
