John F. Kennedy University in Pleasant Hill is closing at the end of 2020, university officials announced Thursday.
JFK University, located on Ellinwood Way in Pleasant Hill, was founded in 1965 and has been affiliated with Southern California-based National University since 2009, and will transfer nearly all of its programs to other schools in that university’s system beginning in July.
The school’s acting president Thomas Stewart and board of trustees chair Michael McGill wrote in a letter that the closure was a result of the changing landscape of higher education in the U.S.
“More and more students, particularly the adult learners that we serve, seek flexible and affordable online educational opportunities that allow them to learn wherever and whenever they want to fit their busy schedules,” the letter said. “We all are being challenged to adapt to meet those needs.”
JFK’s graduate psychology programs will be integrated as degree offerings at National University, while its College of Law will move to Northcentral University in San Diego and carry on its name as the JFK School of Law at NCU, according to the university.
The only programs being discontinued are the associate in arts program and certificate in Trauma Studies.
Is this supposed to be a big deal? That school always seemed kind of gimmicky. I wouldn’t think it would be newsworthy.
It is good to know that I can always come to the Claycord comments section and get the truth from some anonymous contributor!
Well, he does make a good point. Colleges have become unaffordable and completely divorced from the cost of living. Degrees aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on.
All the more reason to allow student loan forgiveness through bankruptcy once again.
Absolutely false to say that degrees aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on. My degree got me into a very lucrative career that I wouldn’t be in without.
Maybe if your degree was from the 70’s, when higher education was affordable and didn’t shackle parents and kids with burdensome debt.
Talk to the kids at the Art Institute and tell me about their prospects going forward, Foo.
My degree is in electrical engineering, from 2017.
The “Art Institute” kids were misled and conned into thinking they needed degrees to be an artist.
You can try to make me the bad guy all you want, but I’m 29 years old and I managed to do just fine.
JFK University filled a specialized need for intensive graduate work in several scholastic disciplines. It had a nice long run, but circumstances have changed for many private educational disciplines.
I have enormous love and respect for Lind and Neil Higgins, who worked so very hard to found the university.
They have been having financial issues for years. Nice try though.
Strange, I guess the comment I was responding to was deleted. Now my comment looks out of place. Oh well….
Good. This “school” should close. I have worked with some of the MH folks they release into the world and it is not doing the world a service. I have never seen less prepared people.
I bet they say the same thing about you……. where did you go?
Jia… Lol. An actual accredited college and graduate school. I’m a doctor, so there’s that.
Doctor, it hurts when I do this, . . .
A psychology graduate of JFKU employed in Human Resources at UC Berkeley told me “they’d let anybody in,” her words not mine.
LOL I thought this “University” campus closed its doors during the last recession in 2008. In the business world a four year degree from JFK “University” ranked right below a degree from Control Data Institute (“Your future is just a phone call away”) of the 1970’s or Healds Business College of the 1980-1990’s here is the Bay Area.
Frankly a two year Associated Arts degree from DVC holds more weight and desirability, in the business community; than any degree that JFKU pumped out over the decades.
That’s pretty ignorant. Do you even know what degrees they have?
Dude, you can’t write, spell or punctuate! Your authority is suspect!
I earned my MA in business at JFKU, and taught there after. The faculty ranked right up there with those at other post-grad schools I attended.
JFKU filled an important niche for working adult learners, who represent over 30% of all college students today.
I am not naive enough to believe something doesn’t exist, just because I’ve never heard of it, but a Masters of Arts in business seems rather counter-intuitive.
Does anyone know if their San Jose campus will also be closing?
Yes, the San Jose campus is closing. JFKU as a whole is closing. The majority of programs are going to affiliates.
My law instructor at DVC told us that he attended Lewis & Clark Law School in Oregon & got his law degree, then passed the California Bar. He then took a few classes at JFK Law School because those classes interested him & he said JFK Law School prepared him more for real-world trials than his own law school ever did.
Just a story to share!
I graduated from the JFKU Orinda campus in 1990 and did very well with my degree. I also went on to get my Masters at Hayward State and graduated top in my class so it looks like they prepared me well for the world. JFKU always had top professors and extremely knowledgeable instructors in their field. Those of you saying rude and ignorant comments don’t know what you are talking about. Maybe you could use an education. I, for one, will miss their presence in our county.
kche;
You are to be commended for using such excellent grammar and punctuation, a rarity on claycord.com.
My degree was fulfilllig and relevant. My instructors were professionals in the fields they taught. I am proud of my degree – Glenn Seaborg was the commencement address, and Robert Fisher the dean. Class folks. Maybe it’s changed since then. Too bad, JFKU in the 70’s was worth it.
It greatly saddened me to learn about JFKU’s closing. JFK University was established in 1964 and was founded by Dr. Harry L. Morrison and Georgia Morrison. The founders believed that education and training should be available to all citizens. They wanted to provide a non-traditional setting for working adults who were unable to attend a traditional college. JFKU was the first evening university in the East Bay to make innovative degree programs accessible for working adults, many with families, to complete their educations while working. I received my Masters Degree from JFKU while working at the university. My graduate degree and the professional training I received there helped me to develop a rewarding career and to advance to responsible positions at other institutions.
JFKU has produced thousands of successful lawyers, CPA’s, therapists, career counselors, administrators, police officers, business professionals, sports psychologists and university/community college instructors working throughout the bay area. JFKU leaves a lasting legacy in this community by producing well-prepared professionals that continue to make significant and meaningful contributions to people’s lives and in our community.
I went to three different “top universities”. I took a few courses at JFK and found that the teachers and learning experience was better there in comparison.
I’m sad to hear it’s closing. As a fellow mental health professional, I have known others who went there and got their degrees. They have done good work in our communities. We need more mental health professionals locally, not less. So this is a loss to our community. For those who want to go to in person classes for mental health are left with going to Hayward, San Jose, Berkeley or SF.
That’s unfortunate.
Something strange here. Their statement says they were literally founded to serve working people and tailored their programs to their needs. It seems like, given this mission, they would be “first at the starting line” for transitioning more programs online. Did they have a contrarian view of this, and made a bet in the wrong direction, or something like that?