What happened
The closures were first announced in an email that was sent out to students Sept. 22, according to reporting from Community Impact partner ABC 13. The email cited "challenges" over the past decade, including the COVID-19 pandemic, as contributing to the closure.
One student who spoke with ABC 13 said they were caught off-guard by the closure. Other students and teachers took to social media to express their surprise at the announcement.
The big picture
The Art Institutes' Houston location was launched in 1965 as the Houston School of Commercial Art before joining the Art Institutes system in 1978, according to archived page of the Houston school's website. It has operated at its location at 4140 Southwest Freeway, Houston, since 1990. The Houston location offered courses in media arts and animation, culinary arts, graphic design, interior design, web design, interactive media, and restaurant management.
According to the Art Institutes' website, the following schools will close permanently Sept. 30:
- Miami International University of Art & Design
- The Art Institute of Atlanta
- The Art Institute of Austin, a branch of The Art Institute of Houston
- The Art Institute of Dallas, a branch of Miami International University of Art & Design
- The Art Institute of Houston
- The Art Institute of San Antonio, a branch of The Art Institute of Houston
- The Art Institute of Tampa, a branch of Miami International University of Art & Design
- The Art Institute of Virginia Beach, a branch of The Art Institute of Atlanta
The Art Institutes' website was largely taken down after the announcement and replaced with information for students on how to request transcripts and complete transfers. Officials wrote that they will mail each current student five official copies of their transcripts at no cost. Officials also wrote they are "working with numerous partners to facilitate student transfers," directing students to a list of partner institutions with comparable programs. The page also provides information for veteran students and international students.
As of fall 2022, the Art Institute of Houston had a total enrollment of 317 students, while having five full-time and 38 part-time faculty on staff, according to the National Center of Education Statistics. In December 2022, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges—an educational accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education—reviewed the Houston location's accreditation, giving it a status of "continued on warning" for not meeting standards related to number of full-time faculty, according to a report issued Dec. 9. The SACSCOC was due to return to the institute in December 2023 to potentially put in on probation or remove it from membership.
What's next
The Art Institute of Houston will permanently close Sept. 30 along with the other seven remaining schools within the system. More information for students can be found here.
