Former College of the Arts college, college students and workers are nonetheless coping with the affect of the varsity’s fast closure practically 9 months in the past.
UArts filed for chapter in September after a merger plan with Temple College failed. Since then, the varsity and its property have been put up on the market to repay collectors. To this point, eight of 9 buildings have been auctioned off. One remaining constructing – Gershmen Corridor – now has a number one bidder. If the bid is profitable, this would be the final of 9 buildings to promote.
Within the first piece on this sequence, Billy Penn spoke with deans and program administrators early final month about their transition into new careers, inventive pursuits or part-time gigs following the varsity’s closure. The second piece of the sequence centered on workers members – with perspective from part-time college, adjunct professors and union members.
For this text, we talked to 2 extra college and workers members about their experiences. Whereas they’re grateful for his or her new roles, they are saying it hasn’t been with out hardship.
Stephanie Evans
WAS Former Studying Entry Specialist at UArts
NOW Half-time Accessibility Specialist at Rowan College, full-time job searching
Stephanie Evans had all the time liked music. Whereas she pursued a Bachelor’s diploma in environmental research, and grew to be all in favour of different areas, she nonetheless retained a robust curiosity in music.
“Whereas I used to be in undergrad, I sort of discovered a ardour for working in increased schooling,” she stated. “I nonetheless did music as an undergrad. I performed French horn, after which I made a decision to go to grad college for increased schooling administration.”
When she graduated with a level in increased schooling in Could 2022, she discovered an open place at UArts. She felt the function would mix her love for music and the humanities together with her experience in increased schooling.
“After I heard about UArts having a place open, I believed it was very nice, as a result of I’ve all the time liked the humanities, I’ve all the time liked music, and I actually had a whole lot of thought into majoring in a type of fields, however it simply wasn’t within the playing cards for me,” she stated. “So it was good to have the ability to take into consideration being concerned within the arts neighborhood.”
She stated her place allowed her to get shut with college students and supply them with specialised assist.
“I might assist college students with getting lodging for his or her courses, and I might additionally present particular person teaching for college students when it comes to time administration, group, maintaining with courses, that kind of factor,” she stated.
She stated she heard concerning the UArts closure whereas she was on the way in which to a good friend’s home. Evans defined it was troublesome for her to be current after listening to the information.
“I simply so occurred to take a look at my cellphone and I noticed an electronic mail from the union saying that we had misplaced our accreditation,” she stated. “And I used to be like, ‘Oh, OK, that’s fascinating.’ I shut my cellphone off, sort of ignored it, as a result of we had been 5 minutes away from my good friend’s place. After which as soon as we acquired to my good friend’s place, I acquired one other message, and it was the Inquirer article saying that we had been going to be closed in seven days, and that’s after I simply couldn’t get off of my cellphone.”
Evans was anticipated to go away UArts by June 7 – only a week after the varsity introduced its closure. She stated she shortly discovered part-time work with an ex-colleague at Rowan College.
“My former boss reached out to me, the top of June or early July, saying that that they had a part-time place open and that if I wished, I may come again and be in that place. I didn’t have to remain, however I may proceed to work there after which search for a full-time job whereas I used to be there,” she stated. “So I sort of sat on it for a few month, tried to search for one thing extra full-time, after which in August, I made a decision to take that part-time place, and I’ve sort of simply been in that ever since.”
She hopes to discover a full-time function. As for her former college students and colleagues, Evans defined there may be some selection of their experiences.
“A few of my college students are doing nice,” she stated. “They’ve adjusted nicely to the brand new schools that they’ve gone to. Others graduated, and others are simply looking for their footing, nonetheless attempting to determine the place to go. So I really feel like it’s sort of a flip-flop of what’s taking place with college students.”
She stated the state of affairs can be arduous to commiserate with colleagues about – as everybody has felt the results of it.
“It was arduous speaking with a whole lot of workers members,” she stated. “At any time when we talked about it, it could simply be sort of unhappy, nearly like we didn’t wish to discuss it.”
Evans needs UArts would’ve provided extra steerage all through the transition.
“I by no means thought at the moment final yr that I might be not at UArts and that I might be in a part-time place as a result of UArts closed,” she stated. “So it actually does frustrate me to understand how shortly all the things closed and the way little steerage or assist we acquired after the closure.”
Evans is grateful for the abilities her part-time job is giving her, she stated, and for the connections she made at UArts.

Jim Cowen
WAS Former Entry Companies and Music Librarian at UArts
NOW Works for some dude lol
Jim Cowen spent a very long time with UArts – each as a pupil and a college member.
He began working at a library in highschool, which impressed him to work on the UArts library when he began as a pupil there.
“My mom urged I apply to the music library at UArts, which I did, and it was superior, as a result of they stated, ‘Yeah, fill out an utility. We’ll name you again,’ ” he stated, “And as I used to be strolling out, he was like, ‘You labored within the library earlier than?’ and I used to be like, ‘I did,’ and he stated, ‘Nicely, you’re employed.’ ”
Cowen labored on the UArts library for 4 years whereas attending college. He moved onto varied positions throughout the UArts library after commencement, left the varsity to pursue work at different libraries for a few decade, then returned in 2014.
Throughout this 10-year interval from 2014 to 2024, Cowen defined he labored at UArts in a number of totally different capacities. From 2014 to 2019, he served as a music librarian.
“I labored as a music librarian, additionally the liaison to the musical theater division,” he stated. “So, I continued increasing on their collections, I helped go to courses, something that I may do for the departments there.”
He ended his time at UArts serving as a Neighborhood Entry Companies and Music Librarian – performing “entrance of home” duties.
Cowen stated he heard concerning the UArts closure through a textual content from a good friend. He was shocked.
“I believe I simply popped up and began pacing,” he stated. “I’m like, ‘This could’t be actual.’ My accomplice, she additionally went to UArts, graduated the identical yr, so we had been each sort of like, ‘That is insane that the varsity closes on seven days’ discover.’ ”
Cowen stated he was fortunate with work. An organization his division at UArts bought from wanted somebody who would purchase music in Philadelphia and ship it to California. When his present boss heard concerning the UArts closure, he reached out to Cowen’s division, and Cowen was in a position to assume the place inside two weeks of UArts closing.
“So now they’re calling me a music librarian, however right here what I sort of do is a hybrid of cataloging, in order that libraries can get half-decent data, however then additionally combining what we’re going to see within the web site,” he stated.
Cowen is grateful his function retains him “library adjoining.”
Regardless of this, he stated he feels badly for his fellow UArts neighborhood. His largest concern was, and is, for the scholars.
“All of us simply felt so unhealthy for the scholars,” he stated. “The library was very student-centric, and whereas all of us had pity events for ourselves, we simply felt so unhealthy for the scholars, and we hope that all of them landed on their ft.”