Minnesota State Community and Technical College stressed that closing the campus won’t result in the termination of any degree programs.
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Minnesota State Community and Technical College announced Tuesday that it plans to close its Detroit Lakes campus.
The decision is “not being made because the college is experiencing financial trouble” and is separate from the broader “strategic alignment initiative” the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System launched last month to address financial strains, college officials said in a news release.
The system at large is facing a budget deficit of about $30 million that must be resolved by year’s end, according to The Minnesota Star Tribune. The Minnesota State Board of Trustees asked individual colleges to figure out how they can support “long-term sustainability,” MSCTC officials wrote in their statement.
Closing the Detroit Lakes campus, which serves 111 students, would save a projected $1 million annually in operating expenses and allow the college to avoid more than $18 million in future capital investment needs associated with the “large, aging” facility, they wrote.
Detroit Lakes won’t close immediately. The plan must first be reviewed by the trustees, who oversee all 33 institutions and 54 campuses in the system. Officials from MSCTC said the campus will remain “open and operational” until at least summer 2028.
The technical college also stressed that closing the campus won’t result in the termination of any degree programs. Students will be able to complete their studies online or at one of the college’s three other campuses, which are each about 50 miles from Detroit Lakes. The relocating process will happen in phases starting in fall 2027, with “the goal of minimizing disruption for students” as well as “employee impacts,” the statement said.
“The Detroit Lakes campus has been part of the community for generations, and we recognize that this news may be disappointing or upsetting for many students, employees, alumni and community members,” college President Carrie Brimhall said in the release. “At the same time, we have a responsibility to ensure M State remains strong and well-positioned to serve students across the college for years to come.”
