Dear CCA Parent,

I am writing to share an important update with you about the future of California College of the Arts: to support opportunities for our students to complete their education and to honor CCA’s significant role in the Bay Area’s creative ecosystem, we have entered into an agreement with Vanderbilt University.

Under this agreement, CCA will wind down its current operations and will close by the end of the 2026-2027 academic year. Vanderbilt will then become the owner of the campus and will establish undergraduate and graduate programming, including art and design programs, at the campus. Vanderbilt also plans to operate a CCA Institute at Vanderbilt which will include, among other things, the Wattis Institute of Contemporary Arts, will maintain CCA archival materials, and will serve as a vehicle for CCA alumni engagement. Through these activities, Vanderbilt will honor CCA’s longstanding creative mission and maintain a strong presence for art and design education in the Bay Area.

While the Board of Trustees and I recognize the significant opportunities this agreement presents, I also appreciate that some of you may immediately be confused or concerned about this news. I hope you will take the time to read the rest of this message, to understand why the Board of Trustees and I know this is the necessary step to take.

What this means for current students:

Under the agreement, Vanderbilt will provide financial support to help CCA address many of its near-term financial needs.

With this support, CCA plans to continue teaching and supporting students through the 2026–27 academic year. Students who are already on track to complete their degrees within that time will be able to graduate from CCA as planned if they wish to do so.

For students who will need additional time to complete their studies, we are working closely with accredited institutions to establish transfer and completion pathways. These arrangements will allow students to continue their studies without interruption, and more information will be shared about the teach-out plans as agreements are finalized.

What happens after June 2027:

After CCA’s final year in 2026–27, Vanderbilt will become the owner of the campus, and it expects to begin academic operations in San Francisco no earlier than Fall 2027, subject to regulatory and other approvals.

Why this is happening:

While CCA is the only remaining private art and design school in the Bay Area, it is important to be clear about the reality we face: with declining enrollment, CCA’s tuition-driven business model is not sustainable. Demographic shifts and a persistent structural deficit remain significant burdens on our ability to sustain current programs or grow new ones.

It is true that with the generous help of Trustees and private donors, and a grant of $20 million from the State of California, combined with budget cuts, we were able to avoid a financial crisis and earn us time to plan more effectively for the future. Ultimately, these are not enough to ensure CCA can continue to operate independently. Recognizing that lasting financial independence is out of reach given our current constraints, we have pursued conversations with potential partners over the last year.

We appreciate that you have entrusted your students to us—and our planning and agreement with Vanderbilt has been structured to carry forward that trust, to support as many students to degree completion as we can, and to make best efforts to ensure those not graduating are situated for success at other schools. Below is an FAQ addressing some questions, and we will share additional information with you over the next few weeks. We will also update the materials available online in the CCA Portal, which may also answer questions you may have.

Sent on January 13, 2026