FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Indiana’s NewsCenter) – Undergraduate students attending Taylor University Fort Wayne can transfer their credit hours to surrounding universities.

They include, Anderson University, Taylor University Upland, Trine University, Manchester College, Huntington University, Indiana Wesleyan, IPFW, and St. Francis University.

The discontinuation of the undergraduate program affects 299 full-time and 38 part time students and 120 full and part-time faculty and staff members.

Taylor University Director of Media Relations, Jim Garringer, says his program will do everything they can to help the students during this transition.

“We’ll be engaging our students to find out what the right thing to do for their education is,” said Garringer. “If that’s to stay with us and move to the Upland campus and complete their work there or if another school would be appropriate.”

Faculty and staff members are also encouraged to apply for any open positions at the above colleges, as well.

The schools recommend students begin looking at each university as soon as possible to see which school best fits the student’s needs.

Students and staff are not the only ones affected by the discontinued program. Neighbors of TUFW continue to worry about what will happen to buildings on the campus.

Garringer says he isn’t sure at this time but the two task forces assigned to help ease the transition and make suggestions for the future of both campuses, will continue to work on the issue. He says he doesn’t believe the buildings will remain empty for long but the two task forces will have a decision by no later than February.

The news came as a surprise to many. Garringer says the Board of Trustees made the decision last Friday after a three-day meeting. They decided it was too difficult to continue to operate with an average of a $1 million deficit.

The transition will not affect graduate or MBA programs at Fort Wayne’s campus or the online classes.