On Saturday, the Troy University Board of Trustees voted to close the university’s satellite campus at Phenix City.

Troy University at Phenix City is a satellite campus of Troy University that opened back in 1975. The Phenix City campus was geared towards adult learners and included night, weekend and online courses along with smaller class sizes. 

“We have for some time been analyzing the role of our three satellite campuses and with the operational costs and enrollment there and, most importantly, the shift in recent years of students looking for online delivery or a hybrid delivery this was the best decision for the university,” Troy University Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Dr. Kerry Palmer said. “As much as we appreciate the 50-year history of our relationship with Phenix City we will not be supporting a physical campus there effective Dec. 31, 2025.” 

In the 2022-2023 school year, Phenix City graduated a total of 134 students with eight earning associate degrees, 71 Bachelor’s degree, 49 Master’s Degrees, one certification and five Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degrees. Troy University at Phenix City had a total of 355 students enrolled during the fall semester of the 2022-2023 school year, a 17.25 percent decrease from the previous fall.

Palmer said that Troy University would maintain its presence at Fort Moore in Phenix City, which is where Troy originally began offering night and weekend classes in the area in 1974. Palmer also said that current Phenix City students will be able to complete their programs and degrees without interruption. Additionally, employees at the Phenix City campus would get other opportunities within Troy University.

“We’ll physically teach and complete most of those (degrees and programs) by the end of 2025 but for the others we will have other means of them completing their programs,” Palmer said. “We will do everything we can to take care of our employees and offer them roles and be able to explore other career opportunities here at the Troy campus or at Montgomery or Dothan. It’s our goal to make this transition as smooth as possible for our students and staff.” 

In 2015, Troy University relocated its Phenix City campus from its original home off U.S. Highway 431 and opened its new riverfront campus in downtown Phenix City on the banks of the Chattahoochee River. The 48,000-square foot, four-story building was an $11.5 million project. 

Palmer said the university did not have immediate plans for the building or property the campus in Phenix City is located on but the university hoped whatever happens with it will benefit the community there.

“We’re looking at future possible uses for it,” he said. “Our end goal would be, with such a great relationship with Phenix City, that there is a way for the facility to help the community there. Our main goal there is to do what’s best for that community.”

Palmer also said that the Dothan and Montgomery campuses would continue on and would receive additional resources and investment in the future.

“Dothan and Montgomery remains part our strategic plan and those campuses will see increased resources and investment,” Palmer emphasized. “We’re planning on some things we believe can really help move the campuses forward in Montgomery and Dothan.” 

Troy University Chancellor Jack Hawkins Jr. also released a statement on the Phenix City campus closing.

“Troy University’s Phenix City Campus has played a vital role in our mission and educational outreach for over five decades, significantly contributing to higher education in East Alabama,” Hawkins said. “However, as more adult learners shift toward online and flexible learning options, demand for traditional in-person instruction at satellite locations has declined. This decision was not made lightly, and I am profoundly grateful to the faculty, staff, students, and community leaders who have built the Phenix City Campus’s legacy of excellence.”

Chancellor Hawkins acknowledged that the decision to close the campus was a difficult one, reached after careful analysis of operational costs, enrollment trends, and institutional priorities.

“Technology has changed the way we live, including how we deliver education, but our commitment to students in the Phenix City area—including those at Fort Moore—remains as strong as ever,” Hawkins said. “We may not have a physical campus, but we’re not going anywhere—we will continue to serve this community.”