Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Vanderbilt Acquires CCA’s San Francisco Campus, Plans 2027 West Coast Launch as CCA Winds Down

Students must reapply to Vanderbilt rather than transferring automatically.

Overview

  • California College of the Arts will continue instruction through the 2026–27 academic year before closing, with teach‑out and transfer pathways arranged for those not set to graduate by spring 2027.
  • Vanderbilt expects to open the San Francisco campus in 2027–28, pending regulatory approvals, ultimately serving about 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
  • The agreement includes a California College of the Arts Institute at Vanderbilt to preserve CCA’s archives, continue the Wattis Institute of Contemporary Arts, and support alumni engagement.
  • Approximately 400 CCA employees are expected to lose their jobs when the college concludes operations, according to the union and a school spokesperson.
  • Financial terms were not disclosed; Vanderbilt confirmed CCA contributed its 4‑acre Oakland property with plans undecided, and the San Francisco site includes roughly 750 existing student housing units.