This story will be updated as we gather more information.

EKU’s Danville campus will close at the end of this semester, the university announced today.

The closure is due to “ongoing budget reductions,” according to a news release issued by EKU.

“EKU has been honored to provide access to our degree programs for students in the Danville community and surrounding counties for more than 20 years. We sincerely hope the students currently enrolled at the Danville campus will continue to pursue their education at Eastern, either through EKU Online, or at another EKU campus,” said Dr. Ryan Wilson, senior director of regional programming. “We will launch a rigorous advising schedule to assist students in their transition to another delivery method. We are grateful to the students and community partners who have supported this extension of EKU, and we thank the faculty and staff for their dedicated and continued service to this campus. Danville and Boyle County are a valuable part of our service region, and we will continue to discuss opportunities for future partnerships with this community.”

Students with questions can contact Cindy Peck at (859) 622-6736 or cindy.peck@eku.edu, according to EKU’s release.

“The Danville campus first opened in the Hustonville Road shopping center in 1994,” the release reads. “Classes will continue to be held at this location through the end of the Spring 2018 semester. Ninety-three students are currently enrolled in classes at the leased space, operated by 14 employees.”

“I just got official word on it that it is closing. That’s a real loss to our community,” said Harold McKinney, judge-executive in Boyle County, Thursday afternoon. “It has made available to some people who otherwise could not get in their car and drive to Eastern … the opporuntity to pursue a four-year education and to do so in their hometown or very close to their hometown.”

McKinney noted the elimination of the campus’ staff would result in the loss of some payroll taxes for local governments, “but the bigger loss of course is the educational opportunity for the people in our community.”

Danville Mayor Mike Perros said EKU is dealing with tough economic realities, just like many others.

“You never like to see anything like that happen, but with all the budget cuts that are occurring at just about every level, everyone is having to redirect their resources and their efforts. If this is the part of their operation that wasn’t economic ally attractive to them, I understand their efforts. However, I don’t think for one minute that EKU has forgotten about Danville-Boyle County,” he said. “I think they know how important this community is. And I think they’ll continue to offer some type of services here. … How they do that remains to be seen.”

Perros said EKU has always been “a great neighbor” and provided valuable resources for the Danville community.

“I don’t see any other institutions filling that hole. And the folks that were enrolled there obviously have got some choices they’ve got  to make. And none of those choices are going to be as convenient as what they had,” he said. “… I wish (EKU) nothing but the best in their future endeavors … we would enjoy partnering with EKU at any time.”