FROM: David Caruso
RE: Community Meeting Announcement Regarding Antioch College
The Antioch University Board of Trustees declared financial exigency for Antioch College on June 9, 2007 in light of the College’s unsustainable financial situation, and as required by faculty personnel policies, voted to suspend operations of the College as of July 1, 2008. This difficult decision was based on a detailed financial analysis and financial forecasts by both internal management and external consultants.
The University plans to re-open a residential, undergraduate college in Yellow Springs that will be on the cutting edge of higher education facilities, technology, curriculum, and innovation by 2012. To accomplish this goal, the Board approved a plan to significantly strengthen the facilities and infrastructure, design a new curriculum, and unveil one of the most progressive higher education institutions. The Trustees see this action as the best means of ensuring a future for the College in keeping with its vision and historical mission.
All Antioch College students, including those entering in Fall 2007, will be fully accommodated during the 2007-2008 academic year. After July 2008, students will be offered degree completion opportunities at Antioch University McGregor, also located in Yellow Springs, Ohio. In addition, students of the College who have completed the first two years will have the opportunity to transfer to one of Antioch University’s bachelor’s degree completion programs in Seattle, Los Angeles, or Santa Barbara. Of course, students may be able to transfer to other accredited colleges and universities as well.
It is important to note that this action of the Board of Trustees only affects Antioch College. It does not affect the financial solvency of the five other campuses that comprise Antioch University or the accreditation of the University and its campuses through the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Antioch University New England is on a solid financial and academic footing and the University central administration will continue to operate as usual.
The Antioch University press release is reproduced below.
David A. Caruso, PhD
President
Antioch University New England
ANTIOCH UNIVERSITY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Antioch College Suspends Operations to Design 21st Century Campus State-of-the-Art Campus projected to open in 2012
YELLOW SPRINGS, OH- On June 9, 2007, Antioch University’s Board of Trustees voted to suspend operations on July 1, 2008 of Antioch College, the University’s undergraduate residential program in Yellow Springs, Ohio, with the intention of reopening a state-of-the-art campus. This decision will not affect operations at the University’s five nonresidential graduate campuses in Keene, NH; Seattle, WA; Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, CA, and Antioch University McGregor in Ohio.
The Chancellor will establish a Design and Development Commission to determine the long-term future of the College with the intention of opening a re-developed undergraduate campus. An Academic Design Team will be appointed to design a new undergraduate curriculum reflecting the College’s strong traditions and values while meeting the needs of today’s students.
The College will continue to serve its current and newly accepted students with a strong academic program for the 2007-08 academic year.
For the 2008-09 academic year, all students will be offered degree completion opportunities at Antioch University McGregor which is moving to a new facility in Yellow Springs in September, 2007. In addition to the McGregor opportunity, students who have successfully completed the first two years of their bachelor’s degree will be offered reasonable opportunities to complete their degree at Antioch University’s other degree completion programs in Seattle, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. Students wishing to transfer to other colleges and universities based on the requirements of the other institutions will be assisted in doing so.
Over the past several years, Antioch College has experienced a continuing decline in its student enrollment. Given its small endowment and heavy dependence on tuition revenue, this low enrollment has threatened the College’s survival. Efforts to balance the College’s budget over the years through faculty and staff reductions, programmatic changes and deferred maintenance of the physical plant have eroded the confidence students and parents have in the College’s academic program. After careful analysis the Board determined that the College’s resources are inadequate to continue providing a quality education for its students beyond July 1, 2008.
The College’s low enrollment and lack of adequate funding led to the decision to suspend operations and declare financial exigency as required by the faculty personnel policy.
About Antioch University: The University is founded on the principles of a rigorous liberal arts education, innovative experiential learning and socially engaged citizenship. These campuses all nurture in their students the knowledge, skills and habits of reflection to act as lifelong learners, democratic leaders and global citizens who live lives of meaning and purpose.
In addition to the College, Antioch University is comprised of five nonresidential campuses in Keene, NH; Yellow Springs, OH; Seattle, WA; and Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, CA, all accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. These campuses attract students wishing to complete BA degrees, seek graduate degrees and/or prepare for new careers.
