The president of Antioch College, Steven W. Lawry, who had planned to stay in office until the end of the calendar year, instead resigned Friday, the college announced. But a statement from alumni who are trying to keep the foundering college open said Mr. Lawry would continue to work with them to plan and to raise money.

The dean of the faculty, Andrzej Bloch, was immediately appointed chief operations officer and chief academic officer of the college, which is slated to close next July 1. Antioch University, of which the college is a part, has said it hopes to restructure the 155-year-old college and reopen it in 2012 (The Chronicle, June 21).

Mr. Lawry had been the college’s president since January of 2006. —Lawrence Biemiller