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[yellowtractor]

Setting aside Deep Springs for a moment, would a better comparison be between Antioch and Oberlin, perhaps? They're both Ohio schools in small towns, and the leftist attitude at Oberlin can't be too far removed from Antioch's. That's the issue I have with Keyes' analysis. Much of what he sees at Antioch is also present at Oberlin, but whether it's "toxic" or not might be in the eye of the beholder. I suggest the comparison between two Ohio SLACs might be more useful...

Kenyon would perhaps be better--it's smaller and much less rich than Oberlin.  Wooster or Hiram, too.

I disagree.  Kenyon has a very traditional liberal arts curriculum, as well as a much more conservative student body.  Wooster isn't quite in the same academic bracket as any of these schools (and is also more conservative in its pedagogical approach and student body).  I can't speak for Hiram.

I tend to think of Antioch as in the same category with Oberlin, Reed, Grinnell, and Wesleyan, in terms of educational philosophy and target audience.

[aandsdean]

Setting aside Deep Springs for a moment, would a better comparison be between Antioch and Oberlin, perhaps? They're both Ohio schools in small towns, and the leftist attitude at Oberlin can't be too far removed from Antioch's. That's the issue I have with Keyes' analysis. Much of what he sees at Antioch is also present at Oberlin, but whether it's "toxic" or not might be in the eye of the beholder. I suggest the comparison between two Ohio SLACs might be more useful...

Kenyon would perhaps be better--it's smaller and much less rich than Oberlin.  Wooster or Hiram, too.

I disagree.  Kenyon has a very traditional liberal arts curriculum, as well as a much more conservative student body.  Wooster isn't quite in the same academic bracket as any of these schools (and is also more conservative in its pedagogical approach and student body).  I can't speak for Hiram.

I tend to think of Antioch as in the same category with Oberlin, Reed, Grinnell, and Wesleyan, in terms of educational philosophy and target audience.

Yes, but Oberlin, Reed, Grinnell, and Wesleyan are all rich.  (Reed I think less so than the others.)  They're also much stronger academically than Antioch has ever been.

Another good comparison (maybe the best) would be Warren Wilson in NC.

[calfrye]

Yes, but Oberlin, Reed, Grinnell, and Wesleyan are all rich.  (Reed I think less so than the others.)  They're also much stronger academically than Antioch has ever been.

Another good comparison (maybe the best) would be Warren Wilson in NC.

That was my point. I think there's no need to read politics into Antioch's demise, just unfortunate economics, for whatever reason. I can't properly speak to the relative academic rigor of Antioch and the others...

[csguy]

Yes, but Oberlin, Reed, Grinnell, and Wesleyan are all rich.  (Reed I think less so than the others.)  They're also much stronger academically than Antioch has ever been.

Another good comparison (maybe the best) would be Warren Wilson in NC.

That was my point. I think there's no need to read politics into Antioch's demise, just unfortunate economics, for whatever reason. I can't properly speak to the relative academic rigor of Antioch and the others...

I would say Antioch killed themselves (or perhaps the university killed the college). This is killed themselves as in "drank themselves to death" or the like rather than simple suicide.

Causes include but are not limited to:

• Antioch U vs Antioch College
• General failure to engage in effective fundraising
• Campus climate

They weren't all that sturdy (read wealthy) to begin with and they blew it.

[greenough3]

Ok folks. Here it is. I have no doubt that you won't like this, but here it is anyway.  You lived your lives, and practiced your professions without discipline. You set no goals, and made little effort to achieve a higher standard. You gave lip service to service--but, bumper stickers do not make an education.

With regard to the level of corruption that you accepted in order to maintain your calendar picture life style:  In 1999 the Seattle campus erupted over issues of fraud and corruption. Where was the Ohio faculty during that debate? Ohhh, they remained silent. Why you ask? well, how about the cash flow?  When people in Seattle challenged the ethics of YOUR chancellor--they were called anti-semitic. When Toni Murdock publicly announced the resignation of a much loved department director/faculty member (before discussing it with him), more than 30 faculty and staff voted with their feet. What did the faculty in Yellow Springs do?  They cried "homophobic".  Here is an nteresting site you might like to re-visit:

http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/1999/08/16/story8.html

Did you know that the morning after this local article appeared the past preisdent of the SEattle campus showed up on campus (Saturday AM), removed all of the hard drives and memory from every computer on campus? Did you care that no one ever had either of those items returned to them?  Did you care that Toni Murdock and your beloved  Al Guskin closed down the student newspaper?  You in Yellow Springs have been living on the labor and naive sacrifice of others for far too many years now!  There is more to come!

[punchnpie]

Wow, thanks, greenough3, for the link. I took a class at UW from the professor mentioned in the article. I had no idea he had just come from such an insane environment. 

How did faculty function w/o their hard drives? What about student projects that may have been on them? What did folks do when they returned to campus to find their computers gone?

[greenough3]

And it continues today in Yellow Springs.

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/09/04/antioch

Your questions reflect a concern for the students--that is not the primary instinct at Antioch--hasn't been for years. Antioch started the satellite campus system back in the 1970's. At one time they had approximately 25 campuses around the country. Most were closed down due to issues of fraud with regard to the pedagogy. In some states the legislature passed laws against a "self teaching curriculum" such as Antioch's. Today they have the main campus in Ohio, two campuses in So. Cal, one in New England, and I think that is about all. All of the others have been closed down. Of course, those whose lazy lifestyle in Yellow Springs was supported by the cash stream coming in from the satellite campuses are defying the facts, now that their jobs and a lovely picturesque lifestyle is on the chopping block. Getting back to the students--I'll let you take a guess: cash flow, or quality for students, cash flow, or quality for students, cash flow. . .

You might also want to check here:
http://chronicle.com/che-data/articles.dir/art-44.dir/issue-45.dir/45a01401.htm

What this article does not mention is that the student is paying tuition while searching for their committee members. If you come from a wealthy family you will have high quality committee members, if you don't--you won't. The fee  paid versus the time committment required for your "committee mentors" will be too high for most professionals. Don't forget Antioch will give a degree in Accounting and not have any faculty member on staff, who is familiar with accounting. You go pick an accountant to be on your committee and read the accounting textbooks. Sorry folks, but that is how it works!