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[spork]

I thought it would be good to discuss which schools have financial woes in a single thread.  Post as a sockpuppet if you want.

First off, more news from Birmingham Southern College, which as been discussed extensively in this thread. Looks like the president who was forced to resign may have received a $2.5 million golden parachute.

[anon99]

Can I screw up like that, resign and then get that sort of paynment?  What a joke.

[busyslinky]

I'm next in line for that job.  I can screw up better than anyone around.  One question before I sign up. If I leave a larger mess, do I get more?

[michigander]

Cleary University in Howell and Ann Arbor, Michigan, discharged twenty percent of the full and part-time staff last April due to plummeting enrollment in the disastrous Michigan economy.  They were not yet in financial trouble and were hoping to avoid it by cutting to the bone.  Since almost all of their faculty members are adjuncts, this mass discharge didn't affect them except that they probably don't need to hire as many adjuncts each term as before.

[tuxedo_cat]

I guess we don't really need to mention SUNY Albany.

[daniel_von_flanagan]

plummeting enrollment in the disastrous Michigan economy.

Enrollments generally go up in down economies.  A school has to be very badly run, or have a really bad strategic vision, to lose enrollment in such conditions. - DvF

[aandsdean]

I thought it would be good to discuss which schools have financial woes in a single thread.  Post as a sockpuppet if you want.

First off, more news from Birmingham Southern College, which as been discussed extensively in this thread. Looks like the president who was forced to resign may have received a $2.5 million golden parachute.

I actually briefly--very briefly--considered applying for this job, since I like Birmingham and have lots of friends in the area and in Atlanta.

I thought to myself, "self, you'd be highly competitive for that job since no one with any sense is going to apply for it."

Then I thought again, and decided not to apply.

[spork]

Cleary University in Howell and Ann Arbor, Michigan, discharged twenty percent of the full and part-time staff last April due to plummeting enrollment in the disastrous Michigan economy.  They were not yet in financial trouble and were hoping to avoid it by cutting to the bone.  Since almost all of their faculty members are adjuncts, this mass discharge didn't affect them except that they probably don't need to hire as many adjuncts each term as before.

The Cleary website lists 160+ faculty, hardly any of whom have PhDs.  Wikipedia, citing something called the "Higher Learning Commission," says the enrollment was 700 undergrads and 100 grad (MBA) students in 2009.  I will guess that most of the people listed as faculty teach a single class, at night or on the weekends.

[aandsdean]

Cleary University in Howell and Ann Arbor, Michigan, discharged twenty percent of the full and part-time staff last April due to plummeting enrollment in the disastrous Michigan economy.  They were not yet in financial trouble and were hoping to avoid it by cutting to the bone.  Since almost all of their faculty members are adjuncts, this mass discharge didn't affect them except that they probably don't need to hire as many adjuncts each term as before.

The Cleary website lists 160+ faculty, hardly any of whom have PhDs.  Wikipedia, citing something called the "Higher Learning Commission," says the enrollment was 700 undergrads and 100 grad (MBA) students in 2009.  I will guess that most of the people listed as faculty teach a single class, at night or on the weekends.

Spork, on the (admittedly off) chance that you're not joking, the HLC is the regional accreditor for the Midwest.  If you are joking, could you please pretend as though we're in on it?

[madhatter]

Cleary University in Howell and Ann Arbor, Michigan, discharged twenty percent of the full and part-time staff last April due to plummeting enrollment in the disastrous Michigan economy.  They were not yet in financial trouble and were hoping to avoid it by cutting to the bone.  Since almost all of their faculty members are adjuncts, this mass discharge didn't affect them except that they probably don't need to hire as many adjuncts each term as before.

The Cleary website lists 160+ faculty, hardly any of whom have PhDs.  Wikipedia, citing something called the "Higher Learning Commission," says the enrollment was 700 undergrads and 100 grad (MBA) students in 2009.  I will guess that most of the people listed as faculty teach a single class, at night or on the weekends.

Spork, on the (admittedly off) chance that you're not joking, the HLC is the regional accreditor for the Midwest. 

... which can be confusing. Because most people still refer to them as NCA (for North Central Association), even though they've decided that they'd like to be called "The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools." So those of us under HLC rule humor them, like a cranky but rich uncle who might write us out of his will.

Also, they're the accreditor for the midwest, for all definitions of midwest that include Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and West Virginia.

[aandsdean]

Cleary University in Howell and Ann Arbor, Michigan, discharged twenty percent of the full and part-time staff last April due to plummeting enrollment in the disastrous Michigan economy.  They were not yet in financial trouble and were hoping to avoid it by cutting to the bone.  Since almost all of their faculty members are adjuncts, this mass discharge didn't affect them except that they probably don't need to hire as many adjuncts each term as before.

The Cleary website lists 160+ faculty, hardly any of whom have PhDs.  Wikipedia, citing something called the "Higher Learning Commission," says the enrollment was 700 undergrads and 100 grad (MBA) students in 2009.  I will guess that most of the people listed as faculty teach a single class, at night or on the weekends.

Spork, on the (admittedly off) chance that you're not joking, the HLC is the regional accreditor for the Midwest. 

... which can be confusing. Because most people still refer to them as NCA (for North Central Association), even though they've decided that they'd like to be called "The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools." So those of us under HLC rule humor them, like a cranky but rich uncle who might write us out of his will.

Also, they're the accreditor for the midwest, for all definitions of midwest that include Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and West Virginia.

You stop referring to them as the NCA when you've written and/or edited a 300-pp self-study for them.  As I did last summer (editing--the writing took 18 months).

It's true, they cover a lot of area, but much of it is what you might call "the vast emptiness."

I am sure that the folks in WVa thank God every day that they're not covered by SACS or Middle States.

[spork]

No, I wasn't joking -- I don't know the nomenclature of accrediting bodies in much of the USA (just in the places where I've worked).

Anyway, on a recent drive with the wifey, I pointed to a strip mall next to the highway and said "that's the future of the American college campus."  Judging from Cleary's website, it's ahead of the curve.

[madhatter]

Cleary University in Howell and Ann Arbor, Michigan, discharged twenty percent of the full and part-time staff last April due to plummeting enrollment in the disastrous Michigan economy.  They were not yet in financial trouble and were hoping to avoid it by cutting to the bone.  Since almost all of their faculty members are adjuncts, this mass discharge didn't affect them except that they probably don't need to hire as many adjuncts each term as before.

The Cleary website lists 160+ faculty, hardly any of whom have PhDs.  Wikipedia, citing something called the "Higher Learning Commission," says the enrollment was 700 undergrads and 100 grad (MBA) students in 2009.  I will guess that most of the people listed as faculty teach a single class, at night or on the weekends.

Spork, on the (admittedly off) chance that you're not joking, the HLC is the regional accreditor for the Midwest. 

... which can be confusing. Because most people still refer to them as NCA (for North Central Association), even though they've decided that they'd like to be called "The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools." So those of us under HLC rule humor them, like a cranky but rich uncle who might write us out of his will.

Also, they're the accreditor for the midwest, for all definitions of midwest that include Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and West Virginia.

You stop referring to them as the NCA when you've written and/or edited a 300-pp self-study for them.  As I did last summer (editing--the writing took 18 months).

I know -- it's reflexive for me. I've done one comprehensive visit self-study and four self-studies for focused visits. But most of my colleagues still referred to it as "NCA."

[spork]

Bethune-Cookman University may not be in financial exigency yet, but if these people hire competent lawyers, it will be.

(thank you to busyslinky bringing this to my attention in another thread)

[daniel_von_flanagan]

There's an article about B-CU on the CHE as well, here.

I think the firing of tenured faculty and claiming financial problems, when exigency hasn't been declared and the fired just happened to have been faculty who were outspoken critics of the dictator president, is a bigger deal (w/r to academic freedom) than the sexual assault accusations, but watch the college keep focusing on the latter since it is likely to get more sympathy. - DvF