June 26, 2007

Antioch Alumni Begin Fund Drive to Save Their Alma Mater

When alumni of Antioch College planned their annual reunion for this past weekend, no one was expecting it to turn into a three-day meeting to save their alma mater.

But just a week before the reunion, Antioch’s trustees announced that a shortage of students and of money had forced them to close the college, in July 2008 At the reunion, angry alumni grilled the trustees about the decision, how it had been made, and how it had come without warning.

Later, about 700 alumni pledged a total of $424,000 toward a $40-million effort to revive the institution’s finances. According to a news release, the alumni were challenged to collectively contribute $40,000 by the end of the weekend. But in just 18 hours, more than $400,000 was raised.

Only $39.6-million to go. —Erin Strout

Comments

1. This is deeply saddening news. The mission and ethos of Anthioch envision a future in which people treat each other ethically and with respect, in which inquiry and expression are valued. These are just the types of values that are too quickly becoming obsolete and most desperately need to be preserved. Dishearterning news, indeed, if the school is forced to close due to low enrollment; this seems to confirm the trend of parents and students seeking high profile degrees for the purpose of future earning potential, rather than viewing education as bound to ethics and valuable in itself.

   — Kristi    Jun 27, 12:18 PM    #

2. $400,000 is a drop in the bucket. What the trustees need to do is get in touch with some major foundations who care about education that embodies the ideals of Antioch and ask them to support the college financially,

   — cynthia epstein    Jun 27, 02:58 PM    #

3. pretty darned big drop for 1 day of fund raising. but this is just the begging, people are making those calls rapidly i hear. I think this story will be very different over the next few months.

   — josh steiner    Jun 27, 06:20 PM    #

4. How could the trustees let it get this bad to begin with? I am a product of a “hippie” school too. What happened to the existing endowment (was there ever one)? Is there anything the trustees are showing to give donors confidence that the new funds will be handled properly?

   — Mitchell Levin, MD    Jun 28, 09:15 AM    #

5. Regarding Mitchell Levin’s comment about the handling of the new funds, the money raised over the weekend is fully controlled by the alumni baord, NOT the Trusties. It and other money raised will only be available to the trustees under conditions, primarily that the college remains open. The Alumni weekend was just the beggining. There are many bright, passionate and committed people working on it. I have never been more proud to be an Antiochian. More info on this issue at Antiochians.org.

   — Ariel Leonard    Jun 28, 11:37 AM    #

6. As a current student of Antioch McGregor I was saddened and somewhat dismayed at the decision of the board to close the college. The board seems to have not had the leadership or commitment to call on appropriate resources before making such a devastating decision. They operated in isolation and without regard to the deep history and relationship many have to this important American institution. I knew during my first residency that the was a great need but there was also a lack of a sense of urgency and effort to reach out to the larger community with skin in the game. I want to see a strategic plan and an effort made with new leadership. This college represents so many individuals infused with creativity, intellect and a spirit of ingenuity that given the opportunity would rise to the occasion to get things back on track. The board should take a lesson from the history, students and alumni of Antioch, move aside and let the real work begin.

   — Maggie osborn    Jun 28, 12:58 PM    #

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