Villagers crowd into Council chambers to hear Murdock

By Diane Chiddister

During this year of controversial issues, including the Fogg farm annexation and the Village property tax levy, the Village Council chambers in Bryan Center has sometimes, on meeting nights, filled up to overflowing. But the crowd at Monday night’s meeting, at which Antioch University Chancellor Toni Murdock spoke about the university’s recent decision to close the college, was the biggest of all, with about 100 villagers seated, standing, lining the walls and huddled outside the door trying to hear.

While many who attended requested that Council move the meeting to a larger venue, Council Acting President Karen Wintrow refused to do so, stating that Council business must take place in Council chambers and that moving to another room would mean the meeting could not be televised.

Wintrow also kept a tight rein on the time. Murdock and Antioch Board of Trustees President Art Zucker were allowed 10 minutes to talk and villagers were allowed about 10 minutes to ask questions, although Wintrow stated that comments were not allowed. Many who attended spoke with passion and frustration, both about the closing of the college and about the meeting structure.

The room burst into applause in response to Council member Judith Hempfling’s request that the university and the board not stand in the way of efforts by Antioch College alumni and community members to raise money to keep the college open.

“Rather than turning away help, be open,” Hempfling said. “Give us a year.”
But Murdock stated that the board has no intention of doing so.
“It’s important to recognize that the decision has been made and will not be changed,” she said in her opening remarks. She described the years between the college’s shutting down in 2008 and planned reopening in 2012 as “a period of rest” during which the college’s physical plant would be improved and administrators would plan for the future.

Several villagers expressed their concern that the university’s plan to shut the college down and then reopen would involve losing essential aspects of Antioch.
“You are unearthing the roots of the college, the faculty and the students,” said Hassan Rahmanian, a longtime faculty member. “What are the roots of the college in 2012? What is the vision?”

The vision of the re-opened college will be “the history,” Murdock said. “There will be no attempt to change the values. The world needs Antiochs, now more than ever.”

However, when Rahmanian asked what values, exactly, Murdock was speaking of, he was cut off from continuing.

The plans for the re-opened college put forth so far seem “unrealistic and only broad strokes,” said Louise Smith, who spoke both as an alumna and a faculty member.

The plan is largely composed of broad strokes so far, Murdock said, stating that “We have the time line but not the end product.”

According to Zucker, the planning process does include “performance benchmarks” along the way, with several “go/no go” points at which decisions whether or not to continue will be made.

In her remarks, Murdock presented only general points about rebuilding the college. She stated that she has already been in touch with some community organizations, and emphasized her desire to work with the community. However, she and Zucker also stated that the time and place of the August board of trustees has not yet been set.

“You have a credibility problem,” said Council member Kathryn Van der Heiden to Zucker and Murdock, referring to their request for community involvement while at the same time not letting people know when the board will meet.
“It feels to me that if you really want input and if you’re going to invite people” then the details of the board meeting should be publicized, she said, also expressing her disappointment that the board made the decision to close without consulting the community.

According to Zucker, the details of the board meeting have not yet been worked out but will be finalized by the end of this week.

In his opening remarks, Zucker laid out the financial challenges faced by Antioch, starting with the student strike in the early 1970s, from which, he said, the college “never rebounded.” He described the continuing decline in student enrollment, with 2000 students on campus in the early 1970s, 600 in 2001 and around 300 in 2006.
“The lifeblood of Antioch was on a sharp decline,” he said.
Declining enrollments led to rising deficits, with the 2006 deficit at $5.4 million, and projected 2007 deficit at $5.3 million, he said, adding that the college covered those deficits with a $10 million gift, but that the gift has run out.
When the extent of the university and the college’s financial crisis became clear last fall, university administrators and board members, with the help of outside consultants, attempted to find other solutions than closing the college but ultimately could not do so, he said.

“After months of deliberations, we were left with no other option,” he said.
However, the board of trustees and the university will need the help of villagers for their plan to work, Van der Heiden said.

“I do know a small board of trustees can’t make a decision by itself and have it hold,” she said.

Council members Bruce Rickenbach and Kathryn Chase did not comment during this part of the meeting.

The News will cover other agenda items of Monday’s meeting, including Council’s discussion on green space, in next week’s issue.

Contact: dchiddister@ysnews.com