Antioch College Closing?

Antioch College faculty, alumni speak to Council

By Lauren Heaton

Several Antioch College representatives came to the Village Council meeting on Monday, Aug. 20, to update the Village on efforts to maintain the college’s continued operation. College philosophy professor Scott Warren spoke about the injunction filed by the college faculty against Antioch University last week, and college alumnus Larry Rubin reported that the alumni association had raised $8 million to date in the effort to keep the college open.

In a short statement to Council, Warren explained the faculty’s motivation for taking legal action to stop the university from suspending operations of the college in 2008. The faculty came to a decision after long and difficult deliberations that litigation was necessary, he said, in order to protect the college’s assets, which were vulnerable to being liquidated by the university in its own fast-paced version of planning the college’s future.

“We weren’t happy to do it, but we felt we had no other choice,” Warren told Council. “This also buys us some breathing space and some time so we can work with those who want to keep the college open.”

Warren stressed that the lawsuit was not an effort to shut down dialogue, and that on the contrary, it should give stakeholders more time to discuss issues regarding operation of the college.

Speaking as a member of the Antioch College Alumni Association Board of Trustees, Rubin appraised Council of the substantial increase in funds raised to support continued operation of the college. Contribution and pledges to the Antioch College Revival Fund, which was started over Antioch Reunion weekend in June, jumped this weekend from $600,000 to $8 million due to a concerted Support Antioch College Weeekend fundraising drive from Antioch alumni chapters across the country.

According to local alumna Judith Wolert-Maldonado, the San Francisco chapter raised $97,000, the D.C. chapter raised over $60,000, and there was also a lump $5 million pledge from an anonymous alumnus.

Alumni, faculty and college supporters at large continue to raise funds and support this week for this weekend’s meeting in Cincinnati with Antioch University trustees and administrators. The groups have raised not only money, but also the support of leading experts in higher education finance and curricular development, Rubin said, who could be instrumental in revitalizing the college and could also serve on an independent board of trustees for the college.

Council members listened to the speakers but made no comment.

More from Monday’s Council meeting will be reported in next week’s News.

Contact: lheaton@ysnews.com