A Sea Of Red

Sly Fox wrote: But you have to wonder how they would ever be able to recruit kids even if they managed to keep the place alive with this huge cloud floating over their heads.

To me that's the bigger question. What's the long term plan to be sustainable? On that note haven't women's colleges pretty much accomplished their goals? My admitted limited understanding is that most of them were founded at a time when women weren't allowed or largerly discouraged from attending established colleges. When you look at enrollment breakdowns today it seems like that world has obiously changed and women's colleges simply remain a relic of a past problem.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grad ... m-closing/

“Social media exploded yesterday across our community,” Harvey said. “We have alums ready to dive in and assist with fundraising as well as looking at the legal and ethical dimensions of the decision. I think a significant question exists as to whether the board acted as conscientiously as it should have in never raising this concern in a significant way with its primary donor constituency.”

yayyyyyy.... lawsuits!

"we weren't there, and we aren't involved, and we don't know the scope of the problem, but the board is WRONG and we're gonna sue"

whooo hooo!

'Merica

I don't think they can raise enough money to keep college afloat.

Sly Fox wrote:It is interesting that apparently none of their grads were apparently giving back because they were under the false impression they didn't need to do so.

Perhaps the living heirs and descendants of some of the endowments will grat some legal reprieve for the school to free up more funds to help the short-term. But you have to wonder how they would ever be able to recruit kids even if they managed to keep the place alive with this huge cloud floating over their heads.

Take a page from Jerry's playbook: Free tuition to all for the first year after this announcement.

ATrain wrote:Take a page from Jerry's playbook: Free tuition to all for the first year after this announcement.

And a free trip to the Holy Land!

ATrain wrote:Not sure what the first link has to do with this, but I've seen information regarding the second link. Apparently the alumnae have already raised $900,000 to keep it from closing.

I corrected the link in error in my previous post.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grad ... t-closure/

Would LU buy SBC?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grad ... ge-campus/

In other words, we are not interested in paying top dollar for the property. If somebody else is, let them have at it. We're not going anywhere.

Frankly I expect one of the for-profit online colleges to snatch up the school to place their headquarters and latch on to the accreditation. The academic reputation may be more valuable than the real estate.

http://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/s ... 70f77.html

YAYYYYYYYY

LAWYERS!!!!

"we don't run a college but my lawyer says we know better than the people who do!"

and I'm sure hundreds of thousands in legal fees will help the college's financial crisis

The news was shared in a post on the website savingsweetbriar.com by alumna Tracy Stuart, class of 1993.

"The legal team, who is hard at work, is moving full steam ahead to gain an injunction to halt the closing of Sweet Briar College," she wrote.

"Again, as stated yesterday, they have litigated several University cases in recent years. They came highly recommended by many people and lawyers and are very competent in these matters.

Here's a thought: take the money for lawyers and pledge it to the school.

I would scope out the SB job openings occasionally, and it seemed they were always trying to find someone to fill their leadership position for soliciting donors.

http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-commentar ... e-athletes

http://www.businessinsider.com/sweet-br ... ent-2015-3

Just curious....in the original will of Indiana Williams, she states that the purpose of the school was to educate "white girls and young women."

What year did the school become integrated?

1966

From what I've heard, Sweet Briar cannot be sold; it can only be leased by someone else, and I THINK I heard correctly that it had to be used as an all-female school. Not sure that LU would be interested in it considering that.

In that five-page will, Indiana Williams spelled out at least two provisions that still carry legal weight today.

The first set in motion the establishment of the college that her daughter never grew up to attend — a college specifically dedicated to educating “girls and young women.” That proviso would seem to have precluded the board today from even considering the option of going coed.

Second, the will gives her family’s “Sweet Briar Plantation” to the school — on the condition that “no part . . . shall at any time be sold.” That clause poses a legal problem for the board once the school closes; what do you do with land that can’t be sold?

Salem lawyer Ross Hart, whose expertise includes both wills and real estate, finds these provisions “fascinating,” which is often legalese for “billable hours.” As he put it, “the litigation will be lengthy.”

http://www.roanoke.com/opinion/editoria ... 1ed27.html

LUminary wrote:In that five-page will, Indiana Williams spelled out at least two provisions that still carry legal weight today.

The first set in motion the establishment of the college that her daughter never grew up to attend — a college specifically dedicated to educating “girls and young women.” That proviso would seem to have precluded the board today from even considering the option of going coed.

Second, the will gives her family’s “Sweet Briar Plantation” to the school — on the condition that “no part . . . shall at any time be sold.” That clause poses a legal problem for the board once the school closes; what do you do with land that can’t be sold?

Salem lawyer Ross Hart, whose expertise includes both wills and real estate, finds these provisions “fascinating,” which is often legalese for “billable hours.” As he put it, “the litigation will be lengthy.”

http://www.roanoke.com/opinion/editoria ... 1ed27.html

Well sounds like whoever is inheriting it is potentially going to be hit with one heck of a property tax bill then.

You have to wonder if alumni could actually turn things around? Might be a case of too little, too late.

birchbark wrote:You have to wonder if alumni could actually turn things around? Might be a case of too little, too late.

I seriously doubt their alumni can raise over 100 million for the endowment in a few months.

Well, now more of the story is known. Some of the behind the door wrangling was just disclosed last night in our faculty meeting. This will certainly change the way the AG handles this case. The meeting was raucous, with a divide in the faculty. Glad I don't have to try to bring consensus, but it s now apparent that the board has overstepped.

By overstepped, do you mean jumped the gun on pulling the plug?

You could say that... it would surely be true. There are a couple of much bigger issues; I believe these will be made public within the next week... most likely by next Tuesday morning. I'd elaborate, but there are certain processes that the faculty leadership is following as they seek to reverse what has been started. It is public knowledge that a new board has been formed that includes several past board members and they will be seeking through legal means to replace the current board. I have been impressed by the number of faculty that are actually willing to sign away their jobs AND their severance if it means that the staff will still have the opportunity to work at a reconstituted SBC. While I have a very different foundation than most here, the faculty's sense of family and concern for others is truly amazing. This has given me even more of a sense that God placed me in this position for more than just extra income.

Very cool insight without compromising your situation. Even if things work out to keep the school alive, it seems the school will have to make some significant changes to make the school sustainable.

Sly Fox wrote:Very cool insight without compromising your situation. Even if things work out to keep the school alive, it seems the school will have to make some significant changes to make the school sustainable.

I don't know where I'll be headed next fall. With a long history at Liberty, it is a natural choice, but it is probably a long shot. I've met with people in the Business Dept, and they certainly seem to be developing a vision, but apparently, there are people waiting in line to teach. I'll be at Bluefield College tomorrow, and might actually end up doing some online teaching there. Whether I teach again or not, I am glad that I have been able to be a part of SBC (not to mention getting to rep Liberty there!) I will continue to post background info on what gets into the press; there will be plenty more in the news over the next month.