Blue Ridge Community College Prepares for 50th Anniversary

President Laura B. Leatherwood offered her reflections on the significance of Blue Ridge Community College's 50th anniversary in a column for the Hendersonville, NC Times-News, "Blue Ridge Community College Celebrates 50 Years."

A number of anniversary activities are planned for the fall and you can learn more by visiting the Blue Ridge Celebrates 50 Years page on the college website.

The college received its initial charter on July 21, 1969 as Henderson County Technical Institute, a public two-year institution.  A full slate of classes were offered for the fall term of 1970.  The name changed to Henderson County Technical College nine years later and then to Blue Ridge Community College on September 14, 1987.

Historic Walking Tour at the University of Vermont

VTDigger posted "Then Again: In its first year, UVM had 12 students, 31 library books and $12 tuition" where Mark Bushnell offers a short sketch of the history of the University of Vermont and notes that the story of how the university grew in size and stature since its founding is the subject of a free 90-minute walking tour the school that is offered at 10:00 a.m. on Saturdays through October 12th. The tours are led by William Averyt, UVM emeritus professor.

The university in Burlington, VT offers an Historic Tour of UVM web page with links to a map and a short video of the tour that is narrated by Professor Averyt.

Midstate College Announces Closure

WEEK-TV reported this week that Midstate College in Peoria, IL will be closing, "Local Colleges Taking Action after Midstate Closure." You can also see a video clip from WMBD-TV, "Midstate College to Permanently Close Next Month."

      

Midstate operated as a four year, primarily associates, private for-profit college and enrolled 226 students in its most recent IPEDS reporting.  It was accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.  The institution's web page currently offers additional information on the closure.

Midstate traced its roots to two commercial schools that opened in 1857 and 1865 in Peoria. These two schools merged in 1868 and were purchased by G.W. Brown in 1888. The institution was renamed Brown's Business College of Commerce.

Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.), 20 May 1919. 

Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. 

It was acquired by W.L. Reed in 1913 and later sold again in 1960 when it was renamed Midstate College of Commerce. The name last changed in 1970 to Midstate College.

If you are interested in recent trends for closures, mergers,and acquisitions access College Closures since 2009 in the index at the right of any College History Garden page. There are separate tabs for non-profit closures, for-profit closures, and one for mergers and acquisitions. Each tab includes basic information for the institutions, i.e., Carnegie Classification, sector, accrediting agency, and the IPEDS unitid.

Wheeling Jesuit University Adopts New Name

Jeff Jenkins of West Virginia's MetroNews reports that "Wheeling Jesuit changes name to Wheeling University."

Wheeling College was founded in partnership between the Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston and the Society of Jesus of the Maryland Province in 1954. The name changed to Wheeling Jesuit College in 1987 and Wheeling Jesuit University in 1996.

Wheeling has been facing serious financial issues in recent years.  Financial exigency was declared in spring 2019, followed by faculty layoffs and elimination of programs.  

Gregg Toppo reported for Inside Higher Ed in April that the Society of Jesus ended its ties with the institution, "After Cuts, Jesuits End Ties to Wheeling Jesuit."

Metro Business College Closing

The Jefferson City News Tribune reported in June that "Metro Business College to close Missouri campuses." 

Metro Business College operated three campuses in Cape Girardeau, Jefferson City, and Rolla.  Recent enrollment at all three was just over one hundred students.

If you are interested in recent trends for closures, mergers,and acquisitions access College Closures since 2009 in the index at the right of any College History Garden page. There are separate tabs for non-profit closures, for-profit closures, and one for mergers and acquisitions. Each tab includes basic information for the institutions, i.e., Carnegie Classification, sector, accrediting agency, and the IPEDS unitid.

Closure and Transition for Marygrove College Campus

This is a delayed post due to a bit of personal travel and the re-entry afterward as I wade through accumulated emails and news alerts... 

Marygrove College in Detroit announced in mid-June that it will be closing after the fall term in December 2019.

Marygrove was initially founded by the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary as Saint Mary Academy in 1845 in Monroe, Michigan. The name changed to Saint Mary College in 1905 and then to Marygrove College in 1927 after moving to Detroit.  Undergraduate programs were discontinued in 2018 and Marygrove became a graduate-only institution.

Nancy Kaffer reported for the Detroit Free Press in "Detroit's 92-year-old Marygrove College to close in December" on June 12, 2019.

Daniel Howes of Michigan Public Radio also provided interesting perspective in his coverage, "Despite closure, Marygrove is a success story" and explores the transition toward "...a preschool to graduate program vision led by Kresge and the Detroit Public Schools Community District."

You can read more on changes at Marygrove through a couple of Small College Garden posts:

• Two Detroit Publications Provide Excellent Reporting on Changes at Marygrove College
• Detroit's Cradle-to-College Initiative

If you are interested in recent trends for closures, mergers,and acquisitions access College Closures since 2009 in the index at the right of any College History Garden page. There are separate tabs for non-profit closures, for-profit closures, and one for mergers and acquisitions. Each tab includes basic information for the institutions, i.e., Carnegie Classification, sector, accrediting agency, and the IPEDS unitid.

Bemidji State University History Featured in New Exhibit

Bemidji State University in Minnesota has been celebrating its centennial and the institution's history is featured a new exhibit. 

Lakeland PBS posted "Beltrami County Historical Society Unveils New Bemidji State University Exhibit" that includes video coverage from the opening.  The exhibit features artifacts, vintage BSU apparel, old pins, and course catalogues.

The institution was established as Bemidji State Normal School.  The name changed to Bemidji State Teachers College in 1921, to Bemidji State College in 1957, and to Bemidji State University in 1976.

The centennial web pages offer a timeline of milestones and a variety of other resources that include a video on Vimeo that provides an overview of institutional history, "Bemidji State University: Celebrating our Centennial.".

Minneapolis Business College Announces Closure

Katie Galioto reported for the Minneapolis Star Tribune on June 26, 2019 that "After 145 years, Minneapolis Business College to close in December."

The institution was founded in 1874 and moved to Roseville, MN after 1983.  Galioto reports that enrollment had declined to approximately 90 students.  It was part of the Bradford Schools system headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA.

If you are interested in recent trends for closures, mergers,and acquisitions access College Closures since 2009 in the index at the right of any College History Garden page. There are separate tabs for non-profit closures, for-profit closures, and one for mergers and acquisitions. Each tab includes basic information for the institutions, i.e., Carnegie Classification, sector, accrediting agency, and the IPEDS unitid.

50th Anniversary for El Paso Community College

El Paso Community College in El Paso, TX is beginning a celebration of its founding in 1969.  The 50th anniversary webpages offer information on upcoming events, a timeline, historic photographs, and other resources.



Molly Smith of the El Paso Times provided an interesting overview of the institution's history in "EPCC celebrates 50 years since El Paso voted to create junior college district" published June 28, 2019.

Governors State University Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Governors State University in Illinois is beginning a 50th anniversary celebration with a Birthday Bash on July 17, 2019 and a number of other 50th Anniversary Events scheduled through the rest of the year.

Marilyn Thomas of the Homewood-Flossmoor Chronicle authored an excellent summary of the history, "GSU/50: Governors State University grows from a great experiment to a 4-year university." 

Thomas describes the nature of the new institution during its initial few years when "...staff set about designing an innovative university. Students were co-learners and professors were coordinators. Classes were called modules. Modules didn’t meet for semesters — they were eight-week sessions. Nobody earned grades; a transcript spelled out a student’s competencies."

Governors State now operates in a more traditional manner, yet has a track record for innovation that includes early adoption of instructional television to more recent additions of doctoral programs in nursing, physical and occupational therapy, and several education fields.

You can view an interesting short YouTube video prepared for the 40th anniversary, "Governors State University--40 Year Anniversary."

Salter College, For-Profit in Massachusetts will Close

An NBC News post on July 11, 2019 indicates that "For-profit Salter College, accused of defrauding students, will close and pay $1.6 million in debt relief."

Reporter Corky Siemaszko indicated that Salter College and its parent company, Premier Education Group, agreed to provide $1.6 million in debt relief to students and cease operations in Massachusetts by the end of 2019.

Earlier in the day, NBC News in cooperation with The Hechinger Report posted "'They just saw me as a dollar sign': How some certificate schools profit from vulnerable students."

Premier Education Group agreed that is will no longer enroll Massachusetts students, including through its internet and other remote programs. Premier operated the Salter School in Fall River and Malden, Salter College in West Boylston and Chicopee, and the Branford Hall Career Institute in Springfield.

Salter College was founded by Mrs. Dorothy Lowell Salter in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1937 as the Salter Secretarial School. In January 2002 Salter was acquired by Premier Education Group, located in Branford, Connecticut. In April 2002, branch campuses were added in Malden and Tewksbury, Massachusetts. The Fall River branch was added in the summer of 2003. Then in February 2007, Salter School was granted authority to change its name to Salter College

If you are interested in recent trends for closures, mergers,and acquisitions access College Closures since 2009 in the index at the right of any College History Garden page. There are separate tabs for non-profit closures, for-profit closures, and one for mergers and acquisitions. Each tab includes basic information for the institutions, i.e., Carnegie Classification, sector, accrediting agency, and the IPEDS unitid.

Newbury College: Analysis of College Closure and the Impact on Students and Staff

Alia Wong focused on the closure of Newbury College for The Atlantic in an article published June 18, 2019, "The Surreal End of an American College: Small schools across the United States are facing budget shortfalls and low enrollment—leading some to shut down in the middle of students’ higher-education experience."

Newbury College suspended class in December 2018. Wong describes how college personnel communicated the decision and masterfully lays out the emotional impact on staff members and students, many of whom viewed the "...closure as simultaneously shocking and predictable, a dissonance that few had the words to describe."

She concludes that in "...many ways, a college’s closure plays out like a business liquidation—the employees get their severance packages, the property goes on the market, the customers are told to move on. But students and faculty suggested that a college closure cuts even deeper—that the raw pain and the stakes involved in such a shutdown are compounded by the fact that Newbury was also home. And Newbury welcomed many of its students when few other schools would..."

Yankton College "...no longer exists. But it's not fully dead either."

Alia Wong, staff writer for The Atlantic covering education and families authored an interesting article posted June 12, 2019, "The College That Became a Prison: Yankton College no longer exists. But it’s not fully dead either." 

Yankton College closed in 1984 and the campus has since been acquired by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

The Yankton College alumni and friends have been active over the years and it is nice to see Wong provide them with recognition through her article for maintaining the legacy of the institution. 

If you are interested in learning more, you can visit their website at https://www.yanktoncollege.org/ or their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Yankton.College/.

You can also find links to articles on the alumni efforts in earlier College History Garden posts from December 13, 2009, Yankton College (South Dakota) #1, and June 6, 2011, Yankton College (South Dakota) #2.

Mt. Sierra College, California For-Profit Abruptly Closes

The Monrovia Weekly reported that Mt. Sierra College in Monrovia, CA abruptly closed,
"Financial Woes Shutter Mt. Sierra College In Monrovia."  The article includes an embedded video segment with reporting on the closure by KTTV-11, the Fox affiliate in Los Angeles.

The for-profit institution was founded in 1990.  It was initially known as Computer Technology Institute and briefly as Pasadena Career Institute. The college changed its name to Mt Sierra Career College in January 1991. The most recent reported enrollment to IPEDS was 202 students.

The Mt. Sierra College website offers links for forms needed to order transcripts and academic records.

If you are interested in recent trends for closures, mergers,and acquisitions access College Closures since 2009 in the index at the right of any College History Garden page. There are separate tabs for non-profit closures, for-profit closures, and one for mergers and acquisitions. Each tab includes basic information for the institutions, i.e., Carnegie Classification, sector, accrediting agency, and the IPEDS unitid.

Edmonton Digital Arts College is Closing

Canada's Global News posted "Edmonton Digital Arts College shutting down permanently" on July 2, 2019.   Reporter Sarah Kraus interviewed EDAC executive director Owen Brierly and students impacted by the decision.

EDAC operated as a private post-secondary institution and had been enrolling roughly 50 students.  The institution was initially founded as Guru Digital Arts College in 2002 with a curricular focus on digital media.  Brierly acquired the school in 2008 and attempted to offer a broader array of options for students.

The article also includes a link to a 14 minute interview with Brierly on The Ryan Jesperson Show on CHED 630, "Edmonton digital arts college calls it quits."

Elmhurst College will Change Name

Elmhurst College became Elmhurst University on June 30, 2020.

The institution was founded as Elmhurst Pro-Seminary and Academy in 1871 and was initially affiliated with the German Evangelical Synod of the Northwest that later became part of the United Church of Christ. The name was changed to Elmhurst Academy and Junior College in 1919, and to Elmhurst College in 1924. It is located in Elmhurst, IL and enrolls 3,841 students. Of these, 2,875 are undergraduates.

You can also read more about the name change in a WBEZ post with reporting by Kate McGee, "As Colleges Close, Elmhurst College Grows And Rebrands As A University."

Davis College Seeks to Sell Main Campus and Secure Merger

WBNG-TV in Binghamton, NY is reporting that Davis College in Johnson City, NY is planning to sell its main campus and intends to merge with World of Life Bible Institute located in Chester, NY.

Davis College intends to eliminate debt with proceeds from the sale of the campus and "...explains that the 2019-2020 school year will act as a transition year, where about 15 seniors will commute to the main campus for courses and are expected to graduate in either December 2019 or May 2020." 

Enrolment has fallen significantly since Davis last reported enrollment of 288 students to IPEDS.


Jeff Platsky of the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin also reported on the sale of the campus in "Adam Weitsman close to a deal to buy Davis College property in Johnson City."

Davis College was founded as Practical Bible School in 1900.  The name changed to Practical Bible College in 1933 and to Davis College in 2004.

Both Davis College and the Word of Life Institute operate as private, non-profit institutions.  Word of Life reported 522 undergraduate enrollment to IPEDS.

If you are interested in recent trends for closures, mergers,and acquisitions access College Closures since 2009 in the index at the right of any College History Garden page. There are separate tabs for non-profit closures, for-profit closures, and one for mergers and acquisitions. Each tab includes basic information for the institutions, i.e., Carnegie Classification, sector, accrediting agency, and the IPEDS unitid.