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Post by monklady123 on Mar 3, 2015 22:11:52 GMT
My dd has just told me that Sweet Briar College will be closing at the end of this academic year! She has a friend who goes there, which is how she just heard. Small colleges struggle, and I feel bad for everyone who's there already. And especially for those of this year's high school seniors who had Sweet Briar as their first choice. Anyone here with any connections there?
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Post by anonrefugee on Mar 3, 2015 22:36:17 GMT
Not me, but friends who are alums. I've lost touch with them now, but enjoyed their stories of traditions. It sounded so charming compared to my engineering boys club school!
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Post by BSnyder on Mar 3, 2015 22:41:20 GMT
I just heard too. One of dd's friends is there on a soccer scholarship. I feel sorry for her and the other Sweet Briar students that now need to transfer. Application time for transfer students is now closed at most colleges for the upcoming fall 2016 semester.
During my dd's junior year Sweet Briar was aggressively recruiting. I know my dd just wasn't interested in an all female college, so SB wasn't on her list of possibilities.
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Post by alissa103 on Mar 3, 2015 23:09:25 GMT
I'm friends with two graduates from there. They are sad and MAD. I guess the school has spent a ton of cash the last three years... AND this is the first they've heard of any real financial trouble.
I think it's horrible to announce this after enrollment has closed at other schools. I feel terrible for the now high school seniors who've committed to Sweet Briar and are now needing to go somewhere else. Those poor girls! And the current students... HORRIBLE to need to transfer in the middle of your college experience for this reason. So traumatic.
Wow.
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Dani-Mani
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Post by Dani-Mani on Mar 3, 2015 23:20:40 GMT
I attended a nearby school and I'm stunned to hear this! I have MANY friends who are alumni and they were blindsided by this!
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Dani-Mani
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Post by Dani-Mani on Mar 3, 2015 23:21:31 GMT
I'm friends with two graduates from there. They are sad and MAD. I guess the school has spent a ton of cash the last three years... AND this is the first they've heard of any real financial trouble. I think it's horrible to announce this after enrollment has closed at other schools. I feel terrible for the now high school seniors who've committed to Sweet Briar and are now needing to go somewhere else. Those poor girls! And the current students... HORRIBLE to need to transfer in the middle of your college experience for this reason. So traumatic. Wow. They have partnered with four nearby schools to allow for seamless transfer. Not that it helps, but they do have options.
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Post by alissa103 on Mar 3, 2015 23:32:30 GMT
I'm friends with two graduates from there. They are sad and MAD. I guess the school has spent a ton of cash the last three years... AND this is the first they've heard of any real financial trouble. I think it's horrible to announce this after enrollment has closed at other schools. I feel terrible for the now high school seniors who've committed to Sweet Briar and are now needing to go somewhere else. Those poor girls! And the current students... HORRIBLE to need to transfer in the middle of your college experience for this reason. So traumatic. Wow. They have partnered with four nearby schools to allow for seamless transfer. Not that it helps, but they do have options. It's something, but it's a poor option and really limiting.
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Post by moveablefeast on Mar 3, 2015 23:50:58 GMT
I'm friends with two graduates from there. They are sad and MAD. I guess the school has spent a ton of cash the last three years... AND this is the first they've heard of any real financial trouble. I think it's horrible to announce this after enrollment has closed at other schools. I feel terrible for the now high school seniors who've committed to Sweet Briar and are now needing to go somewhere else. Those poor girls! And the current students... HORRIBLE to need to transfer in the middle of your college experience for this reason. So traumatic. Wow. They have partnered with four nearby schools to allow for seamless transfer. Not that it helps, but they do have options. Not only that, but a number of admissions directors at area schools have posted on SBC's Facebook offering affected students a priority transfer, post-deadline. I have nothing but sympathy for the young women who are being displaced - but they will have some options and will ultimately be okay. It's very unfortunate for certain - but I was forced to transfer from my dream college too, for different reasons (and in July, not March). I sympathize and I know that it's probably the hardest thing most of them will deal with so far in life. But I also know that this is an adverse situation that can be overcome.
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julieb
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Post by julieb on Mar 3, 2015 23:56:33 GMT
I don't know the school, but it infuriates me that a small college would be closing when there are so many large universities are making millions on their sports' teams and paying their professors ridiculous amounts of money.
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kate
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Post by kate on Mar 3, 2015 23:57:58 GMT
That's a shame! I remember looking at that college back in the Dark Ages when I was in high school.
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Post by 1lear on Mar 4, 2015 0:25:23 GMT
I went on a weekend trip to Sweet Briar when I was in high school to check it out-it was such a pretty campus. I'm so sorry it's closing.
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gsquaredmom
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Post by gsquaredmom on Mar 4, 2015 0:26:56 GMT
I had not heard of it. It looks like a beautiful campus and a nice school.
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Post by jemali on Mar 4, 2015 0:40:52 GMT
One of dd's friends went their last year for her freshman year.
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Post by monklady123 on Mar 4, 2015 0:59:09 GMT
Also, in addition to all the students affected, what about professors and staff? I think teaching at colleges is pretty competitive, isn't it? I mean, not that many jobs out there. What happens to those families whose main income is the professor, or staff person, or some other employee? Yes, I know people lose their jobs all the time. But for me it always seems particularly hard when it's a large group of them all at once. Maybe that's my Pittsburgh roots -- I remember when the steel mills closed and all those people were suddenly out of work.
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Post by Pahina722 on Mar 4, 2015 1:07:31 GMT
Maybe I'm confused, but I believe I read about this in today's edition of Inside Higher Ed. If so, the college only has about 300 students total (smaller than my high school graduating class) which might mean about 20 faculty, so really not that many people affected. Yes, it sucks, but I'm not surprised that a small, religiously affiliated private college would be having a hard time surviving in this academic climate. At least other colleges are stepping up to help out.
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Post by monklady123 on Mar 4, 2015 2:52:39 GMT
Maybe I'm confused, but I believe I read about this in today's edition of Inside Higher Ed. If so, the college only has about 300 students total (smaller than my high school graduating class) which might mean about 20 faculty, so really not that many people affected. Yes, it sucks, but I'm not surprised that a small, religiously affiliated private college would be having a hard time surviving in this academic climate. At least other colleges are stepping up to help out. As far as I know it's not affiliated with any religion. And they used to have 700+ students, although I think recently it was 580 or something like that. So I'd think they have to have more than 20 faculty. Plus other employees who aren't specifically professors. The thing that has really affected everyone is the suddenness of it all. Yesterday they were emailing prospective students and today they announce they're closing. If there had been any type of warning ahead of time -- like at least last semester so that next year's new students would have time to apply elsewhere -- or any type of appeal to alumni and parents, then people might be less angry.
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Post by Jennifer C on Mar 4, 2015 3:01:23 GMT
With them closing, what happens to the over $100 million endowment they received?
Jennifer
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2015 3:59:06 GMT
It doesn't sound like this came out of nowhere. Students were getting bigger and bigger discounts off tuition (financial aid packages - which would eventually run their endowment dry) in recent years to try and attract students. Their enrollment was declining. They were engaged in a yearlong study trying to find viable ways to revitalize the school. Students and alumnae who didn't know there was a problem weren't paying very close attention.
That said, it's sad. I'm a big proponent of liberal arts education and think it's a shame that our society is failing to value it and instead worshipping on the altar of STEM alone.
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Post by anonrefugee on Mar 4, 2015 4:07:21 GMT
It .... I'm a big proponent of liberal arts education and think it's a shame that our society is failing to value it and instead worshipping on the altar of STEM alone. Someday this needs its own thread...
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2015 4:12:24 GMT
One of my friends went there and is devastated. I feel so bad for her!
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Post by epeanymous on Mar 4, 2015 4:14:48 GMT
It doesn't sound like this came out of nowhere. Students were getting bigger and bigger discounts off tuition (financial aid packages - which would eventually run their endowment dry) in recent years to try and attract students. Their enrollment was declining. They were engaged in a yearlong study trying to find viable ways to revitalize the school. Students and alumnae who didn't know there was a problem weren't paying very close attention. Yes, this is happening at small private liberal arts colleges everywhere. The discount rates on tuition at a lot of schools are astounding. Sorry that this college has had to close.
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Post by epeanymous on Mar 4, 2015 4:17:19 GMT
Also, in addition to all the students affected, what about professors and staff? I think teaching at colleges is pretty competitive, isn't it? I mean, not that many jobs out there. What happens to those families whose main income is the professor, or staff person, or some other employee? Yes, university level teaching has become extremely competitive. There are many more PhDs in fields where PhDs generally are used for university teaching than there are university jobs. That is why many universities now happily employ long-term, full-time adjuncts and contract faculty who are not on the tenure track.
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Dani-Mani
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Post by Dani-Mani on Mar 4, 2015 11:45:43 GMT
It doesn't sound like this came out of nowhere. Students were getting bigger and bigger discounts off tuition (financial aid packages - which would eventually run their endowment dry) in recent years to try and attract students. Their enrollment was declining. They were engaged in a yearlong study trying to find viable ways to revitalize the school. Students and alumnae who didn't know there was a problem weren't paying very close attention. That said, it's sad. I'm a big proponent of liberal arts education and think it's a shame that our society is failing to value it and instead worshipping on the altar of STEM alone. I don't think that's a fair assumption at all. If you actually talked to the students and alumni (which I have), they will tell you that while they knew the college was strugglimg, there was never any indication this would be the final outcome or so soon. Private endowments just built a massive new library and their alumni base is incredibly strong. And what college on the brink of closing is still actively recruiting? And awarding money they know they don't have? It's easy for an outsider to say in hindsight that they can't imagine this is a surprise, but really, when you're not an outsider and you can't use hindsight to your advantage, it's not nearly as clear. I attended a small liberal arts school in the same general area (though larger than SBC); I would be stunned if they announced their closure today.
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Post by camanddanismom on Mar 4, 2015 13:03:17 GMT
Sad...end of an era kind of sad as well as really sad for those students currently enrolled. I never applied but I did research on it a million years ago when considering colleges myself.
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Post by ktdoesntscrap on Mar 4, 2015 13:14:50 GMT
With them closing, what happens to the over $100 million endowment they received? Jennifer Usually endowments, have a clause about what happens to the money if the institution closes. I know the one my school receives does.
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Post by ShesaRenegade on Mar 4, 2015 13:45:40 GMT
Small colleges are having issues because of the advent of online degrees. Enrollment is down at many universities, including mine, which brings less tuition into the institution. Less tuition means the university can't meet it's operating costs, faculty cuts, etc. But hey, everyone wants to go to college in their jammies, right?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2015 13:45:44 GMT
With them closing, what happens to the over $100 million endowment they received? Jennifer It depends on the terms of the endowment and on the terms of the school closing. Both of those entities consider the possibility of closing when being created. All non profits have bylaws that will govern how they can be ended, by whom and what happens to any assets. Sweet Briar has a group of retirees who have been promised a retirement. Hopefully some of it will go toward making sure those who have earned a a retirement income will receive it. Although they have already skipped two payments to retirees. I'm another that feels badly for staff/faculty that is now jobless in a rural area without a lot of options. And those who spend a lifetime working there expecting to have a retirement income from their efforts.
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Post by Jennifer C on Mar 4, 2015 13:47:07 GMT
With them closing, what happens to the over $100 million endowment they received? Jennifer It depends on the terms of the endowment and on the terms of the school closing. Both of those entities consider the possibility of closing when being created. All non profits have bylaws that will govern how they can be ended, by whom and what happens to any assets. Sweet Briar has a group of retirees who have been promised a retirement. Hopefully some of it will go toward making sure those who have earned a a retirement income will receive it. Although they have already skipped two payments to retirees. I'm another that feels badly for staff/faculty that is now jobless in a rural area without a lot of options. And those who spend a lifetime working there expecting to have a retirement income from their efforts. When I read about the closing and the endowment, I hoped that it could be used to soften the blow of losing jobs and retirements. Jennifer
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Post by anxiousmom on Mar 4, 2015 14:01:05 GMT
Small colleges are having issues because of the advent of online degrees. Enrollment is down at many universities, including mine, which brings less tuition into the institution. Less tuition means the university can't meet it's operating costs, faculty cuts, etc. But hey, everyone wants to go to college in their jammies, right? Online/distance learning programs aren't always chosen due to wanting to go to college in their pajamas though. More often than not, it is because the person doesn't have direct access to an actual college campus. It is a shame that the smaller schools are having such financial difficulties.
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Post by Really Red on Mar 4, 2015 14:36:21 GMT
I just heard too. One of dd's friends is there on a soccer scholarship. I feel sorry for her and the other Sweet Briar students that now need to transfer. Application time for transfer students is now closed at most colleges for the upcoming fall 2016 semester. During my dd's junior year Sweet Briar was aggressively recruiting. I know my dd just wasn't interested in an all female college, so SB wasn't on her list of possibilities. My friend is the soccer coach there. She is devastated. It is one of the most beautiful campuses and I believe has been voted the most beautiful college campus several times. One of my DD's friends was going there in the fall. I also think it is really, REALLY wrong for them to have done this at this point in time. They are working with 4 local colleges, but it is wrong.
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