FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Lynda Sirk
Director of Communications
Antioch College
Phone: 937.769.1222
Cell: 614.394.4070

-or-

Joanna Gerber
Director of Public Relations & Communications
Antioch University Los Angeles
Phone: 310.578.1080 x119
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Antioch University Reaffirms Temporary Suspension of Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio
Antioch University Board and Antioch College Continuation Corporation unable to reach final agreement for college transfer

YELLOW SPRINGS, OH - May 9, 2008 - Antioch University’s Board of Trustees has re-affirmed its June 2007 decision to temporarily suspend operations of Antioch College located in Yellow Springs, Ohio and concluding negotiations with the Antioch College Continuation Corporation.  Following months of good-faith negotiations with Antioch College alumni to determine an alternative to the university’s suspension of college operations, the Board of Trustees voted Thursday night against an ACCC proposal that would have resulted in the forced resignation of existing university trustees and created an untenable leadership structure for the remaining five-campus university system nationwide.

The board expresses deep sympathy to faculty, students and staff, as well as the local community of Yellow Springs--all impacted by the temporary suspension of operations at the college.

“Our board is filled with Antioch College alumni, making up 78 percent. We care deeply about this college, and we know that many people across the country feel the same way,” board Chair Art Zucker said.  “The spirit of Antioch lives on in Antioch University.

Zucker continued, “While we remain committed to renewing the operation of Antioch College in a workable model for the 21st century, we continue to serve Antioch’s education mission through the remaining five campuses, all of which remain unaffected by Antioch College’s temporary closing.”

The non-residential campuses all continue normal operations, including Antioch University Los Angeles.  There are additional Antioch campuses located in Yellow Springs, OH (Antioch McGregor); Keene, NH (Antioch New England); Santa Barbara, CA; and Seattle, WA, as well as a national PhD program in Leadership and Change. 

Zucker noted that the board has fiduciary responsibility to take actions that are in the best interest of Antioch University as a whole. “The board has repeatedly told ACCC that it needs financial benchmarks in any proposal. Because the college faces a very deep financial crisis, these benchmarks are necessary to assure that there would be a firewall in place to assure the financial security of the university,” Zucker said.

Additionally, the board also felt that the ACCC proposal did not provide enough detail to indicate how the college could remain open beyond the first year, including academic and business plans.

The decision on Thursday came after months of good-faith negotiations between the Antioch University Board of Trustees, and the Antioch College Continuation Corporation (ACCC). As late as April 28, the board approved the ACCC proposal for reconstituting the board of trustees with one minor change regarding the identity of one member of the reconstituted board. The reason for the change was to provide balance on the reconstituted board. ACCC rejected this board-approved proposal on April 29 and responded with a final proposal which the Board of Trustees voted against last night because it would have placed the Antioch University system in jeopardy.

Zucker expressed deep appreciation for the strong efforts of the Board of Trustees over the past year to find a viable solution that would allow the college to continue operations.   But “Antioch College Continuation Corporation left the Antioch University Board of Trustees no alternative but to re-affirm its original decision to suspend Antioch College operations” Zucker added.

“The timetable of events clearly illustrates that we have been responsive in working toward alternative solutions to suspending Antioch College operations,” said Antioch University Chancellor, Dr. Toni Murdock.  “At no point have we ever said it was too late to keep pursuing a viable college transfer from the university that would permit it to stay open. In fact, we have gone back to ACCC many times to pursue new talks after we have been told by the ACCC that negotiations are over.”

The board of trustees continued discussions with ACCC over the last few months and held a special joint session with the ACCC on April 16, where they engaged in direct facilitated discussion.  From these meetings, the Board offered the Immediate Transfer of the College proposal (ITC). This proposal would permit Antioch College to continue operation under control of ACCC but utilizing the Antioch University credentials. This ITC proposal further set out to separate the college from the university at the close of the 2008-09 academic year.

The ITC would have allowed the ACCC the following:

• Full responsibility to run Antioch College from an ACCC-funded $10 million escrow account for the 2008-2009 academic year, while creating a one-year transition period for ACCC to establish its own board of trustees for the college and remove it from university governance.
• All assets associate with the operation of Antioch College for $6 million payable July 1, 2009, and $6.2 million in a promissory note to be paid in equal annual installments over five years secured by mortgaging and financing on all college assets.
• University support to ACCC to obtain necessary accreditations for independent operation starting in 2009-2010 and access to any shared university services desired by ACCC.
• Leeway to establish a separate foundation for Antioch College to deposit any gifts to the college during the 2008-2009 academic  year.

While it was felt that the ITC proposal fulfilled all of the expressed criteria laid out by the Antioch College Continuation Corporation, unfortunately the plan was rejected by the ACCC.

Zucker expressed disappointment that all proposed solutions were turned down by the ACCC, but remains optimistic about the future.  “Now the board will continue to bear responsibility for the future of Antioch College. We recognize that the lasting future of Antioch College will require a separation from Antioch University to achieve the college’s long-term academic and financial sustainability.”

Zucker added “We all will continue to bear the torch for the ideals of Antioch College throughout Antioch University and will never extinguish the flame.”

For more information, please contact Joanna Gerber, Director of Public Relations for Antioch University Los Angeles at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or at (310) 578-1080 x119.

Additional information on the Antioch University system can be found online at www.antioch.edu

Additional information on Antioch University Los Angeles can be found online at www.antiochla.edu .

Click here to download the full text (PDF) of this release

Click here to download a timeline of events (PDF) regarding this decision