At the start of the meeting we reviewed the official statements and activities that came out of the Antioch Reunion. To summarize: during Reunion 2007 it was decided that alumni would work in three main areas (government/legal action, communication-internal and external, fundraising) . They began a public relations effort to get alumni to donate in an attempt to keep the college open. A website (antiochians.org) has been created to provide alumni with information and action plans. Ultimately we hope to negotiate with the University’s Board of Trustees to establish a separate board that will only be accountable to the College and to provide a string of revenue to support undergraduates and the college. These actions were approved unanimously by the Antioch Alumni Board.

After reviewing these initial action steps, the Chicago Chapter reviewed what has gone wrong in recent years that has led to the decision to close the college. These actions include:

• A renewal plan in 2003 to changing the curriculum and cooperative education program (led to a loss of students and valued employees)
• The Board of Trustees promise to raise 6.5 million dollars over five years as the college and enrollment adjusted due to the new curriculum
• Since this money was not raised, ultimately the college faced a deficit
• Enrollment for the college has been down for the last 20 years (from 2000 students to 600 students)
• While enrollment is beginning to increase, the Board of Trustees did not keep its promise to earn additional funds leading to the current funding crisis (we determined that there has not been an independent financial audit of the college)
• Since you must legally must provide notice prior to shutting down a college (to prepare faculty and students) the college declared a state of financial crisis and declared exigency (allowing them to suspend operations)
• Faculty will be terminated on 06/30/08- 2012 plan is calculated since faculty contracts expire in 2012
• The Board had not properly communicated this information to the college
• Since the Board has not kept their promise to raise money, we have started a separate fund to ensure the money is spent properly. While these occurrences have been negative, they have positively galvanized communities to organize

As we move forward, we began to review in-depth the recent actions that have occurred

• Nationally there are currently three teams that are organizing (Government and Legal, Fundraising, Communications).
• Fundraising Group

• Determined that they can use the logo but is still working on whether the name can be used (due to copyright) in efforts
• 15 Development and admissions staff have been fired, only efforts are to transfer current students (21 total staff have been fired) so all fundraising is externally at this time
• Short term goal is 10 million this year, 10 million next year, and 50 million dollars as a long tern goal
• Also working to reach out to other universities and causes that have supported Antioch in the past
• Admissions- we cannot currently organize to acquire students since the curriculum, state of the college, and plan are unclear (can’t recommend the college if it could potentially close)
• Is the endowment available? No, it is subject to restrictions due to the declaration of exigency
• Any fundraising needs to coincide with improvements

• Communication Group

• The website antiochians.org contains information and ways for alumni to get involved
• We need more communication between alumni and current staff (unions as well)
• Working to collect narratives to create an accurate picture of the recent history of Antioch

• Legal Group

• Most information is currently confidential due to the legal actions being taken, and few are privy to this

• Pledge cards are being circulated for an independent fund (that the Board of Trustees will not be able to touch, since the development department can only raise funds for after 2012 since the declaration of financial exigency)
• A structure is being put together to handle and effectively manage all funds raised
• People are being organized by skills, so they can be matched and placed in committees
• Alumni are mobilizing locally to create smaller actions outside of the national action
• We ultimately hope to persuade the Board to call an emergency meeting to reconsider the closure of the college
• Left with things we can do RIGHT NOW to save the college

• Write letters to the editor/press
• Complete “Skill Bank” forms so we can determine how to mobilize
• Complete an Antioch narrative and forward to Communication Committee
• Write a check
• Get others to write checks
• Regularly examine Antiochians.org

Next meeting will be scheduled in late July/early August

The purpose of the communications group was determine potential actions that can be taken locally and nationally to utilize media to keep the college open. We discussed the following information and potential action steps.

• Preparing a media kit with talking points and slogans that will allow anyone speaking to the media to provide a clear and consistent message (focus on the need to convey a positive image- the College isn’t closed yet)

• Make a list of supporting individuals that may assist in the effort

• • Who would they be?
    • Current students
    • External media
    • Alumni (specifically those involved in producing media, or famous alums)
    • Students that have been on campus in the last ten years to refute the image of “declining Antioch”
    • Should we have “point people” that only talk to the media, or can anyone reach out? (this is still being debated, due to individuals being repeatedly misquoted or not conveying a clear message)
    • Involve former graduation speakers
    • Public individuals potentially interested (Martin Goldsmith, Chancellors, Michael Moore, Dave Chapelle)
    • Locate charismatic speakers
• What are our tactics?
  • Creating and producing our own media about the college closure
  • Coming up with a positive slogan
  • Potentially creating two websites (one for insiders [alumni, organizers] and one specifically designed for the press and other external individuals interested in efforts)
  • Creating press releases (perhaps release about our local meeting)
  • Make all meeting notes public
  • Invite the media to local meetings
  • Coordinate internal media (combining all disparate listserves to antiochians.org)
  • Clarify the problems with the 2012 plan and explain the flaws using the media (ex: contracts, pensions, tenure)
  • Create a way for alumni who are not computer savvy to remain in contact and active
  • • Newsletter
  • • Pamphlets (what happened? why? what can we do?)
    • Produce talking points in a Q & A format
  • Reach out to the indie press (since much media has explained the current state of the college as an example of the dying left)
  • Stay up to date on faculty and legal actions and maintain all internal communications
  • Question exigency approach
  • Get the agenda for the next meeting out ahead of time so everyone has a chance to prepare for the next meeting
  • Keep up communication between groups so they can collaborate (ex: fundraising committee sharing events with communication to publicize)
  • Create liaisons between all local chapters to ensure a unified national effort
  • Use Antiochians.org for communication between chapters
  • Consider a reverse co-op where former students can return to campus and contribute to its revitalization (particularly retired alumni) (Antioch Service Corps)

The next meeting is scheduled for Sunday, July 15th at 2:00, and minutes and agenda will be distributed prior to the next meeting

Minutes of Boston Area Meeting, June 26, 2007

This special informational meeting was called in response to the announcement that Antioch College would suspend operations in July 2008. The stated purpose was to learn why the trustees made that decision, the short and long-term implications, and ways in which alumni can help the college now. The meeting was held at Barbara Wallraff’s house in Brookline. It was called to order at about 6:30 pm and adjourned at about 9:30 pm.

Dan Fallon, vice-chair of the Antioch University Board of Trustees, and Steve Lawry, president of Antioch College, attended the meeting, which was chaired by Barbara Wallraff (chair of the local alumni group) and Mike Brower (member of the board of the Antioch College Alumni Association). Forty-nine people recorded their names on the sign-up sheet.

Report on reunion

Mike reported on this year’s reunion, which he described as “incredible,” attended by close to 500 alumni. He cautioned that while we are all probably “puzzled, confused, disturbed, and angry,” we should not blame individuals; the suspension is the result of “a long set of historical circumstances.” Mike reported that by the end of reunion weekend, the new College Regeneration Fund, which is controlled by the alumni board, had collected $410,000 in cash and pledges. Mike also said that the college needs an endowment of $400-500 million but now has an endowment of only $32 million.

Mike explained that the Boston alumni chapter might serve as a model for the entire country. He expects there to be as many as 12 alumni chapters within a few weeks. Mike also announced that there is a new, unofficial alumni web site: antiochians.org. This is intended to serve as a central communications board. An effort is underway to have a link to this site appear on the official Antioch College  web site.

Report by Dan Fallon

Barbara introduced Dan Fallon and Steve Lawry.

Dan responded to questions that Mike had sent him:

There is no satisfactory answer to the question of why faculty, students, and alumni were not informed of the suspension before the news was announced in a press release. The trustees received accurate financial information only shortly before they made the decision, and this convinced them that the situation was dire. In the past, benevolent alumni have been willing to cover shortfalls, but this is no longer the case. Even “liquidating other campuses wouldn’t make a significant dent” in the problem, Dan said.

Although the new curriculum was “gaining traction,” student attrition continued to be “severe.” And attracting new students has been difficult. The major reason students are not enrolling at the college, according to Dan, is the poor physical facilities, “a serious, serious problem” resulting from 30 to 40 years of deferred maintenance. A new student center will cost at least $12 million, library renovation will cost at least $6 million, and much else remains to be done.

The college faculty is “an extraordinary faculty” but among the lowest paid in the U.S. Antioch College must increase faculty salaries by 40 to 50 percent. “We have been losing capable, motivated people.” Most academic areas are now represented by only one faculty member. Faculty members can no longer afford to live in the village of Yellow Springs, so often none are around after 3 or 4 pm.

Antioch has few liquid assets. The college cannot sell the Glen, because according to Hugh Taylor Birch’s bequest, if Antioch cannot support it, the land is to be given to the State of Ohio.

In response to a question about why the new curriculum didn’t succeed in attracting many more students, Dan said his opinion now is that it was too ambitious and came too late. The board’s priorities may have been wrong and not enough thought went into implementing the new curriculum amid the circumstances on campus. Steve added that declining faculty numbers and the college’s inability to offer conventional majors also presented problems. According to Steve, the second most important reason cited by admitted students for not attending Antioch was the curriculum. Attending Antioch thus was often seen as “something of a social experience” rather than rigorous intellectual training.

In response to a question about student and faculty involvement in developing the new curriculum, Dan explained that the Renewal Commission included two faculty members and one student. The commission met in Yellow Springs and canvassed faculty and students.

Dan assured the group that the trustees are dedicated to re-opening Antioch College and said that the “new” Antioch must “be committed to Antioch’s core values” as articulated by Horace Mann and Arthur Morgan. The new Antioch will aim for between 1,200 and 2,000 students.

Audience questions

Dan said that in designing the new Antioch College one must consider demographics that are different from those of the past and also new ways of delivering course content.

Dan emphasized that we must all work together on a unified plan to regenerate the college.  If different groups pursue different paths, he is convinced the college is doomed. For there to be a new Antioch College, $100 million or more must be raised. We must identify key philanthropists. Steve said “we must build a viable financial structure.” He reported that one percent of college’s budget comes from its endowment. This compares with 24 percent at other members of the Great Lakes College Association (GLCA).

In terms of the prevailing culture at Antioch, Steve said that a “wrong pathway to follow” is to refer to Antioch as “the boot camp of the revolution.” He reported that the retention rate between first and second years is 58 to 62 percent at Antioch compared with 85 percent for the GLCA. According to Steve, the culture is “too polarized.”

Steve also said he feels that the current “franchise model” for the university is unsustainable. He and the university chancellor both feel that each university campus should have its own board of trustees.

Dan said he understands that before Antioch alumni contribute money to the college, they need “clear legal guarantees and benchmarks.” And the new Antioch must have “a clear focus.” “If it doesn’t look like Antioch,” he said, “it’s not worth doing.”

Someone pointed out that by law, money contributed to Antioch cannot be returned to the donors if the college does not re-open. It must be earmarked for another nonprofit organization. [Whether this is actually the case was subsequently called into question.] Another meeting participant reported that the consensus at reunion was that Antioch should not close in 2008 but should be kept open at least one additional year. If the library, for instance, does not renew its journal subscriptions, Antioch will lose its accreditation. However, someone said that the library has been instructed not to renew its subscriptions.  Dan said we must find a way “to come together” and that the trustees are willing to consider “realistic options.” What is the strategy to forge a consensus? Dan replied that we are at the beginning of this process. Steve said that fundraising and planning must be done by “people alumni have faith in.”

Steve said he favors a merger of the college with McGregor (McGregor was established as a separate entity in 1988), but the matter is complex. Dan said the trustees expect there to be only one Antioch in Yellow Springs in future. If the college ceased to be part of the university, he said, there would be many more obstacles to its reopening than there now are.

During the interim period, the college will retain a skeletal administration and planning staff. Accrediting agencies have been kept informed of current activities and plans.

Further comments

Lester Lee said he continues to be happy he attended Antioch rather than Oberlin. Addressing Steve, he said, “For 35 years I’ve been waiting for someone to say what you’ve been saying” about the culture on campus. He also said that the existence of the university has always been a problem for many college alumni.

Harris Sussman explained that there are precedents for closing and then reopening an academic institution. He gave the example of Prescott College, in Arizona, and pointed out that there are organizations that will fund the sort of “think tank process” required to reopen a school.

Jessica Lipnack, a former member of the board of trustees, commended the current board for making the decision to close the college.

Mike and Barbara declared the meeting adjourned.

Stan Morse ’65
Secretary

The next meeting will be held on July 16, 2007 at 7 pm, at Barbara Wallraff’s house.