Sweet Briar closing

[angels&angles]

Going off the "If they build it..." thread, it was announced today that Sweet Briar College in VA is closing due to "financial challenges." It is (was) an all-girls school, so no GLOs.

Washington Post Article

Judging from social media, it looks like this is the first students, parents, and alums (possibly also staff?) have heard of this, which seems a little sketchy. It's pretty late in the year for transfers, although SBC worked out a reciprocal admissions deal with a few other colleges in the area (including two women's colleges) for transfers and accepted students who had made a deposit. But if a student doesn't want to go to those schools... sounds like she may be SOL.

[Sciencewoman]

I remember getting brochures from Sweet Briar when I was in high school, and being a bit lured in. If I recall correctly, they had an early college admissions program (in lieu of finishing high school) for gifted students.

[alum]

Now who will the boys of Hampden-Sydney date?

So many single-sex schools all over the country have had to fold or to remain viable go coed or seek non-traditional students. Both my mother's both grandmothers', and one grandfather graduated from single-sex schools that are now coed, one relatively recently, the others a couple of decades ago.

[FSUZeta]

Hollins girls?

It is a sad situation that Sweet Briar is closing.

[1964Alum]

Apparently the enrollment at Hollins is up.

The Sweet Briar closing is very sad for me. My family has had a long association with the college. One cousin chose Sweet Briar because she could take her horse to school with her!

[honeychile]

I feel very badly about this. The equestrienne set is probably in mourning.

[1964Alum]

Virginia has long been Horse Country, which continues today. Fortunately, there are other VA colleges with facilities for students' horses as well as equestrian teams and programs. The students in these programs typically do very, very well in other areas of their college experiences. A lot of responsibility comes along with horse ownership.

[NinjaPoodle]

That link doesnt work.
From the school's website
http://www.sbc.edu/news/
"Sweet Briar College Board of Directors Votes to Close College at the Conclusion of the 2014-2015 Academic Year

SWEET BRIAR, VA., March 3, 2015 – On Feb. 28, 2015, the board of directors of Sweet Briar College voted to close the College as a result of insurmountable financial challenges.

“This is a sad day for the entire Sweet Briar College community,” said Paul G. Rice, SBC board chair. “The board closely examined the College’s financial situation and weighed it against our obligations to current and prospective students, parents, faculty and staff, alumnae, donors and friends. We voted to act now to cease academic operations responsibly, allowing us to place students at other academic institutions, to assist faculty and staff with the transition and to conduct a more orderly winding down of academic operations.”

Efforts will begin immediately to help current students transfer to other colleges and universities. Additionally, following spring break, which ends Sunday, March 15, the College will host on-campus college fairs to help match current students with transfer opportunities. The College will offer to students who have been admitted to Sweet Briar for fall 2015 assistance in finding a new academic institution.

The College will be winding down academic operations over the next several months. The Class of 2015 will be the final graduating class, and the commencement ceremony on May 16 will be the last one held on campus. A final on-campus Reunion Weekend will take place May 29-31, 2015. The College will close on Aug. 25, 2015, in order to allow for the completion of summer credit hours.

“While the College has long been part of my life, as my wife is a 1969 graduate, my role as president has taken on more meaning than I could ever describe,” President James F. Jones Jr. said. “The board, some key alumnae and I have worked diligently to find a solution to the challenges Sweet Briar faces. This work led us to the unfortunate conclusion that there are two key realities that we could not change: the declining number of students choosing to attend small, rural, private liberal arts colleges and even fewer young women willing to consider a single-sex education, and the increase in the tuition discount rate that we have to extend to enroll each new class is financially unsustainable.”

In March 2014, the College began a strategic planning initiative to examine opportunities for Sweet Briar to attract and retain a larger number of qualified students and determine if any fundraising possibilities might exist to support these opportunities. Unfortunately, the planning initiative did not yield any viable paths forward because of financial constraints.

Faculty and staff, students, prospective students, parents, alumnae, donors, federal, state and local officials, and other stakeholders were notified of the board’s decision earlier today. Opportunities for informational meetings and conversations will continue throughout the month and through the end of the school year. The College hopes to provide severance and outplacement services to faculty and staff, details of which are still being determined. Academic records for alumnae currently held by the College will ultimately be transferred and maintained by an accredited higher education institution. Until that time, Sweet Briar’s Office of the Registrar will continue to operate and provide that information.

“As we faced this difficult decision, our guiding principle has been to enable the Sweet Briar community members to hold their heads high, knowing the College exited higher education with honor and integrity,” said Elizabeth H.S. Wyatt ’69, vice chair of the board of directors. “If we make the decision to close now, we will have a better opportunity to conclude academic operations in an orderly, compassionate and ethical way that pays homage to those who are here today and to those who came before us.”

More information is available at sbc.edu/transition.

Admitted students and parents who need assistance should call the Office of Admission at (800) 381-6142.

Current students and their parents may contact the Office of the Dean of the Faculty for academic questions at (434) 381-6205 or the Office of Co-Curricular Life for student life questions at (434) 381-6134.

####

Christy Jackson



HUMAN RESOURCES | DIRECTORY | IR | MYSBC.EDU
134 CHAPEL ROAD | SWEET BRIAR, VA 24595
(800) 381-6100 | (434) 381-6100 | INFO@SBC.EDU
Sweet Briar College
Rosam Quae Meruit Ferat
"She who has earned the rose may bear it."
"

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by angels&angles

It is (was) an all-girls school, so no GLOs.

All-girls doesn't necessarily mean no GLOs, or at least it hasn't historically. Currently, there's still Brenau, Stephens, Bennett and Spellman that are all-female and have sororities. And I know that Queens in Charlotte had sororities for years before going co-ed. I'm pretty sure there were other all-female schools that are now co-ed that did as well.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by 1964Alum

A lot of responsibility comes along with horse ownership.

And privilege.

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

And privilege.

ehhhh....it depends.

It depends on why you own the horse. One of my uncles, and some of my family on my dad's fathers' side have horses. They live in the "country", as we call it, on a family farm.

They have horses not to show as an equestrienne, but to work the land on their farms.

So, owning horses does not always equate to privilege (meaning wealthy) when you depend on those horses for your day-to-day living.

[angels&angles]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

All-girls doesn't necessarily mean no GLOs, or at least it hasn't historically. Currently, there's still Brenau, Stephens, Bennett and Spellman that are all-female and have sororities. And I know that Queens in Charlotte had sororities for years before going co-ed. I'm pretty sure there were other all-female schools that are now co-ed that did as well.

Interesting. I hadn't realized that. Sweet Briar definitely doesn't have sororities though.

[LXA SE285]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

All-girls doesn't necessarily mean no GLOs, or at least it hasn't historically. Currently, there's still Brenau, Stephens, Bennett and Spellman that are all-female and have sororities. And I know that Queens in Charlotte had sororities for years before going co-ed. I'm pretty sure there were other all-female schools that are now co-ed that did as well.

Don't forget FSU, formerly Florida State College for Women ...

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by angels&angles

Going off the "If they build it..." thread, it was announced today that Sweet Briar College in VA is closing due to "financial challenges." It is (was) an all-girls school, so no GLOs.

Washington Post Article

Judging from social media, it looks like this is the first students, parents, and alums (possibly also staff?) have heard of this, which seems a little sketchy. It's pretty late in the year for transfers, although SBC worked out a reciprocal admissions deal with a few other colleges in the area (including two women's colleges) for transfers and accepted students who had made a deposit. But if a student doesn't want to go to those schools... sounds like she may be SOL.

Late pass but I was just looking at some of the FB comments on the college's official announcement.

Examples:

"My daughter turned down near full-ride scholarships from Washington & Lee, Washington University in STL, and MIT to come to Sweet Briar, her first choice. She is now without a school and has student loan debt. I want answers and there had better be some when I arrive."

"I certainly hope you have a plan to refund my daughter's application fee and housing deposit that we recently paid as you will not need it. I'll be in town tomorrow and trust that this issue will be resolved."

YIKES.

I would SO not want to be the person who had to facilitate the conference call, answer the phones, or deal with any of these parents in person re: this issue (although I think most are simply reacting out of concern for their kid's education and the fact that you just heard that her school is closing and you weren't anticipating that.)

[1964Alum]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

ehhhh....it depends.

It depends on why you own the horse. One of my uncles, and some of my family on my dad's fathers' side have horses. They live in the "country", as we call it, on a family farm.

They have horses not to show as an equestrienne, but to work the land on their farms.

So, owning horses does not always equate to privilege (meaning wealthy) when you depend on those horses for your day-to-day living.

Many, many of the members of an equestrian team do not own their own horses. They lease them or are training them for a more affluent owner. Or they are working students. Additionally, many pay for the board of their mount whether owned by themselves or acquired by other means by mucking out stalls, bringing horses in and turning them out, holding them for the farrier, putting blankets on or taking them off, and many more things that go along with caring for a horse. I have known many young riders and wouldn't call any of them "privileged" or having feelings of entitlement. Many Olympic and Grand Prix riders do not own the horses they show.