Feb. 11

New College of California Is on Deathbed

Circumstances at New College of California have deteriorated to the point that it isn’t operating.

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Faculty: 3,614
Administrative: 1,896
Executive: 171
FEATURED EMPLOYERS

Those faculty members still hanging on – who have not been paid since early November and whose health benefits recently lapsed without notice – are, while still holding out hope for salvation, trying to put together plans to “teach out” the current crop of students and potentially find a home for some of the progressive college’s unique programs at other institutions. New College’s administration has yet to make any announcement about the institution’s future. But with the U.S. Department of Education withholding financial aid funds, the start of spring classes seems to be indefinitely delayed. Classes were supposed to start in mid-January.

“Short of the roof actually falling in on the college buildings, it’s hard to imagine how a situation could be worse,” said Adam Cornford, a former humanities faculty member and, since the college’s crisis began in August, its spokesman. Without a paycheck for months, he recently left the college for financial reasons but pledged to return if classes can resume. Even if only for the duration of a teach-out — although, in absence of federal funds, real concerns exist about whether the college could even conduct a teach-out with current reserves.

New College free-fell into crisis mode last summer when its accrediting agency, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, placed it on probation. WASC cited widespread administrative failures (recordkeeping at the college was by all accounts atrocious), and ineffective governance characterized by unilateral control by the president and a few others. WASC also had concerns about academic integrity – including allegations that the former president, Martin Hamilton, had intervened to change the grades of an international student who said he’d give New College a million dollars. While Hamilton acknowledged in August that he had been conned, and that he had offered the student special treatment, he denied that he was involved in changing the student’s grades.

By fall, enrollment had dropped 41 percent. The progressive, quirky San Francisco College, with degrees in activism and social change and women’s spirituality in addition to law and teacher education, considered declaring bankruptcy. Administrators appointed in the transition, professors and trustees worked long hours trying to pull the institution into better shape – progress that the WASC visiting team noted in November. In its report, the team described “genuine and productive attempts” to establish policies and processes “that could enable the college to survive financially and to function with integrity as an institution of higher learning.” (Among the changes were a new faculty pay scale, intensive monitoring of expenditures and new proposals for faculty academic oversight). But it also found “serious and long-standing deficiencies” in all seven review areas and a relative lack of foundation to support the “massive and complex” change needed. Among its recommendations, the team suggested that New College’s leadership consider whether continued WASC accreditation would be essential to the college’s mission.

Now, just weeks from when WASC will meet to make a decision on New College’s accreditation status, concerns about maintaining accreditation are secondary. Accredited or not, the college right now isn’t even offering courses.

“It’s sad. We worked so hard to bring the college into compliance,” said Carolyn Cooke, chair of the Faculty Council and co-director of the Writing and Consciousness master of fine arts program. “It’s heart-breaking that all the work we did on maintaining accreditation is on the back burner.”

Without access to the federal funds – students’ applications were scrutinized and funds withheld because of New College’s history of shoddy recordkeeping – the college has twice delayed the start of the spring semester, with classes now starting, “at the earliest,” sometime next week. Cooke acknowledged however that no registrar is in place, and it’s unlikely classes would start so soon. But she said faculty are deeply concerned about the students’ academic futures and are trying to be prepared to start teaching whenever possible. (Cornford estimated that about 300 students, down from 1,000 last year, remain ready to start classes in the spring, although he says, “Who knows?")

“The reason that faculty remain, even though we’re unpaid, is we’re committed to the students completing the semester,” said Cooke. She also referenced the uniqueness of the college and the devotion it can inspire in some students and faculty. Its motto is “education for a just, sacred and sustainable world.”

New College, Cooke said, “really is unique in wonderful ways as well as alarming ones.”

The administration has not made an announcement about steps forward, and its acting president did not return an interview request. Ralph A. Wolff, president and executive director of WASC, said the commission is also seeking information about the college’s plans in advance of a February 21 meeting to determine New College’s accreditation status going forward. “Continued operation is the major issue before the college. Whether it is able to continue its accreditation or not, whatever path that the college takes, then there still needs to be attention paid to the needs of the students,” said Wolff. “We’re really trying to work to figure out where the college is planning to go and what it’s trying to do to support the students.”

“As far as I know, the college is trying to figure out the answers themselves. But I think at this point they have to make a decision in order for us all to move ahead. You can only postpone for so long.”

— Elizabeth Redden

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Comments

Orderly closing

It appears that the school should find a way to close in a planned manner as soon as possible to protect its students.

Larry, at 9:10 am EST on February 11, 2008

What About the Law School?

New College always had a fantastic law school (at a separate campus) training students to pursue careers in public interest law. I hope they can continue, one way or another, even if the rest of the College can’t make it.

gus, at 3:25 pm EST on February 11, 2008

New College administration refuses to work with alumni/ae to save the school. It’s very frustrating. There will be a protest tomorrow afternoon on Valencia St. at 12:30 pm. DOE cannot release funds until the millions New College “lost” are accounted for. New College has not cash reserves, a DOE requirement, because they squandered their money on questionable real estate deals, also because they never built an endowment through alumni/ae giving. If the administration had been responsible with our money, there would be no financial crisis.

Holly Harwod ASC BA ‘05 New College Independent Alumni/ae Association http://newcollegealumni.nethttp://savenewcollege.org

Holly Harwood, at 4:40 pm EST on February 11, 2008

New College Law School

Gus wrote — New College always had a fantastic law school (at a separate campus) training students to pursue careers in public interest law. I hope they can continue, one way or another, even if the rest of the College can’t make it.

In fact the law school will close down even if, by some miracle, the rest of New College survives. The law school faculty are already deep in negotiations to become employees of another College by Summer 2008. Which is a shame because the law school could have survived and the law school would not have lost WASC accreditation if it were not an integral part of the entire New College. But WASC and ED are political pawns, they care nothing for that, they are happy to sink the law school for no particular reason.

K. Kanioke, at 6:10 pm EST on February 11, 2008

This all proves very interesting. My question is, since WASC has a long on going history with New College and has publicly released reports and information documenting all of their findings (see reports) then at what point in history (time) does WASC become accountable for allowing its accreditation status to be used for marketing purposes to such students who are unaware of its history in course and dealings? Accreditation is important in education and students act in reliance upon such when choosing schools and going into debt to purchase an education.

Clearly, the prospective student should have the benefit of such information or the school should have its accreditation pulled or be mandated by the agency to post within its literature a notice of probationary status.

While during a time of crisis such as this, we as humans look to place blame often in order to figure things out. Regardless of the outcome of who becomes responsible for what, ultimately we have to ask the question about what part an accrediting body plays in the entire process of education. There are many accrediting bodies that accredit colleges and universities. They do not give accreditation for free, there is a process and in turn that institution is allowed to use that accreditation bodies “endorsement or stamp of approval” in their marketing and informational materials.

The WASC reports that are in the public domain site many troubling issues which were often never resolved or found later to lapse.

The students now say there are no classes, certified letters go unanswered, a WASC follow up date is looming, WASC publicly states that New College has not approached them for assistance meanwhile students continue to “rely” on statements made by administrators that DOE is working with them to release money. Is anyone working on the compliance issue for WASC? Is WASC prepared to issue a statement as to why it has continued to grant accreditation with zero history of compliance as cited by their own reports now in the public domain?

What about students that relied upon WASC accreditation as determinative in their decision to attend New College but now find themselves locked out, on the street, mid-semester and no where to go?

If this type of history that has been made public regarding new college in these WASC reports is true, then what other WASC accredited schools have the same problems if any?

One would think that the very first time the college did not comport with WASC requirements that probation or suspension would have been in order to protect the integrity of the accreditation.

Had New College not been accredited, the beef would be between the students, faculty and board of the school and/or DOE.

Given that the school was accredited which in turn gave it access to TITLE IV funding for financial aide, this entire event would seem to erode and cheapen the academic and fiscal responsibility that such accreditation normally brings.

I know now, that before any son or daughter or charge of mine ever goes to get an education that I personally will look into the accreditation process and files for that school to make sure that I fully and completely understand the standards to which the accrediting body adheres to and the enforcement history of disciplinary hearings and issues.

GB, at 7:00 pm EST on February 11, 2008

Unfortunately, those who step outside of the traditional-education-western-European box STILL tend to reach the death-bed stage well before their time. We need a paradigm shift in education at all levels...not sure if the United States is ready. Sending my “prayers” for a speedy recovery at New College — know that many, many of us in education believe in the work you are doing. Thank you.

Kristy, at 8:20 pm EST on February 11, 2008

WASC Accreditation

This is very disheartening. New College has great programs and great teachers. During my work with them throughout nineties I found the people who worked with the college with great vision and dedication. It is very sad to hear bitter things about them.

I did find lapses in administrative matters that en institution should have put in place. But this is not one person’s responsibility. During the time I ran exchange program in Nepal for them it was obvious that the college prepared mostly marginalized people as global citizens with an understanting of multicultural and diverse world. I hope the faculty, alumni, students and staff come together to save this institution with a much needed revamp in its administration.

I hope this is not too late for WASC final decision.

Dikendra

Dikendra Kandel, at 9:50 pm EST on February 11, 2008

As the “Acting Faculty Chair” of The New College of Califonria School of Law, I am compelled to respond to this article.

The Law School,as some have stated, is fully functioning with a dedicated staff and faculty working without pay for three-and-one-half-months. WE are committed to serving the interests of our students through the end of the semester and beyond. Two other programs, Teacher Ed and Science, are also running.

Our students are registered and classes have been held since the second week in January. We have always had our own certified regisrar, our reocrds have always been in order, and no one questions the academic integrity of our program.

We are not moving our program to another institution if New College survives and is financially viable. We have consistently made this clear to all involved. We do have a contingency plan to move the Law School if necessary. If New College survives, we will remain part of it.

The Board and administration are emphatic that they have a financial plan which can succeed and that New College will continue with the Law School as part of it. If WASC accreditation is pulled, then that is not feasible. We should have decision by the end of next week. The College is also working with the Department of Educaton to secure the release of Title IV funds.

In the meantime, the Law School is taking steps to insure that it will survive, either as part of New College, or, if that proves not to be possible, as part of another institution.

Ed Roybal

Edward roybal, Acting Faculty Chair at New College of Calornia School of Law, at 1:55 pm EST on February 12, 2008

Time to End It

As a BA and MA graduate of NCOC, I must say that I have experienced much angst over the current (and deadly) situation at the school for years. Corrupt professors, poor accountability on almost every level, staff disrespect of students — NCOC has had a long running flirt with disaster now for years. I am grateful for the educational experience — some professors were actually outstanding (and have seperated themselves from the college many years ago). I have great respect for the original intent of NCOC; however, the arrogance that was apparent in the last few years has been wholly intollerable. Time to move on.

K. A. P., at 2:30 pm EST on February 12, 2008

A noble experiment...

that has foundered not because of its ideals, but because of its failure to live up to them.

I’m sure there are still people available who “get it"; that is the only way to reassemble a responsive and responsible institution.

Greg Tropea, CSU Chico, at 5:20 am EST on February 13, 2008

Tragedy

The situation at New College is surreal and tragic. It seems untenable to continue to actively employ people without paying them. It might have saved a lot of people a lot of suffering and heartache if the beleagured board had done the responsible thing and laid people off while trying to restructure. I can’t imagine that there won’t be legal consequences for the school for failing to notify people that their health insurance was going to be terminated. It takes extraordinary hubris and a total estrangement with reality to think it’s OK to do this to people. Looking at the school’s mission, it’s even more paradoxical and bizarre. I never thought I would see anything like this happen. NC has people in a holding pattern over an abyss. With each week, desperate employees’ situations become worse. Time to face facts and be responsible, however painful it is to realize that a once promising institution has totally blown it.

SB, at 7:50 am EST on February 15, 2008

Frustration

I finished my BA at New College and found their registration for 2 semesters so chaotic and unprofessional. Also the way NC collected student loan info was extremely disorganized and then NC lost my transcripts and I almost lost my place in my MA program at another institution due to their carelessness. I am not surprised to read of their destruction in the academic world. Who was supposed to be in charge? I now live with a very expensive diploma that is worthless and laughable among my peers. And NC allowed people to create and teach programs who were not properly credentialed.

Marian Willingham, MFTI, at 11:35 am EST on February 28, 2008

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Lawrence Bell, V.P. at Miss Martys Hair Academy & Esthetics Inst., at 12:10 pm EST on February 28, 2008

Well I can hear my grandma’s “I told you so,” referring to the many times she said I was earning worthless degrees at the New College. On a personal level she is wrong because I will always cherish my experience earning a BA and MA from the school. However applying this education toward the greater community is even more daunting. This news confirms my suspicions that humanism in America is also on its deathbed. Yes, New College was (already in the past tense) corrupt and run by a few select trust fund babies, but it did offer me the chance to explore and pioneer my potential without the pressure to conform with current mainstream academic mythology. It was a true adventure to go to New College, something of which I will forever be proud and wish everyone could experience.

Emmit Moulton Hancock, at 2:35 pm EDT on March 12, 2008

new college

I graduated from New College in 2001 with a BA in Humanities. I plan to apply for transcripts, but I don’t know what “shoddy recordkeeping” will have done to my educational trail. Hopefully, I can get my paperwork and move along. Sad, though, for the students still attending!

Gwen Warton-Dunne

Gwynneth Warton-Dunne, at 5:30 pm EDT on May 12, 2008