Thank you

Thank you, Scott, for this article. This is one of the only articles not based solely on the University view that I have seen anywhere.

(Aiden) Tyler Lee Antioch College student.

Tyler Lee, Student at Antioch College, at 9:20 am EST on March 4, 2008

All is NOT lost

While certainly grave, the situation at Antioch is far from buried; what needs to happen is exactly what I see happening. Once the details of how this institution will survive are worked out, I suggest that they look hard for people who have taken other schools from the brink to the top of the mount. I have done this twice, as I am currently doing, and it isn’t rocket science as much as it is hard work, determination, the ability to sacrifice, and a VERY strong strategic plan that addresses all aspects of the institution’s strengths and weaknesses. Too often we focus on the weakest parts instead of the positive and the strongest. Keep the fight going, there are agencies who will get onboard if they feel the wounded is worth saving, and I think that it is.

Martin, at 2:05 pm EST on March 4, 2008

Antioch Needs Leadership

Will Anyone Defend The Legacy of a Truly Independent Antioch College?

After the last Boston alumni meeting at Harvard University, a Trustee from Antioch University wrote to me emphatically that there will indeed be an Antioch University without an Antioch College.

Any member of Antioch University that states the university can or should exist without the college is betraying the parent institution; either the value of the college as the center of this system is recognized, or the system must be disbanded.

It is not a question of size, money, or resources. Everyone knows that Antioch College should have more faculty, better resources, stronger leadership, and a lot more vision if it ever expects to recover. Everyone knows that Antioch College is not what it once was, but that doesn’t give the university the right to extinaguish the college without presenting a cogent plan for recovery. The level of disregard for the historical college is disgraceful. I understand that the university just wishes to “start over” with a new Antioch College, but that is not the road to reforming this institution.

The argument is a question of identity, and primacy based upon the long history of Antioch College. Antioch University cannot use Antioch College while it is convenient and economically expedient. The two enttities cannot be lead by a Chancellor who cannot unify their missions. Antioch University cannot, in good conscience, abandon the mission of the college, and make Antioch College a secondary player in the whole institution, while using its historical identity and name.

Either Antioch College becomes the center and controlling force behind building a real university, returning the chancellor of the university to be the college president, and modeling the system after the true parent, or the university closes the college and it becomes an insincere imitation of the institution that birthed it. For in the final analysis, Antioch University either wants to save Antioch College by recognizing its values by making it the center of the system, or it desires to treat the college as a mere appendage of that system.

From this perspective, there will be no legtimate future for Antioch College, if it is actively sought out in legal terms. These people are about six months late with a law suit.

This is not an emotional argument made to eradicate either side of the equation, but a sound legal argument for either the proper unification of this new “university” based upon a respect for the historical institution, or the renewal of the college without the university. If Antioch University wishes to call itself a university, it must become a true university, which by any standard of the real meaning of the word, it is not. It must recognize tenure, unions, and real structures that will be needed to bring it up to the standards of a real university in the United States.

Not to detract from the interesting programs at Antioch University, but it is an understaffed and undeveloped cluster of “campuses” devoid of real university structure, administration, and intent. It is no more a real university than what is left of Antioch College is a competitive first tier liberal arts college. Neither has a hegemony of power or academic fidelity that it claims to the exclusion of the other, but the college has history on its side.

A college that cannot determine its own leadership, that cannot raise substantial development funds, or bring in real enrollments does need to be reformed. The real question is: has the University leadership shown it is capable of doing so? If the events of the past twenty years are any indication, the emphatic answer is no. The failure of Antioch College cannot simply be placed in the laps of the last people standing.

The recent changes to the college governance that removed the college from primacy of the institution is the primary cause of the college’s demise, and represents poor management on the part of the University Trustees, and its college leadership. There are people on that campus now who advocated Antioch University over Antioch College who must face up to what they have done.

Besides this suspicious sabotage at the center of Antioch College’s history, there is an issue of good faith that answers to the original Antioch Spirit. Antioch College cannot in good faith support its own demise, and simultaneously hand its identity over to an institution which it created. Antioch has to adopt a more transcendental approach to its mission, reflective of its great presidents, Mann and Morgan.

The college needs to adjust its perspective to represent the whole tradition of the institution, not merely its recent radical intent. Antioch College cannot be reborn in the appropriate spirit without a recognition that its egalitarian, democratic values are the center of its mission, not particular political points of view. At the same time, it certainly cannot transform itself by adopting an unsuitable economic model of higher education based upon a franchise system that is bereft of a genuine vision.

It should be proven in court, if necessary, that Antioch College has the legal right to be the center of this system, and to completely abolish the university system if it does not serve the college’s mission respectfully. The time for wishful thinking and ambiguous press releases is over. Either AC3 takes significant action, or Antioch College will never be rescued. Unfortunately one either believes in the college or its “university” child. The time for sitting on the fench is over.

I started this process with an open mind to change on both sides of the issue, innocently thinking how great it would be for Antioch College theater, dance, and arts departments to have a new performing arts center as a focal point of rebuilding the college. As a consultant to the college I worked in the Boston area to put together a blue print for such a plan: An Antioch Conservatory of The Arts, The ARIA Center Model. Not only was former president Lawry interested in such an idea, I believe he would have raised the funds to completely revamp the college had he been kept at the helm. This and other credible plans were not accepted by the university, because the trustees realized that yes, they would have to raise money to restore Antioch College. They love the dime store version of a college that is Antioch University- it lets them work on the cheap. The last president they had was capable of showing them the way to restore that college, and advised them carefully on what the endowment would have to be in order to make the college competitive again.

Why was such an experienced steward let go from the colleg before he had even begun his work? His detractors might be very surprised to find that it was because he would not betray the college in favor the University, and his parting comments revealed someone who understood how to restore the mission. Steve Lawry was right about Antioch College- it needs to be reformed. But Antioch Universities concept of shutting it down and kicking everyone out is not ethical, or the right thing to do from an operational level. Let the professors on campus learn from this experience. The next time a capable leader comes to restore the college, don’t throw mud in his/her face.

Antioch College needs to be reformed to recover- and that reformation should occur with attention to the greater history of the college, and handled by a college president and deans in cooperation with the faculty, not by faceless trustees of Antioch University. Sadly it does not seem that Antioch University has a remote clue about how to proceed in a way that honors the best parts of the college history, or that respects the college faculty.

It is time for people who did not support their fallen president, to recognize that Mr. Lawry’s views were entirely different from Antioch University, and that the college lost yet another opportunity to turn itself around.

The debate has been so lacking vision on both sides, the only thing that seems to make sense is to stand with the historical precedence of the parent college. At least one can find solace in the idea that Antioch College did once have a great mission that is worthy of restoration. There is little or no respect for Antioch College’s once visionary leadership. There is no soul in the voices I hear, but empty platitudes, and veiled attacks.

Who would be today’s Arthur Morgan, or Horace Mann? Bill Moyers? When will the college recognize it needs the leadership it has been denying itself? These people must open their eyes and face reality. You cannot obtain that kind of leadership and treat college presidents like part time department store clerks. Can Antioch College ever attract a person of similar caliber again after this? Would he return to an independent Antioch College and a new Board of Trustees? No such decisions will ever be made within the current University structure, where Antioch College is decidedly a minor consideration. Antioch College has to acquire new leadership, and form its own Board of Trustees, and reform itself- separation is survival.

The University will never recognize its responsibility to the college that were brought into existence through years of hardship. The financial arrangements and various plans by successive trustees to bring favor for this university system can no longer be hidden by merely exploring the past twenty years. Without a recognition of the true 150 year history of the college, and its current university campuses, hasty plans to avoid the financial obligations of rebuilding the Yellow Springs campus of Antioch College to operate as a four year residential libearl arts college.

If the institution wishes to maintain a single shred of integrity, it cannot abandon Antioch College by turning it into something it never was-and it certainly needs to address the faculty on the campus with a little more respect. I am all for an entirely rebuilt and organized Antioch College with its own Board of Trustees. The legitimacy of the entire institution rests upon the value of Antioch College- regardless of its current condition, academic standards, or enrollments, Antioch College cannot be abandoned for the sake of expediency. Any intent to do so must now be met with a legal battle to defend the historical college.

Neither side in this negotiation process has moved ahead with a comprehensive plan to restore Antioch College, despite valued input from alumni, other educational institutions, former presidents and trustees, there does not appear to be a comprehensive master plan for the restoration of Antioch College.

Given the circumstances, the absence of such a plan is a betrayal of the college. Legally, morally, and spiritually, Antioch College is an important institution in the history of higher education if only it is given the opportunity to rediscover its roots, rebuild its campus, and bring new leaders to shape it for a better future. Neither the people on the college level, or the univeristy level possess the requisite skills to do this alone.

Not one of the documents that has been made available publicly recognizes the scope of such a restoration, or details the new development process for the college in a manner that could draw down the hundreds of millions needed for the task at hand.

Neither the University or the AC3 has publicly created a comprehensive master plan for the rebuilding of this storied institution, appointed independent trustees, or drafted a set of leaders to restore the college with a visionary plan.

It is one thing to negotiate in good faith when the other side respects your ability to bargain, and understands the nature of your advocacy- it is quite another to be going through the motions being appeased all along, knowing that you will not succeed because their is no serious intent to make the clear legal case for the continuance of Antioch College.

In absence of a realistic plans for doing so, this alumnus awaits the day when the AC3 will announce that they have obtained the services of a prominent nationally recognized law firm to pursue their case. Until the latest news, I have respected the AC3 for trying to negotiate with Antioch University, but it should now be abundantly clear that:

Either these people have the guts and the legal where with-all to take the battle to another level, or their college will become just another pseudo university campus.

Either these people have enlisted some very wealthy and powerful individuals to rescue and rebirth Antioch College separated from the university, or it will die.

Either these people have drafted a new comprehensive plan for Antioch College that will draw down hundreds of millions to save the college, or it will die.

Either Antioch College goes national and extricates itself from the University, or the university and its trustees suddenly achieve some special enlightenment which lets them realize Antioch College is the heart of this institution.

Either Antioch College finds a nationally respected leader to lead an advanced team to completely separate and rebuild itself, or it will be re-opened as a shadow of itself.

The time for amateur negotiations from well meaning bystanders is over.

it is time to legally represent Antioch College in a suit to defend its name, identity, and its historical primacy over Antioch University, to file for complete separation unless the by laws of the institution are changed to favor the historical college once again.

If Antioch University wishes to close the college withour regard for its current faculty, and students, or its long history, it should be prepared to give up all the positive aspects of the university associating with the college. It is not for Antioch College to give up its name and identity, in any such separation, but for the university to do so.

Antioch College sacrificed greatly to build this university over a long period of time, and its faculty, staff and students have been living on bread and water long enough. It is time for those who remain to realize their mistakes, look deep into their souls at the history they have betrayed.

Will anyone honestly restore this college?The heart of the institution is Antioch College, and there can be no such thing as Antioch University, without the college.

With the true Antioch Spirit,Sincerely,

Richard Campbell

Richard Campbell, Invisible Cafe Graphics, at 7:10 pm EST on March 4, 2008