From Tribune staff reports
BIRMINGHAM — The Board of Trustees at Birmingham-Southern College on Tuesday decided to close down the 168-year-old institution. The announcement came from Board Chair Rev. Keith D. Thompson. The college will cease operations on May 31, 2024.
“This is a tragic day for the College, our students, our employees, and our alumni,” said Thompson. “But it is also a terrible day for Birmingham, for the neighborhoods who have surrounded our campus for more than 100 years, and for Alabama.”
The college campus adjoins the Bush Hills and College Hills neighborhoods in Birmingham’s Ensley area.
After State Treasurer Young Boozer rejected the school’s loan application a year ago, Birmingham legislators Sen. Jabo Waggoner and Sen. Rodger Smitherman were attempting to amend the previous bill to remove Boozer as the decision maker. The bill passed the Senate and was set to be considered by the House.
The decision comes amid speculation that the college would not qualify for a revamped bill even if it did pass a House vote due to not meeting enrollment numbers and other loan qualifiers.
The highly rated liberal arts college was recognized nationally for academic excellence. Unfortunately, administration at the school often fell short of the same excellence. Mismanaged finances and a shrinking enrollment proved to be more than BSC could survive.
“We are putting students first, and we will do everything we can to help them find the best place to continue their path to graduation,” said Provost Dr. Laura K. Stultz of the College’s science faculty. “We are working with other institutions – including those in the Associated Colleges of the South as well as some in-state colleges and universities — on agreements that will help maximize the transfer of credits to keep them on track.”
Information has been distributed to students who are on spring break this week and will be updated as plans are confirmed. Individual meetings will be scheduled when students return to campus next week, according to the school website.
A small group of seniors who plan to complete their BSC degrees in summer 2024 will be able to complete their course requirements online and/or through agreements with other institutions.
BSC will also offer as much help as possible for employees, almost all of whom will be displaced by May 31, with the rest to follow over the summer. Information has also been distributed to them and meetings will be scheduled in the coming days to provide individualized consultation.
“If you are a college looking for incredible students and faculty, or an employer looking for profoundly loyal employees, you will not find better people than the people on this campus,’ Thompson said. “They are what you hope for whenever you bring in someone new.”
Birmingham-Southern College is the result of a merger of Southern University, founded in Greensboro, Alabama, in 1856, with Birmingham College, opened in 1898 in Birmingham. These two institutions were consolidated on May 30, 1918 under the name of Birmingham-Southern College.
Additional information for alumni, current and prospective students, families, faculty, staff, and friends of the College will be provided via meetings and the BSC web site.