Antioch College to shut down
$28K per year to go to a school that doesn't give grades and has an enrollment smaller than most high schools? Yeah, that's a real value. And it's not surprising that the endowment is low; what rich guy wants to support a school with an anti-private-property culture? I've never heard of a university closing and then re-opening. It's theoretically possible to have New Antioch, but the rebranding will be hellacious, as the changes needed to create a successful new university will be directly contrary to the school's reputation. It'll be amazing if the trustees actually pull this off.
The moral is: cool doesn't cut it. Sure, a certain amount of buzz is fun and can help get your message out. But what's important is the quality of education, and graduates' ability to get jobs. We were in danger of losing that focus at Case for a bit, but the ship is back on course.
Comments
Posted by: jeffrey smith
Posted on: June 13, 2007 11:00 PM
When I was in high school, my English teacher--the one who was The Teacher for our school--refused to write recommendations for anyone applying to Antioch. She said everyone she had ever known who went there ended up on drugs or otherwise with something screwed up.
And this, mind you, was thirty years ago. With a reputation like that, I'm surprised they survived this long.
Posted by: Jeffrey Quick
Posted on: June 14, 2007 11:24 AM
Oh, well, 30 years ago was the Heyday of Hippie School. Maybe Mumia can do their last commencement (I haven't heard from him recently; did they finally put him down?)
Posted by: Mell
Posted on: June 14, 2007 01:16 PM
What, no mention of Harry Partch's stay at Antioch in the article?
Anybody know where I can get one of those t-shirts that says "Fry Mumia?"
Posted by: Jeffrey Quick
Posted on: June 14, 2007 02:10 PM
I never knew about that, or else I read it and it didn't stick. See, hippy school...that proves it. And Partch was at Bennington too...you ever been there? They serve vegetables at breakfast.
Get the Fry Mumia shirt here. You can order a circle-slash Che Guevara "commies aren't cool" shirt too while you're there.
Posted by: Monica Parish
Posted on: September 18, 2007 03:53 PM
I am an Antioch alum. Antioch (was) a work study college-hold a real-world internship job half the year and study the other half. The real world experience was invaluable (I worked at the library of congress as a congressional research assistant, the field musuem of natural history in chicago, and a law firm that hired me when I graduated, for instance.
There was no-one looking over your shoulder at Antioch, and one had to be, or become, VERY self motivated to graduate. I don't think the whiny, need, entitled, self-absorbed losers I see as the youth of today would cut it at Antioch. And their parents probably know it, which is why it is closing. Personally, I think the loss of the socially-conscious ideals that Antioch propounded and it's students lived is not a good thing for our society. Anyway, please know of what you speak before you bad mouth next time.