[From the Editor: On April 1st, 2009, the Concept Paper for an independent Antioch College was released on antiochians.org. Read the concept paper here.

[Click here to discuss the Concept paper on the Record's Forum]

I’ve looked over the Board Pro Tempore’s concept paper a couple times since its release a few days ago, and my feeling are, to say the least, mixed.

I have to admit that it all looks very smart and exciting. In fact, there’s a lot of that stuff that I think I could get on board with. They want to enact more diversity initiatives and make the college more international? Great. Require students to develop a working knowledge of at least one additional language? Sure. The Distinguished Faculty program, with classes taught by alumni and friends of the college? Why not?

The Board is committed to a tenured faculty. That’s good. And though it doesn’t say so in the concept paper, I understand they also want union staff. Also good.

They propose a restoration campaign, and want to make the campus more sustainable. I support them in this too, so long as we take said “restoration” measures to have maximum emphasis on utility and minimum emphasis on glamor. Concentrate on the necessities of running a healthy college in line with our values, not projecting a classy image. I think we can all agree that Antioch College is never going to be luxurious, so let’s not throw desperately needed money away trying to make it look luxurious.

By Jeanne Kay
On Friday, February 22nd, Interim President Andrzej Bloch announced to the Antioch Community “the reconfirmation of the decision to suspend operations of the college on June 30th for at least one academic year.” Students, faculty, staff, alumni and Yellow Springs residents gathered, like they had many times since last June, for an emergency community meeting in McGregor 113. The Interim President had just flown back from Los Angeles, where the Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting was still being held, to present the college community with the resolution of the trustees’ discussions concerning the immediate future of Antioch College.
The discussions took place on Thursday the 21st, Bloch specified in a later interview; they started early in the morning and lasted until the mid-afternoon. The negotiating team, composed of Chancellor Toni Murdock, Chair Art Zucker, Chief Financial Officer Tom Faecke, and two attorneys, presented the trustees with a report based on their negotiations with the Antioch College Continuation Corporation (ACCC.) The trustees, Bloch said, “concluded that there weren’t sufficient material, sufficient grounds, to take action.” Therefore he decided, with the approval of the board, to come back to campus to inform the community.

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This winter break marks a critical turning point in the movement for Non-Stop Antioch. The College Revival Fund has delivered its first $2 million payment to the university to maintain continuous operations of the college, with another $4.6 million promised by December 15, and admissions is open for new transfer students.

We must sustain our momentum and keep pushing to establish autonomy for the college, lift financial exigency, restore tenure, recruit first-year students, and continue full, uninterrupted academic programs and support services.

We must be especially vigilant during the winter break to assure that our campus, its property and community, are kept safe.

We know that current students face the difficult choice of whether to leave in the face of such uncertainty and ambiguity. We are calling to you to stay with us and to fight, as we are with you. We will do everything we can to support those of you who decide to stay. We’ll join you in the struggle to improve conditions on campus and hold leadership accountable.

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To truly reverse its closure, Antioch College needs to begin acting like it’s open, and begin building on its vibrant academic foundation to grow into a healthy, self-sufficient institution.

To make this happen, Antioch must immediately:

• • establish the College Advisory Board and invest it with real authority, including hiring a College President
  • remove internal barriers and begin recruiting and admitting new and transfer students for Fall ‘08
  • restore tenure and remove the threat of firing that hangs over faculty and staff
  • maintain all academic and support services during renovations
  • hold leadership accountable for past decisions and statements
  • ensure an open and participatory decision making process
  • guarantee a commitment from leadership to operate on principles of openness and honesty
  • have leaders committed to the turnaround of Antioch College
  • call for respect in communications from all university officials so the College’s already challenging task isn’t made more difficult

If you agree with this message lend your name to the cause by signing our online petition at http://acan.antiochians.org/

- Antioch College Action Network

The Antioch College Action Network is an informal coalition of students, faculty, staff, alumni, villagers and friends of the college. We will contact all those who sign about joining us once we have a chance to organize more.