Oh, Antioch. I've been following the saga since last June when the Antioch University Board of Trustees decided to temporarily shutter the college in hopes of saving it. In June, the board took its decisive vote; seconds later, the alums rose up in protest; in November, the trustees voted to reconsider their decision after a few alums banded together and formed a new 501(c)3 in hopes of taking over the college; and just last week, the board voted again to keep the college closed. Disclosure: I've got friends on both sides of this struggle -- trustees, of which I was briefly one, whose judgment I honor and respect, and officers of the new non-profit, Antioch College Continuation Corporation, one of whom has been a close friend since we were at Antioch together and whose business acumen is unparalleled (in my experience).
I don't know how to solve this one but I do know that this predicament calls for the greatest shoring up of maturity imaginable, including giving one another the greatest benefit of the doubt. I've heard a lot of conversation that is not that, frankly, and have been on the sore end of some of it myself just for saying that the board was brave to make its first move. I repeat what I said then: the college was not viable when I went onto the university board (1998) and things have only gotten worse. The trustees took a controversial decision that finally woke up the alums. Now, everyone, please talk civilly and productively. Not talking is not going to solve this. End of sermon.
