With new pledges from the United Methodist Church and private donors, Birmingham-Southern College officials say students can enroll in spring courses with “full confidence” that the school will stay open.
“These investments, combined with gifts we are receiving from alumni, parents, and other friends of the College, will give us the time we need to continue our work in Montgomery,” BSC President Daniel Coleman wrote in an announcement Friday. “As always, our message to all of you is to stay focused, stay encouraged, and remember that the only reliable information will come from me.”
The 167-year-old private, liberal arts college announced the extent of its financial woes last winter, and after months of lobbying, Alabama lawmakers created a loan program that would provide $30 million in bridge funds to any college that applied – just enough to get BSC back on its feet.
But last month, Alabama State Treasurer Young Boozer III denied the school’s $30 million loan application, forcing the college to reevaluate its options. BSC officials, in a lawsuit that was later dismissed, said the school would shut down in December if they couldn’t find enough funding. Legislators told AL.com that the legislature could conceivably rewrite the loan law when it convenes in February to ensure applicants can get funding.
Now, with an extra $10 million in investments within reach, officials say they’re confident they can maintain operations through the spring.
The North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church’s Board of Pension and Health Benefits voted to approve a $2.5 million, one-year investment to the college Thursday, contingent on a match from the city of Birmingham.
“This investment in Birmingham-Southern will not only help the College at a critical time, but also will provide an excellent return on investment,” the board said in a statement Thursday. “The Board believes investing in Birmingham-Southern College upholds its disciplinary charge to invest in ‘funds that make a positive contribution toward the realization of the goals outlined in the Social Principles of our Church.’”
The investment follows new commitments from two other private donors, also totaling $2.5 million, officials said in the Friday announcement.
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin is also scheduled to present a $5 million economic development plan, which would partially support the school, to the city council on Nov. 21.
“We are deeply grateful to the North Alabama Conference for this demonstration of faith in the College and what it means to Birmingham, to Alabama, and to the world,” Coleman said. “The College we know today was formed in 1918 through the merger of two Methodist institutions – Southern University, founded in Greensboro in 1856 as a liberal arts institution, and Birmingham College, founded here in 1898 to educate managers and leaders for the industries that fueled the city’s growth. Throughout the 100-plus years since that merger, BSC has remained grounded in the Methodist tradition of service. This partnership honors our history and will help ensure our future.”
The announcement comes just one week after dozens of Birmingham-Southern students traveled to Montgomery to ask Boozer to save their school. Many worried their credits and financial aid wouldn’t transfer if they had to enroll at another school.
“I feel like I’m in quicksand,” Daniel Johnson, a BSC senior, told AL.com at the time. “It’s like I had my chance to get out, but now I’m in too deep.”
But recent events don’t seem to have deterred new applicants. The college recently hit the 1,800 mark on its applications for fall 2024 – a six-year high, according to Coleman.
Officials are now strongly encouraging current students to complete spring registration, which opened on Nov. 8.
In a message to students Tuesday, Provost Laura Stultz advised against transferring, warning that it could result in a loss of scholarships and credits. In the event of a closure, she said, the college would negotiate agreements with other institutions to help mitigate some of those losses.
“But these kinds of agreements only apply in the event of a closure,” she wrote. “Fortunately, we do not see that as likely. So it is in your best interest to stay at BSC to finish your degree.”
Coleman said the school is encouraging year-end donations as officials continue to assess their options.
“We are making steady progress, and we will continue to fight for the future of this College,” he said.
