Brookline's Newbury College To Close, Cites Financial Issues

BROOKLINE, MA — Newbury College plans to close for good at the end of the spring 2019 semester. The private school is the latest in a number of small liberal arts colleges across the state that have announced prohibitive financial challenges.

"Financial challenges, the product of major changes in demographics and costs, are the driving factors behind our decision to close at the end of this academic year," said School President Joseph Chillo in a statement emailed to the school community and posted to the website Friday. "Our decision to close comes only after a tireless pursuit of multiple options to remain open."

The announcement comes as small colleges across the state, including Newton's Mount Ida College and Wheelock College, find it difficult to keep their doors open and the lights on. But unlike with what happened when Mount Ida abruptly closed in May leaving students in the lurch, Chillo said Newbury was working with other area schools to help students transfer at the end of the spring semester.

The liberal arts school sits on Fisher Hill near the Fisher Hill Reservoir Park. It was founded in 1962 and this school year had 627 students enrolled. Tuition was $33,940 for this school year, but some 92 percent of students get some form of financial aid, according to the school. The average financial aid award: $31,152.

A spokesperson for the school told Patch a meeting for Newbury Community members was planned for sometime next month to bring everyone up to speed on next steps.

"There's a lot of unknowns. The reality is that all that will come in the next few months as we figure things out,"said Sean Hennessey in an phone interview. "The whole goal is to put students first, faculty first, staff first and as the college develops more information we'll keep everyone in the loop."

READ THIS>> Brookline Eyes Newbury Land After College Closure Announcement

Government officials applauded the way that the school handled the situation.

“Closing a school is never an easy decision but sometimes it is the right one to protect students. The Attorney General’s Office expresses its appreciation to Newbury College’s board and senior leadership for making this difficult choice in an orderly way that helps maximize opportunities for students," said Jillian Fennimore, spokeswoman for Attorney General Maura Healey, in a statement emailed to Patch.

The governor referenced Chillo's promise to work with the State Board of Higher Education to partner with area colleges to help students.

"I appreciate the fact that Newbury College has been pretty active in their discussions with people at the Board of Higher Education on the challenges they face and that they are trying, I believe, in good faith, to make this announcement early enough so that existing students and prospective students have options and possibilities with respect to the decisions they make, and to give faculty and staff time to plan as well," said Gov. Charlie Baker Friday, State House News reported.

However at least one former Mount Ida student took to social media to express their dismay at the announcement that showed up in their inbox this morning.

"As a former student of Mount Ida College which closed last year, I am livid," wrote the third year student on a Reddit post.

The school has had financial trouble for a while: A couple years ago the school sold off one of its buildings and last Spring restructured again, eliminating four degrees. In March the college announced a partnership with Regis College.

In June, the New England Commission of Higher Education placed Newbury College on probation for up to two years for not having enough institutional resources.

"Newbury, like a number of private institutions both locally and nationally, is finding it necessary to explore new financial and collaboration models to ensure that students can continue to receive a high-quality educational experience," Chillo wrote at the time.

Accreditation of an institution of higher education by the Commission indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria, including the resources to achieve its stated educational purposes, for the assessment of institutional quality periodically through a peer review process.

In his report to the UMass Board on Thursday, UMass President Marty Meehan, which is aquiring Mount Ida's land and possibly selling land it had in Waltham, said it was working on staying financially sound.

"Higher education is at a crossroads, with disruption on the horizon that will impact all colleges and universities, but particularly those who have not taken steps to prepare for potentially rapid change," Meehan wrote, reported State House news.

Read the full message from the School's President:

It is with a heavy heart that I announce our intention to commence the closing of Newbury College, this institution we love so dearly. Newbury’s top priority is to ensure that our students, our faculty, and our staff remain at the forefront of all we do in the coming weeks and months.

Although no specific closing date has been set, we intend to cease operations after the Spring 2019 semester. We are still exploring potential partnerships that would allow us to remain open, but the Board of Trustees and I have concluded that it is in the best interests of our students, prospective students, faculty and staff to notify them immediately, so they can make the best decisions for their future. Accordingly, we are providing this notice, before we are legally required to do so, because it is the right thing to do. Our people, the dignity of our mission, and the legacy of the institution are our most important concerns of today.

It is no secret that weighty financial challenges are pressing on liberal arts colleges throughout the country. Newbury College is no exception. These financial challenges, the product of major changes in demographics and costs, are the driving factors behind our decision to close at the end of this academic year. The decision was not arrived at lightly because we know how much Newbury College means to so many. Our decision to close comes only after a tireless pursuit of multiple options to remain open and continue serving our students as a beacon of opportunity and hope to achieve the dreams of a college education.

Throughout this process, students have and will remain our top priority. We are working closely with the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education and we are in the process of formalizing agreements with area colleges and universities to ensure our students have the best opportunities to continue their studies and to earn their college degree. Closing plans will include options to complete comparable programs at other institutions, admissions events for other institutions to come to campus and meet our students, information about credit transfers and student records, question and answer briefings, contact information for transition advisors and counselors, as well as any changes to the academic calendar. We will be publishing more details of our closing plans shortly, and there will be regular updates as we move forward.

I personally want to thank our dedicated faculty and staff who have exhibited great care, dedication, and compassion while making sacrifices to assist students in their dreams of a college education. I also want to thank everyone else who has lent their time, treasure or talents to Newbury College over its 57-year history. The investment has produced remarkable graduates who make our world a better place.

Read more:

• Brookline Eyes Newbury Land After College Closure Announcement
• Mount Ida Closure Leaves Newton Students, Parents Scrambling
• Newbury College to Partner With Regis on Graduate Program

Photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch Staff