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Atlantic Union College
Atlantic Union College (AUC) was a private Seventh-day Adventist college in South Lancaster, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1882. The college closed in 2018 due to accreditation and financial problems.
From 1933 to 2018, AUC was a four-year liberal arts college with a peak enrollment of over 700 students. After a financial crisis in 2011 it suspended bachelor's degree programs, then resumed them on a smaller scale in 2015. In February 2018, the college announced that it would permanently close after the spring 2018 semester. The campus was sold in 2021.
Founded in 1882, Atlantic Union College in South Lancaster, Mass. is the oldest campus in the Seventh-day Adventist worldwide educational system. In 1882, the school was organized as a preparatory school under the leadership of Adventist 'pioneer' Stephen Nelson Haskell to serve the needs of Adventist constituents in the northeastern part of the United States and Bermuda, and was named "That New England School". The next year, it was incorporated and renamed South Lancaster Academy. In 1918, it was renamed: Lancaster Junior College. Then, in 1922, it was yet again renamed Atlantic Union College after being authorized to grant degrees in the state of Massachusetts. That year, the academy and college separated. In 1933, Governor Joseph Ely granted AUC the right to confer the Bachelor of Arts degree. In 1945, the school was first accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). In 1954, it was authorized to grant the Bachelor of Science degree. Herbert E. Douglass was president from 1967 to 1970. In 1990, Atlantic Union College was authorized to grant the Master of Education degree.
In October 1997, Bruce Wells, AUC's Dean, appointed by President Lashley, precipitated criticism for approaching selectmen in the neighboring town of Clinton for permission to use a Clinton address to sell used cars out of the college's parking lot in Lancaster. Six years later, Sylvan Lashley, left the college. There was an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education studied Title IV student aid funds, on which the vast majority of the college's 500 students were dependent at that time.
In 1993, with 82% of enrolled students receiving financial aid, there was a high default rate on student loans and enrollment was dropping well below projections. An auditor's report had shown the college was "essentially bankrupt" and at the time was at least $3 million in debt. By the Fall of 1994, another enrollment drop forced them to borrow $2 million to get through the 94–95 school year; a violation of North American Division working policy to borrow money for operating purposes. In May 1995, the AUC had $6.2 million in debt. Approximately $3 million was owed to the Atlantic Union Revolving Fund and $2.4 million owed to the General Conference. By August 1995, AUC met their first cash crunch and were forced to dip into the endowment funds to meet payroll. This process was repeated in November and December of the same year until the endowment funds were exhausted.
In 1998, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges issued 28 citations to Atlantic Union after an on-site visit. Most pertained to problems with finances, fund raising, the curriculum, student services, and faculty pay.
After a focused evaluation in 2001, the Massachusetts Commission on Institutions of Higher Education recommended to the board of trustees for NEASC that the college's accreditation be terminated. In December 2003, the Board of Trustees placed the college on probation.
In 2008, NEASC placed the college on probation status due to "failure to meet [its] Standard on Financial Resources". In February 2011, it was announced that Atlantic Union College would lose its accreditation on July 31, 2011.
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Atlantic Union College
Atlantic Union College (AUC) was a private Seventh-day Adventist college in South Lancaster, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1882. The college closed in 2018 due to accreditation and financial problems.
From 1933 to 2018, AUC was a four-year liberal arts college with a peak enrollment of over 700 students. After a financial crisis in 2011 it suspended bachelor's degree programs, then resumed them on a smaller scale in 2015. In February 2018, the college announced that it would permanently close after the spring 2018 semester. The campus was sold in 2021.
Founded in 1882, Atlantic Union College in South Lancaster, Mass. is the oldest campus in the Seventh-day Adventist worldwide educational system. In 1882, the school was organized as a preparatory school under the leadership of Adventist 'pioneer' Stephen Nelson Haskell to serve the needs of Adventist constituents in the northeastern part of the United States and Bermuda, and was named "That New England School". The next year, it was incorporated and renamed South Lancaster Academy. In 1918, it was renamed: Lancaster Junior College. Then, in 1922, it was yet again renamed Atlantic Union College after being authorized to grant degrees in the state of Massachusetts. That year, the academy and college separated. In 1933, Governor Joseph Ely granted AUC the right to confer the Bachelor of Arts degree. In 1945, the school was first accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). In 1954, it was authorized to grant the Bachelor of Science degree. Herbert E. Douglass was president from 1967 to 1970. In 1990, Atlantic Union College was authorized to grant the Master of Education degree.
In October 1997, Bruce Wells, AUC's Dean, appointed by President Lashley, precipitated criticism for approaching selectmen in the neighboring town of Clinton for permission to use a Clinton address to sell used cars out of the college's parking lot in Lancaster. Six years later, Sylvan Lashley, left the college. There was an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education studied Title IV student aid funds, on which the vast majority of the college's 500 students were dependent at that time.
In 1993, with 82% of enrolled students receiving financial aid, there was a high default rate on student loans and enrollment was dropping well below projections. An auditor's report had shown the college was "essentially bankrupt" and at the time was at least $3 million in debt. By the Fall of 1994, another enrollment drop forced them to borrow $2 million to get through the 94–95 school year; a violation of North American Division working policy to borrow money for operating purposes. In May 1995, the AUC had $6.2 million in debt. Approximately $3 million was owed to the Atlantic Union Revolving Fund and $2.4 million owed to the General Conference. By August 1995, AUC met their first cash crunch and were forced to dip into the endowment funds to meet payroll. This process was repeated in November and December of the same year until the endowment funds were exhausted.
In 1998, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges issued 28 citations to Atlantic Union after an on-site visit. Most pertained to problems with finances, fund raising, the curriculum, student services, and faculty pay.
After a focused evaluation in 2001, the Massachusetts Commission on Institutions of Higher Education recommended to the board of trustees for NEASC that the college's accreditation be terminated. In December 2003, the Board of Trustees placed the college on probation.
In 2008, NEASC placed the college on probation status due to "failure to meet [its] Standard on Financial Resources". In February 2011, it was announced that Atlantic Union College would lose its accreditation on July 31, 2011.
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