Accreditor Requests Closure of the King’s College

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by AsianStew, Aug 4, 2023.

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  1. AsianStew

    AsianStew Moderator Staff Member

    Sad, another one might be biting the dust due to finances... Low enrollment, lost donors, what else can go wrong?

    "Faced with the possibility of closure since January, the King’s College’s chances of survival took another blow Thursday when its accreditor announced that it has asked the small evangelical college in New York City to “submit a substantive change request for institutional closure” by Aug. 11."

    "The King’s College, which enrolled around 300 students last fall, has faced severe financial pressures as it lost wealthy mega-donors in recent years and spent heavily to develop online programs that quickly closed after falling far short of lofty enrollment goals."

    https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/07/28/accreditor-requests-closure-kings-college
     
    AsianStew, Aug 4, 2023
    #1
  2. Dustin

    Dustin Well-Known Member

    I can't see the linked article about the online programs blamed for much of the shortfall, but the blurb at the top mentions a for-profit company.

    I suspect they sunk a large amount of money into 2U or another provider and then didn't have the revenue to make the programs sustainable.
     
    Dustin, Aug 4, 2023
    #2
  3. Jonathan Whatley

    Jonathan Whatley Well-Known Member

    Jonathan Whatley, Aug 4, 2023
    #3
    Dustin likes this.
  4. Asymptote

    Asymptote Active Member

    Asymptote, Aug 7, 2023
    #4
  5. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Indeed. From the article:
    "Most notably, D’Souza brought Richard and Helen DeVos to the King’s board, and the family soon became the school’s most influential donor. Between 2012 and 2020, the DeVos family gave roughly $50 million to The King’s College, according to the DeVos Foundation’s 990s. "

    From 2012 till 2020 - $50 Million from one family alone - and the school still couldn't make it. That's depressing.

    I note their Interim President was Stockwell Day - former Canadian Cabinet Minister. I was never inpressed by him....
    One of his gaffes (remarks about a lawyer) ended in a successful Defamation suit against him, with total settlement and costs of $792,000. Day paid $60,000 out of his own pocket and the Government (i.e. Canadian taxpayers) paid the rest. That lawsuit, and the full story on him here:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockwell_Day
     
    Last edited: Aug 7, 2023
    Johann, Aug 7, 2023
    #5
  6. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    That's Dinesh D'Souza, who took over as President of King's in 2010.

    I'm also informed (how accurately I don't know) that Mr. Day is a Young Earth Creationist by belief - i.e. he believes the Earth is around 6,000 years old.... Nah. "Old Blue Mike" - one of my eight guitars is older than that, I'm pretty sure. :)
     
    Last edited: Aug 7, 2023
    Johann, Aug 7, 2023
    #6
  7. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Another quote from the Article:

    "Oakes* particularly coined the tagline “God, Money, Power,” which many criticized for its neocapitalist and imperialist aura."

    I'm sure they did. It is what it is...Sickening. Makes me glad the place is gone. I don't really care what spin was concocted to justify it after the fact. The link above (to author's quoted source) has a pithy remark on this: "Observing the ways that right-wing Christians distort the Gospels is endlessly fascinating." My take: "endlessly depressing" might be a better description than "endlessly fascinating."

    * Campus Crusade Minister Stanley J. Oakes. President of King's, 2003-2010
     
    Last edited: Aug 7, 2023
    Johann, Aug 7, 2023
    #7

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