Atlantic Union College

Founded in 1882, Atlantic Union College in South Lancaster, Mass. is the oldest campus in the Seventh-day Adventist worldwide educational system.[3] 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".[4] The next year, it was incorporated and renamed South Lancaster Academy.[4] In 1918, it was renamed: Lancaster Junior College.[4] Then, in 1922, it was yet again renamed Atlantic Union College after being authorized to grant degrees in the state of Massachusetts.[4] 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.[5] 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,[6] 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.[7] 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.[8] 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.[9]

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.[10]

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.[11]

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.[12][13][14]

The AUC board of trustees undertook negotiations with Washington Adventist University with the aim of establishing a branch campus of WAU on AUC's former campus.[15] However. AUC President Norman Wendth announced in July that the plan had not gained approval from the Massachusetts Department of Education in time for the Fall 2011 school term. All 179 faculty and staff at AUC were laid off on July 31, 2011.[16][17] Only one of the 450 enrolled students failed to find a new college in time for the fall semester, while all nursing students transferred to Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner, Massachusetts. Adult degree program and distance learning students were not affected and automatically became students of Washington Adventist University.

In October 2011 the AUC board of trustees voted to suspend any further negotiations for a branch of WAU after the institutions were unable to reach an operating agreement.[18]

After 2011 some non-degree educational activities continued at Atlantic Union. Performing arts instruction continued at the Thayer Performing Arts Center, and a certificate program in evangelism was instituted in 2013, the Northeast Evangelism Training School. Following a site visit by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (DHE) and the appointment of a new interim president late in 2012,[19] the college won approval by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education to offer two degrees beginning in 2013.[20][21][22]

The college also began pursuing non-degree educational program. In 2013 it became the home of the Northeast Evangelism Training School.[23] The following year, the college began offering three non-higher education programs.[24]

In November 2014 Dr. Avis D. Hendrickson was appointed president of the college, the first woman to hold that post. A few months later in April 2015 the college announced the launch of two Bachelor's level academic programs to begin later that year: a B.A. in Religion/Theology, and a B.S. in Health Sciences/Biology. Certificate programs are also offered at the Northeast Evangelism Training School (NETS), the new English as a second language center, as well as in the areas of business, and computer sciences.

Despite the new programs launched by the college, it continued to experience severe financial struggles. After receiving a report from an independent task force, the college's governing board voted in February 2018 to close the college. Degree programs closed at the end of the spring semester and certificate programs closed at the end of the summer.[2]

As of 13 February 2020 the campus was listed for sale for $10,000,000