Judson College, the fifth oldest women’s college in the United States and only all-women college in Alabama, will close at the end of the year unless they receive $500,000 in donations by Dec. 31, and a further $1 million committed between Jan. 1 and May 31, 2021, according to a letter from the School President Mark Tew Tuesday.
“Judson College is having increased difficulty pursuing its educational mission,” the letter states. “This reality caused the Board of Trustees to make the following determination. In order to begin the spring semester, the College must, by December 31, receive unrestricted cash donations of $500,000 and unrestricted commitments for an additional $1,000,000 in cash donations to be contributed to the College between January 1 and May 31, 2021.”
Declining enrollment in the past decades, as well as financial difficulties exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, are reasons cited by Tew for Judson’s current situation. Tew reassured in his letter that Judson would inform and offer students transfer options to complete their studies at other universities if the college is forced to close.
“If the generosity of the College’s dedicated family of donors reaches these goals, the College will proceed with the spring semester that will conclude with commencement on April 30, 2021,” Tew wrote.
According to the letter, Judson’s Board of Trustees is working with Fuller Higher Ed Solutions — a Christian university consulting firm — to explore potential options.
The essential one-time donations can be submitted by Dec. 31, with long-term donation pledges open until May 2021.
