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Mid-Continent University Shuts Down

Discussion in 'Baptist Colleges & Seminaries' started by Jerome, Apr 17, 2014.

  1. Jerome

    Jerome Well-Known Member
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  2. just-want-peace

    just-want-peace Well-Known Member
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    From the article:
    This smells fishy on the surface; 'specially after IRS targeting. Could it be the DoE is copycat-ing??:BangHead:
     
  3. AVL1984

    AVL1984 <img src=../ubb/avl1984.jpg>

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    I don't know. Could be. I don't know enough of the college to know about it.
     
  4. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    I know a little bit about this situation. Each year, the school submits requests for tuition assistance from the Department of Education on behalf of its students. There are a series of submissions, the first for about 250 students, then a later one for 2,000 students. Each student profile contains up to 25 or 30 different documents, so you can imagine the enormity of preparing those submissions.

    The DOE rejected those submissions, saying that some exhibits were missing and some were simply incorrect. The MCU team asked DOE to send an official to the campus to vet the exhibits. DOE did so, but the missing and incorrect documentation was too much to overcome.

    That meant MCU could not unlock about 10 million dollars in federal funds sitting there waiting. The university's budget was around 22 million, so the implications are obvious.

    MCU had several million dollars in the bank, and had to dip into it to make payroll, etc. Those funds are now used up. Some property was sold to generate some operating money. It's about gone.

    Many faculty and staff continue to work without pay, and we owe them a great debt of gratitude But they can't do that very long. They have to find jobs.

    Graduation is on May 10, thanks to some generous donors.

    The trustees will meet on May 13 to consider the next steps.

    This has been a traumatic time for all involved. God has a purpose for all this, but one cannot help but wonder what it is. As somebody once said, "God, I can't track you but I trust you." But there's no question that recent events have put that trust to the test.

    By the way, I know a little bit about this situation because I serve as chairman of the MCU trustees. We need your prayers for wisdom and insight--and, if He wills, a miracle.
     
  5. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    My first thougt - dont depend on the Govt
     
  6. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    I'm sympathetic to that view. However, the money is not for the school, it is for the student. The school handles the application process for each student. It is the student who pays the tuition to the school, not the government.

    The student is the one who desires an education in a Christian (or Baptist) university. I don't believe it's wrong to facilitate that desire.
     
  7. reverist

    reverist Member

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    Tom, any update as to what happened with graduation and everything, and what will go on in the future? I pray everything will work as God wants in this matter.
     
  8. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    Thanks to some generous folks, we were able to have graduation exercises, with several hundred getting their degrees. All seniors were able to complete their required coursework because their professors agreed to teach without pay to make it happen.

    Nearly all the entire administration, faculty and staff taught the final two or three weeks without pay. God bless those dedicated folks who made a financial sacrifice to see it through to the end of the semester.

    Right now it's a matter of securing the campus facilities, finding a place to store the academic records and a myriad of other steps to deal with the shutdown. We have to make sure students have access to their transcripts when they enroll elsewhere.

    Technically, we have not ceased operations, and we have some bills to pay. Anybody got a few million dollars lying around they're not using? With about eleven million we can re-start classes and actually pay the salaries and keep the lights on.
     
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