Benedictine University-Springfield, 2003-2015

It's been a month now since Benedictine University at Springfield announced it will shut down its 520-student traditional BA program at the end of spring semester and lay off 75 of its 100 full-time employees in order to concentrate on adult and graduate education. The university estimated it would cost $40 million to build all the dorms, athletic facilities and other amenities of an elite residential college campus, and to serve the greater "social … and spiritual" needs of traditional (18- to 22-year-old) students.

Which suggests that adult students who wait till the kids are older to go back to college aren't scared to death and don't have needs. Who knew?

Maybe the powers that be at Benedictine believe what they're saying, and maybe they believe their numbers. Maybe their cost estimates weren't gold-plated in order to justify a predetermined decision. Who knows? Certainly it's consistent with a widespread trend that isn't confined to higher ed.

BenU's decision comes at a time when other colleges and universities nationwide are relying on part-time, temporary adjunct instructors to teach their undergrad classes; urban school districts like Chicago are closing neighborhood schools, firing the professional teachers and replacing them with entry-level temp workers half-trained by Teach for America. Even service industries like retail banking are laying off branch bank tellers and replacing them with ATM machines.

So maybe Benedictine is cashing in on that trend. Maybe not. Maybe their aim is what they say it is, to provide quality graduate education.

Whatever. Who knows?

There was no input into BenU's decision from students, faculty or the larger community in Springfield, all of whom were blindsided by it. So there's no real way to question it. Why bother, anyway?

Fletcher Farrar, editor-publisher of Illinois Times, had the most gracious -- indeed, just about the only -- public comment. In an Editor's Note that ran Oct. 30, the week after BenU's announcement, he said:

We had thought Benedictine was doing so well, and appreciated how the Lisle-based university had brought life and investment back to the historic Springfield College campus. The abruptness of the announcement highlighted how little connection Benedictine’s board has with Springfield. Had somebody here known the place was in trouble maybe something could have been done to save it.

Whatever. Who knows? Who cares anymore?

Farrar also said Benedictine broke its promise, proclaimed all over town on billboards that were hastily taken down after the announcement, to provide Springfield with "affordable and attainable undergraduate education." That comment, one paragraph in length, said everything that needed to be said.