Alderson Broaddus Campus Officially Closes

(Originally published September 6, 2023 in The Barbour Democrat)

On August 31, 2023, Alderson Broaddus University filed for bankruptcy in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of West Virginia, and made it the last official day for the remaining handful of employees on campus.

Due to HEPC July 31 decision to not allow AB to be able to confer degrees nor to return the students to campus (other than 20 students slated to graduate in December of 2023 – all whom have been able to find other schools to complete their degree), the school was not able to have enough income to sustain campus operations. Since more than $1 million still owed to the school from IRS Employment Retention Credit has not been received yet, the Board of Trustees relied on last minute fundraisers to cover the cost of payroll during the last month. All the money raised went towards payroll and operational cost, and some of it still was not enough, and there are still some outstanding payroll cost left.

On Wednesday and Thursday of last week, Tim Morris, a Board of Trustees member, was on campus to personally meet and hand out the paychecks to the last employees, and those who were not able to come will receive their checks in the mail. Morris said it was really important to meet face to face and express Board’s appreciation for their work.

The property is now being transferred to US Department of Agriculture, and any more information about the possible auctions will arrive from whoever will be appointed Trustee by the Bankruptcy Court.

The Board of Trustees has issued the following letter:

“To Faculty, Staff, Students

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the final closure of our beloved Alderson Broaddus University effective today. Due to the unexpected decision of the Higher Education Policy Commission on July 31, 2023, AB was unable to enroll students and collect the necessary income to remain open any longer, and there was simply no other choice at this point other than to file a petition for bankruptcy. We know that this has been an incredibly difficult situation for our students and employees, and we appreciate the patience and support displayed while the Board worked to obtain information and make decisions in light of the HEPC decision. Faced with impossible choices due to the financial situation, the Board’s single priority has been what was best for our students and employees.

In the last month, AB has worked diligently to place students who were enrolled for the fall semester to continue their education at other institutions of higher education. We are grateful to other institutions that welcomed our students and made the transfer process as seamless as possible. We are so proud of these students and their Battler spirit!

Our faculty and staff have been the heart and soul of AB, educating our students, serving the campus and surrounding community and reflecting the Christian values of AB. Your dedication and service are the legacy of AB, which will live on in the successes of all AB alumni.

We must especially thank our employees who have worked diligently through the end to best serve our students in the midst of a most challenging environment. This selfless service was certainly above and beyond any call of duty and will never be forgotten.

Thank you also to our many donors who have supported AB and its mission for many years, including at the end to aid in a dire financial situation.

Although the doors are closing, the gifts we have all received from AB continue to live on in each of us. We are Battlers, committed to using our talents to serve others. We shall fight on, embodying the scholarship, service and Christian love that are the hallmark of our AB family.

We wish you all the greatest blessings.

With love and gratitude,

AB Board of Trustees.”

On Tuesday, September 4, Alderson Broaddus Board has challenged Public Service Commission and has requested that the utilities stay on due to two situations that are yet to be resolved – one being the hazardous material stored in clinical labs, and the other one the operation of daycare on campus. The status of daycare facility will also be determined by the Trustee of the Bankruptcy Court.

Philippi Police Department, alongside the Office of Emergency Management, has approached local government officials with their concerns about safety and security, now that the campus is completely desolated and with the cases of vandalism already happening (two weeks ago, Rex Pyles Arena was broken into and all the fire extinguishers were busted, leaving a trail of gunky substance all over the floor). A Barbour County business owner offered to pay for a year salary for a security to be hired to patrol the campus until more is known about who will take over the property, but no arrangements have been made yet.

Will another entity move onto the campus? And when? As of now, it remains an unknown, although number of rumors are flying around the county and the state, none of which have been confirmed. What is known is that there are several high ranking elected officials within the state who have indicated that there is indeed a plan already in place for the property, with alluding that the plans were already being made as soon as former President Barry informed the Higher Education Policy Commission in the fall of 2022 that the school will be closing the doors in May of 2023 (despite telling faculty, staff, students, and the community the opposite).

It appears now that the only reason why there was even a chance of possibility of Alderson Broaddus staying open was that the group of alumni formed a Coalition to Save AB in the spring of this year, ousted the President in early May, and instituted new Chairman of the Board. And they almost pulled off the miracle – one that was abrupted by sudden HEPC decision just days before first students were to return to campus. Unfortunately, this group of alumni has now been stuck with being forced to close the school down, a mess to clean up, and civil lawsuits – even though they were the ones who have stepped in and tried to save it.

The staff of The Barbour Democrat will stay on the story as more information comes to light about the decisions and situations that led to spiraling and rapid financial decline of county’s beloved institution.