RICHMOND, Va. (AP/WRIC) — The Supreme Court of Virginia has temporarily blocked the planned closure of 114-year-old Sweet Briar College, a private school for women.
The decision Tuesday sends the case back to a lower court, where leaders of the college will be questioned over their March announcement to shutter the school by the end of this summer. They cited insurmountable financial challenges and declining enrollment.
But the local county attorney and a determined group of alumnae have battled the decision to close. They have questioned the dire predictions of President James F. Jones Jr. and the school’s governing board.
Sweet Briar officials say the institute that operates the school is corporation and doesn’t need a court blessing to close. Opponents of the closing say the institute is a trust and subject to court review.
Saving Sweet Briar, an group dedicated to keeping Sweet Briar College’s doors open, hailed the ruling.
“Today’s Virginia Supreme Court ruling is a major legal victory for the students, faculty, staff and alumnae of Sweet Briar College, for women’s colleges and for the sanctity of charitable bequests made in this country,” said Sarah Clement, Chair of Saving Sweet Briar. “We are grateful that the Virginia Supreme Court has accepted the arguments of County Attorney Ellen Bowyer that Sweet Briar College can be both a trust and a non-stock corporation.”
“With the trust issue now resolved by the Virginia Supreme Court, we will move to seek the appointment of a special fiduciary to assess the college’s true finances and determine what is needed to close the current funding gap to ensure the College can remain open,” said Clement. “This fiduciary can then take a deeper look, working with all stakeholders, at what changes are warranted and appropriate to help reshape the college to ensure its long-term success as one of the nation’s leading institutions of higher learning.”
Clement said the tremendous efforts of thousands of Sweet Briar alumnae and supporters who have generated more than $16 million in pledges demonstrate that the short term funding gap can be closed while a longer term plan is developed.
“Our fight to save Sweet Briar has truly shown the values and spirit instilled in us during our years at Sweet Briar College,” added Clement. “We have fought with every ounce of energy and today our efforts have been rewarded. We will use the experience of nearly losing Sweet Briar as a galvanizing moment that can help us ensure that the College will emerge from this struggle as an even stronger institution that will serve many generations of students to come.”
View the court documents here.
