MA's Eastern Nazarene College Is Making Preparations To Close

QUINCY, MA — Eastern Nazarene College, the Christian liberal arts college, has operated in Quincy for over 100 years. College officials plan to continue operating through the end of the year, but no longer than that.

The college's Board of Trustees announced news of a unanimous vote to begin the closure process on Tuesday. Officials said they plan to shift to a "new educational enterprise," but didn't provide details of what that entails.

"Like all small, private, liberal arts colleges, Eastern Nazarene has faced significant financial headwinds in recent years," officials said in a letter published to the college's website.

"During that time, the Board and multiple presidents have pursued numerous alternatives to closure. While these efforts produced fruit that enabled ENC to continue operating until now, the underlying challenges have intensified. It has become clear that transitioning to a new educational enterprise is the only viable path for continuing ENC’s mission of providing transformational education."

College officials said they hope to continue serving both undergraduate and graduate students on track to graduate by the end of the year, pending "the commitment of a critical mass of students and faculty."

Administrators have arranged teach-out agreements with three institutions – Gordon College, Mount Vernon Nazarene University and Trevecca Nazarene University – to provide streamlined transfer options for all other students, and officials said they will also provide job-placement support and access to counseling resources for faculty and staff.

"Our top priority in the coming weeks is caring for those most directly affected by this decision: our students, faculty and staff," said Board Chair David Bowser.

Students, faculty and staff have already been informed of the decision, officials said.

So what happens next? Officials said they know what the end result will be, but aren't sure what the path will be to get there. A statement further explaining that from ENC President Rev. Colleen Deer is below:

“We know many in our community will have questions about immediate next steps and long-term term plans for ENC’s programs and assets. While the outcome of this process is known, the process to get there remains fluid. We are committed to communicating with our stakeholders in a timely and transparent way to ensure those most affected by this transition have the information and support they need. We are also committed to close collaboration with state and federal officials, our accreditor and our partners in the Church of the Nazarene to ensure we are serving our community and our neighbors well during this process.”