The students and faculty of Sweet Briar planted two sweet briar rose bushes, rang bells, and prayed on March 3, the anniversary of the announcement that the college would close its doors. The celebration marked the one-year survival of the college.
Last March, the administration of Sweet Briar College in Virginia announced that the school would have to close due to insufficient funds. The small women’s college was facing financial difficulties due to low enrollment, rising maintenance costs, and a diminishing endowment. The announcement prompted outrage from students and alumni.
The Wall Street Journal reported that advocates raised $12 million dollars to save Sweet Briar and filed three lawsuits against the decision. The court settlement that decreed Sweet Briar would remain open for another year, but its continued fate is still uncertain.
The 114-year-old liberal arts college struggled with many of the challenges that other small women’s colleges have faced. A combination of expensive tuition prices and lack of interest in single-sex education has put pressure on many similar institutions.
After the lawsuit settled last June, a regime change and further fundraising ensured the school opened this September, albeit with a reduced freshman class of just 24 students. However, the college aims to enroll 200 freshmen next fall. Due to the increased media exposure, the school garnered national attention and received 1,284 applications by the March 1 regular decision deadline.
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