News that the College of Saint Rose will close its Albany campus at the end of the Spring 2024 semester spread quickly Thursday, leaving students scrambling to figure out their next move.
The private college’s Board of Trustees voted Thursday to close the school, though the vote was not publicly announced by the institution.
The College of Saint Rose has been struggling financially for the past few years and recently engaged with city and state officials, seeking emergency funding.
But many of the college’s 2,700 students were unaware of the true depth of the college’s financial problems.
Caleb Delvaux, a first-year student studying early childhood education, a regionally renowned program, says students were left out of the conversation.
“It baffles me when there's so much more that they can do, so much more student involvement that could have happened they could have had like, talent shows fundraisers,” Delvaux said. “I personally wanted to start a Culinary Club. We could have opened a soup kitchen, anything like that. Just something to get people out. Instead, they're holding like cornhole tournaments and decorating Christmas cookies like what is that? What involvement is that?”
Julia Lasher, a senior studying Communication Sciences and Disorders, expects to complete her undergraduate program this month. She was looking forward to continuing her studies as a graduate student at Saint Rose.
“I got like an email that like my orientation was canceled so I kind of had an idea that the whole thing was coming about but I'm more nervous because I the CSD program especially for like the graduate students is like so like important and like such a big deal here at Saint Rose,” Lasher said. “I know like a lot of people go to Saint Rose for speech and language. So, I know for me I'm just obviously very nervous what my next few steps are going to be because I do graduate in like three weeks.”
In a campus-wide email obtained by WAMC, college president Marcia White did not deny that Saint Rose is on the brink of closing. The college did not respond to multiple requests for comment from WAMC.
Paige Eaton, a first-year student studying forensic psychology, says she does not plan to stay enrolled through the school year, though Saint Rose reportedly plans to remain open through the spring semester.
“Mostly because I’m scared that my credits are not going to transfer over if I wait until after next semester,” Eaton said.
New York State Assemblywoman Pat Fahy of the 109th District chairs the Higher Education Committee. The Democrat says her focus remains on the students.
“We need to remind all students that the school is not closing until the end of the academic year,” Fahy said. “That means May or June. But we need to make sure that all of them have what's referred to as a teach out plan. So, let's say you are a junior in an education program, a plan is developed, such that they collaborate with UAlbany where they have a master's of education program to make sure that student gets the requirements they need.”
While no formal transition plans have been made public, the neighboring University at Albany issued a statement in support of students Friday morning. UAlbany President Havidán Rodríguez said the SUNY campus remains “committed to Albany, and to midtown especially.”
He adds UAlbany will work with its partners to “ assist this transition in whatever ways our resources permit.”
A college-organized community gathering is being held this hour on the Saint Rose campus to update students, faculty, and staff.
