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Antioch University Moves Forward After Separation From College

It was a year ago that Antioch University and Antioch College in Yellow Springs became two separate institutions. Antioch College Interim President, Matthew Derr, says they're moving forward with plans to reopen the college next fall.  It's also been a big year for Antioch University. Today, WYSO's Emily McCord finds out the latest from Chancellor Toni Murdoch.

Antioch University consists of five campuses across the country. There are two in California-Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, one in Seattle, one in New Hampshire, and Antioch Midwest in Yellow Springs.

The university offers similar programs at all of their campuses, and it serves a distinct student demographic. Most are over the age 25, they don't live on campus, and many work while getting their education. Chancellor of the university, Toni Murdoch, says now that Antioch College and Antioch University are separate, the university can take a cohesive approach to offering courses to its specific type of student.

"Because of this likeness of programs across our campus and the students that we attract, we are now able to move towards to a virtual type of delivery model," says Murdoch, "By sharing our resources virtually and the ability of students from any of our campuses to access that, we are greatly going to enhance the services to our students."

It was a year ago that Antioch University and Antioch College in Yellow Springs became two separate institutions. While the college is making plans to reopen next fall, the university is also looking ahead to the future. But Murdoch says knowing about the past is a priority as well, and that the University has hired an historian to begin research.

"Most of the University's history has been connected to the college and see through the college's eyes. So, we think it's really important to bring together how the university was created and what has transpired over the years," says Murdoch.

Murdoch says this year enrollment is up or steady at all of the campuses and that financially, the university is the strongest it's been in decades.

Antioch University officials have created a strategic plan for moving the institution forward. The goal includes strengthening the academic program and maintaining a sustainable education model.

The university is also now able to invest in new construction. The Los Angeles branch, for example, is on the list for a new campus. Murdoch says the separation from the college last year helped the University envision its future differently.

"In the past, it was difficult to do any kind of planning because we knew we didn't have reserves, and now to be able and sit and come up with a realistic strategic plan for the next three to five years is a real shift in our minds on how we operate," says Murdoch.

The Antioch University Board of Governors will meet in February to continue work on the strategic plan. Murdoch says she hopes that it will have an emphasis on an education that is both accessible and affordable to their students.

WYSO is licensed to Antioch University