To address a mounting deficit and shrinking endowment, Bryn Athyn College of the New Church has eliminated its varsity athletic programs and the equivalent of 20 full-time positions, writes Susan Snyder for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
“This decision is a necessary step for our survival,” said President Sean Connelly in March. “This is hard. But the deeper injustice would be to ignore reality and jeopardize the future of our beloved college.”
That same month, the small private Christian college in Montgomery County received a warning from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that it could lose its accreditation for failing to meet a standard related to governance, leadership, and administration. The college must submit a report by October 1 showing that it can satisfy the requirement.
In 2013, a college committee concluded that Bryn Athyn would need to plan for “downsizing or closure” if the endowment fell below $40 million, and implement those plans if it dropped under $37 million. The second threshold was crossed in 2023, prompting the college to proceed with the cuts. Connelly emphasized that no instructional positions were eliminated.
Read more about Bryn Athyn College’s critical challenges and the tough decisions shaping its future in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on MONTCO.Today in July 2025.
