Ohio College Faces Turmoil Amidst Political Strife

On a balmy Tuesday morning in early September, Lori Askeland found herself contemplating a significant shift.

Her Native American literature and film course had just wrapped up, and she was preparing for her English 101 students—the first time in nearly thirty years she was not certain about her future in teaching.

It was the third week of the semester, and she had assigned her class a TED Talk by renowned novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who discussed the misconceptions she faced upon moving to the U.S. for college, including her American roommate’s surprise that she could speak English.

Later that evening, former President Donald Trump participated in a debate in Philadelphia. From 500 miles away, Askeland’s small Midwestern town became a topic of discussion for the Republican candidate.

“They’re eating the pets of the people that live there,” Trump claimed, making controversial, false statements about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio.

In the following week, the situation became increasingly dire, with threats targeting the community. As a result, Wittenberg University, where Askeland has taught since the 1990s, shifted to remote learning for a week, with professors offering to shelter international students fearing for their safety amidst rising anti-immigrant sentiment.

Prior to these events, the liberal arts college was grappling with another dilemma: the university had seen declining enrollment numbers for years, leading to the elimination of around two dozen faculty positions—Askeland’s included. Entire music and language departments were dissolved. Students in majors that will no longer exist by next fall must either find alternative courses or graduate early. Additionally, 45 staff roles were also cut.

The circumstances at Wittenberg provide a lens into the larger issues facing higher education in 2024. The number of high school graduates in the U.S. is projected to rise to a peak this decade before declining, which means institutions like Wittenberg will continue to make difficult budgetary choices in response to a shrinking student base. Simultaneously, ensuring the safety of college students and staff is becoming increasingly difficult amid deepening political divides, ongoing school shootings, and the rise in campus bomb threats.

In the past month, Wittenberg’s campus has faced a convergence of financial uncertainties, political turmoil, and concerns for student safety. While many institutions encounter these challenges at different times and in varying degrees, Wittenberg is experiencing them all at the same time.

Mark La Branche, a former college president and chancellor emeritus of the University of Tennessee Southern, observed, “In Springfield, you’ve got a perfect storm.”

Adjusting to a ‘new normal’

Two Mondays ago, Askeland was in her office within Hollenbeck Hall. This brick building lines Bill Edwards Drive, named after the grandfather of Wittenberg’s board chair—a group whose decisions this fall profoundly affected her life.

Her office, typical for an English professor, was filled with books. Among its decor was a four-year-old poster from a Chicago dance troupe’s performance—a happy memory quickly overshadowed by the campus’ abrupt closure due to the pandemic shortly after. Next to it was an award from the school’s LGBTQ+ club in 2012, recognizing her efforts for promoting diversity on campus.

Pointing to a red building from her window, she remarked, “The board has been a mess for years.” But, she claimed, the building there was where “a lot of the problems started.”

The campus athletic complex, colloquially known as “The Steemer,” honors Wes Bates, a Wittenberg alum and CEO of the floor-cleaning company Stanley Steemer International (famous for its catchy ads). When it opened in October 2019, then-university president Michael Frandsen described it as “an investment in Wittenberg’s future.”

This future-focused vision aimed to attract potential student-athletes, but it came with a hefty cost of $50 million. The complex was completed just months before the pandemic struck. Between 2019 and 2021, the tuition-dependent institution faced significant challenges.

Wittenberg University has lost a substantial number of students, leading to an unprecedented financial dilemma as it approached fall 2024. The president communicated to the faculty that this drop in enrollment had brought about “the most difficult financial situation we have faced in recent history.”

Since the financial crisis of 2008, universities have been witnessing a decrease in student numbers. However, the pandemic has inflicted an unexpected setback on enrollment figures. Despite the fact that college graduates tend to earn more over their careers compared to non-graduates, a significant concern for university leaders is the demographic shift: Birth rates have fallen, and this trend is set to impact colleges severely in the near future.

In the next few years, as the peak number of high school graduates approaches, many less financially robust colleges that depend primarily on tuition revenue will face alarming deficits—particularly smaller private institutions like Wittenberg. According to Nathan Grawe, an economics professor at Carleton College and a specialist in an issue dubbed the “demographic cliff” by university leaders, higher education may undergo significant transformations by the early 2040s.

“We’re heading toward a new normal,” he stated. “We need to find ways to cut expenses.”

Wittenberg’s financial troubles became more evident last December when faculty members were informed in a meeting that the university had enlisted Huron Consulting Group, a management consulting firm, to explore cost-cutting measures. (The university confirmed that Huron was one of the consultants approached before final budget recommendations were made.) The same firm was also involved with West Virginia University recently, where school officials decided to eliminate 143 faculty positions.

“Huron was brought in by Wittenberg University to help formulate a long-term strategy that included both expanding existing and creating new academic programs aimed at boosting revenue,” stated Allie Bovis, a spokesperson for the firm, in a statement to YSL News. “Huron was not asked to propose any cuts to staff and did not recommend any reductions in faculty.”

Seven months after the December meeting, music professor Brandon Jones found himself driving home from a family trip in Montreal when he received a flood of texts and emails. The university president had just suggested an “academic restructuring,” which included a proposal to reduce full-time faculty by 60% and shift towards significantly more online learning.

“I knew this would be the end for me,” Jones reflected, considering his role leading the university’s symphonic band.

On September 5, Jones and professors from the music and language departments were summoned to a meeting with the president and provost. An apprehensive colleague asked what the meeting might entail.

“They’re not going to announce any raises for us,” he responded grimly.

The room full of teachers soon learned that this would be their final year. An email from the president and the board chair revealed that approximately two dozen faculty positions would be cut, along with numerous staff roles.

In a statement to YSL News, university spokesperson Karen Gerboth acknowledged that there were no “simple solutions to the significant and complex challenges facing Wittenberg.”

“We needed to make urgent changes to balance our budget and ensure the long-term stability of the University,” she added. “We understand that everyone in the Wittenberg community wants what is best for the institution, both now and in the future; however, we recognize that not everyone agrees on the ideal direction to take.”

William Edwards, chair of the board, did not reply to an emailed request for comments.

Feelings of loss, misinformation, and intimidation

The day following the unsettling meeting for the music and language departments, Askeland, the English professor, also received the unfortunate news via email regarding her job loss slated for the following year.

While she wasn’t taken aback by the news—having seen previous estimates of potential layoffs fluctuate so much that they felt unreliable—she expressed a lack of desire to remain at Wittenberg under such conditions.

“I feel grief,” she admitted, “because I know how much valuable work can be achieved at this institution.”

However, what unfolded in the days after her layoff announcement was more surprising. The same day that music and language faculty members learned their fate, a conservative account on the social media platform X shared a screenshot of a baseless anti-immigrant claim regarding Springfield’s Haitian community.

The influx of Haitian immigrants drawn to the city due to job opportunities and affordability has apparently put pressure on local resources, contributing to an estimated 25% increase in Springfield’s population, according to The Columbus Dispatch, part of the YSL News Network.

In a post on X, JD Vance, Ohio’s U.S. senator and Trump’s running mate, discussed the issue of Haitian undocumented immigrants burdening social services and creating disorder in Springfield, Ohio. He also claimed that pets have been stolen and consumed by individuals he believes do not belong in the country.

However, YSL News’s fact-checking team has found no reliable evidence supporting these assertions. Despite this, Vance revisited the subject during his recent debate against Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

“Housing is completely unaffordable,” he argued. “We’ve welcomed millions of undocumented immigrants who are competing with Americans for limited housing resources.” (Springfield’s official website confirms that Haitian immigrants are legally present.)

Some professors from Wittenberg University are finding it difficult to reconcile Vance’s present views with those he expressed in a prestigious lecture at the institution in 2017. During that lecture, held the Monday before Halloween, the best-selling author captivated a full gymnasium discussing “Hillbilly Elegy,” his book detailing the trials faced by America’s white working class. According to a professor at the event, it was “very well accepted,” although she remarked that Vance’s messaging has shifted significantly since then.

After Trump repeated Vance’s misinformation during his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, Springfield’s city hall and public school district received bomb threats. The Wittenberg community, already dealing with staff layoffs, found little time to process these threats.

Following the debate, Wittenberg administrators received an email alerting them about a potential campus shooting, as reported by The Dispatch. The next day, a separate message indicated that a bomb might be concealed in a red Honda Civic. Although police located a vehicle matching that description, both threats were determined to be unfounded.

In a statement to YSL News, Luke Schroeder, a spokesperson for Vance, distanced the senator from the subsequent backlash.

“Senator Vance denounces these threats and believes those responsible must face the maximum legal consequences,” said Schroeder.

Students Experience ‘Instability’

For safety reasons, Wittenberg switched to online classes for a week. German professor Vanessa Plumly even welcomed a French student into her home for a short period.

“The parents of these international students were horrified,” she stated.

For several days, Plumly noticed that her Haitian neighbors remained indoors, as if the community’s vitality had been sapped. She and her student took a break by visiting Cincinnati.

In early September, Plumly’s position along with other foreign language roles were cut. Despite the university’s origins with pastors who separated from the German church, Wittenberg is discontinuing its German program. (The school’s website claims that Wittenberg was established to cater to the educational and cultural needs of new immigrants and communities.)

The layoffs mean students like Allyson Gardner will need to graduate after three years instead of four. Gardner, 20, has experienced a transient upbringing as the child of a military family, living in diverse places including Wyoming and the Netherlands. This mobility is a key factor in her passion for foreign languages.

Gardner had planned to obtain her certification to teach German in Ohio, but recent changes have made that impossible at Wittenberg. If she chooses to spend what would have been her senior year pursuing a master’s degree instead, she can still earn a teaching license. Plumly intends to accompany her during a campus visit this month to a different university in another state.

“Right now, I’m feeling a significant lack of stability in most areas of my life,” Gardner expressed.

Wittenberg was just beginning to feel like a home to her.