Concordia College, a historically Black educational institution in Selma, Alabama, announced that it will close at the end of the current semester. Concordia College was founded in 1922. It is the only HBCU affiliated with the Lutheran Church.
The college has about 400 students and 100 employees. Attempts had been made to find investors to keep the college open but all efforts had failed. Officials said they needed a cash infusion of $8 million.
James Lyons, interim president of Concordia College since last May, told the local newspaper that announcing the decision to close the college to the student body “was the toughest thing I’ve had to do in my 50 years of higher education.”
Dr. Lyons has served as interim president of the University of the District of Columbia, and president of Bowie State University, Jackson State University, and California State University Dominguez Hills. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish, a master’s degree in student personnel, and a doctorate in higher educational administration, all from the University of Connecticut.
As a proud HBCU product this is sad news for me. I can’t help but to think of the 30 million Dr. Dre gave USC, That same amount could have kept this school and St. Paul’s open as well as get Morris Brown back onto sound footing. Food for thought.