In a statement issued today by the MacMurray College Board of Trustees, MacMurray College will permanently close its doors at the end of the Spring Semester in May. It will mark the end of the school’s 174 year history in Jacksonville.
Board of Trustees Chairman Charles O’Connell said that despite generous fundraising efforts in recent years, the college had no viable financial path forward to remain open in the wake of declining enrollment, rising costs, and an insufficient endowment.
O’Connell said that the coronavirus pandemic and economic disruption it has caused were recent factors that complicated MacMurray’s financial condition, but they were not the principal reason why the board decided to ultimately close the school.
Current President, Dr. Beverly Rodgers will now have the task of finding a seamless transition for the nearly 500 full-time students enrolled at the school along with incoming freshman and transfer students with national accrediting agencies through work with the Higher Learning Commission. MacMurray has negotiated transfer agreements with the following schools in the area: Blackburn College, Eureka College, Illinois College, Greenville University, McKendree University, Millikin University, and Monmouth College. All of the schools are within a 2 hour driving distance of the Jacksonville campus. A decision has not been made about the final commencement set to take place on May 9th.
MacMurray College employs 101 people on a full-time basis. Monday, March 30 will be the first day of the required 60-day notice period prior to termination of faculty and staff positions. The official date of termination for most employees will be Monday, May 25. A limited number of employees will be approached about continuing employment beyond May 25 to help close the college.
For further updates about the closure of the school, visit www.mac.edu/closure .