Interesting, it’s unfortunate private schools can have such policies.
I understand why Watkins remain independent, but I predict a high proportion of students will choose to transfer, rather than matriculate at Belmont.
Yikes! Based on the article Belmont sounds very conservative. I assume many of the Watkins kids are not. Going to be an “interesting” transition.
Yes, it will be rocky for sure. I am sure most Watkins students are genuinely distraught.
Watkins is a very small but regionally well respected film school. I’m sure financial pressure drove them in Belmont’s arms. As the Artnews article stated, O’More College of Design was also absorbed by Belmont two years ago. Small art schools are becoming increasingly less viable as stand alone institutions.
Belmont disaffiliated from the Southern Baptist Convention in 2011, but didn’t move very far away from its roots. The administration is very conservative and can take positions that might be untenable for others due to Belmont’s location in the “hot” Nashville market. However, a growing Nashville is becoming younger and cosmopolitan, so expect to see more discord as the school tries to increase its national profile.
Art students won’t be allowed to draw from nude models? A film school that can only make PG content? Yikes.
Fortunately, for future students, they can simply choose to go elsewhere (unless the limits appeal to them). The current students are the ones who are really affected. It’s going to be a tough transition. And I imagine transferring would be tough at the stage of the year(?).
Why? Their school, their rules. Either you believe in freedom of fill-in the blank or you don’t. You don’t get to pick and choose. Different strokes. Belmont seems to being doing OK.
I feel bad for the faculty. Maybe Belmont should’ve passed or considered fit.
I guess it depends on why Belmont bought the school. Just for the facilities and book of business (students) or as a strategic asset. If strategic asset you wouldn’t typically fire the faculty. They’re the main asset.
That is a good point. But if they are going to make a policy change they should at the least consider leaving the policy and faculty in place until the current students graduate, and then they can impose their restrictivepolicy on any new faculty hires. JMO
Yes. Some type of grace period or grandfather clause would be nice. Maybe offer to cover some transfer costs of the students. Didn’t see if the faculty got any type of severance package.
So… they’re going to keep their Christian legacy… by behaving in a less than Christ-like manner? Ouch.
What was the state of Watkins’ finances?
It says that Watkins was in financial trouble and all the faculty knew it. I will bet the choice was to merge into Belmont or fold. Either way, those faculty would not have jobs in September.
It may be (and I suspect it is) that Belmont is buying the assets but not the liabilities of Watkins. The faculty with tenure will have no claims against Belmont. They could force Watkins into bankruptcy, but there may not be enough assets to pay the faculty and staff who are left behind.
Do you think Belmont (6600 students) needs to buy Watkins (180 students)? Belmont probably thinks they are being nice and will pick up a few assets but overall, it’s not worth a big legal fight to them.
Maybe. Maybe not. Watkins was in bad financial shape. Would it be better if the school went bankrupt? One day the faculty and students show up and there’s padlocks on the doors. No more school, no more paychecks just like that.
The article is light on details and facts. I know someone fainted. I don’t know what the outcome is or will be. Maybe Belmont did offer a buyout and assistance. The article doesn’t say either way. At least it appears the faculty can interview for their jobs and the kids can attend Belmont if they choose. I’ve seen a lot worse options.
Still not sure where the art school fits with Belmont. From a business perspective they should’ve waited until Watkins went bankrupt.
Looks like a lot of details still to be worked out. Should be interesting. Watkins could always decline the buyout and take their chances. Principles or money?
The problem here is that art students and professors are about as far from conservative Protestants as you can imagine. You’re more likely to encounter Wiccans than Southern Baptists. So, this may be “convert or lose your job” or “pretend you’re whatever they think you should be”… When you’re an atheist pledging to anything religious is just going with a deluded person’s delusions.
How many tenured faculty are there though? (Many art schools use adjuncts).
180 students = probably commuters but with such small size unlikely financial aid. There’s still time to transfer.
For Belmont= there may be a market for a PG13 art school…?+ Studio space.
I’m not sure how many of you have ever stepped foot on the Belmont campus or if any one you have ever been judged solely on an article that was written about you but I can attest that the Belmont students and staff are not all conservative Protestants or Southern Baptists. As all of Watkins students are probably not what you think they are either. Good golly Miss Molly, my daughter goes to a Christian school and there is a wide variety of beliefs by the students and the staff. Lots of facts are still missing and I’d be willing to bet that the staff of Watkins will be treated very fairly.
There’s a statement saying “we recognize current Watkins employees could not control nor anticipate merging with a faith-based institution, it has been determined that special consideration will be given to current Watkins employees regardless of their position of faith. This exception to Belmont’s hiring policy is only being made due to the nature of merging institutions and out of Belmont’s commitment to care for the Watkins community.”
Belmont is making an exception, which speaks well of them since students/faculty had no choice… but it IS conservative… and Watkins isn’t. If Oberlin tried to absorb a Bible college to have extra space the same issue would occur.
I know faculty at both schools and I’ve been on both campuses many times. My understanding is that Watkins would have closed very soon if Belmont had not agreed to this arrangement. Most Watkins students and faculty are VERY upset but it sounds like all other options had fallen though.