Great news from The Hilltop! Several entities—including the United Methodists and private donors—have pledged their support to Birmingham-Southern College in the wake of a rejected state loan to help the college get back on its feet.

Read on to learn more + see how you can help support Birmingham-Southern College.

Birmingham-Southern College is committed to the future

Last year, Birmingham-Southern College announced the extent of its financial woes—which threatened to force the college to close if not remedied.

Immediately, supporters of the college leapt into action.

With the support of local and state officials, the Distressed Institutions of Higher Education Revolving Loan Program—passed by a bipartisan legislature and signed into law by Governor Kay Ivey—was created to offer a lifeline to Birmingham-Southern College.

In order to qualify the loan had six stipulations:

The Institution must have been in continuous operation in Alabama for more than 50 years.
The Institution must have a significant impact on the community in which it is located.
The Institution must be experiencing financial hardship which could lead to its closure.
The Institution’s governing body must adopt a resolution authorizing the application for a loan from the Program.
The Institution must have assets sufficient to pledge as collateral.
The Institution must have developed a written restructuring plan in order to achieve financial soundness and repay the loan.

Unfortunately, the loan to Birmingham-Southern College was denied by Alabama State Treasurer Young Boozer III—despite the college meeting each of these stipulations.

A lifeline for Birmingham-Southern College

However, supporters of Birmingham-Southern College refused to give up hope.

On November 10, Birmingham-Southern College announced that The North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church’s Board of Pension and Health Benefits has approved an $2.5M investment to support the College’s operations as it continues to secure funds for its permanent endowment.

“This investment will not only help the College at a critical time, but also will provide an excellent return on investment. The Board believes investing in Birmingham-Southern College upholds its disciplinary charge to invest in ‘funds that make a positive contribution toward the realization of the goals outlined in the Social Principles of our Church.’”
The North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church’s Board of Pension and Health Benefits

The investment is contingent on the City of Birmingham making a separate investment in the College of at least an equal amount. Mayor Randall Woodfin—who has previously expressed support for the college—plans to present a $5 million economic development plan to the Birmingham City Council on November 21.

Thanks to this support, Birmingham-Southern College has assured students that they will be able to finish out the school year. In addition, the added time will allow the college to seek out additional forms of funding for long-term success.

“We are deeply grateful to the North Alabama Conference for this demonstration of faith in the College and what it means to Birmingham, to Alabama, and to the world. The College we know today was formed in 1918 through the merger of two Methodist institutions – Southern University, founded in Greensboro in 1856 as a liberal arts institution, and Birmingham College, founded here in 1898 to educate managers and leaders in the still-new industrial city.

Throughout the 100-plus years since that merger, BSC has remained grounded in the Methodist tradition of service. This partnership honors our history and will help ensure our future.”
BSC President Daniel B. Coleman