Becker College in Worcester, Mass., has announced that it will close at the end of the academic year.
The Worcester Telegram and Gazette reports that the school had made it clear last month that its future was in doubt because of financial struggles brought on in large part by the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a post on the Becker College website, Christine L. Cassidy, chairwoman of the Board of Trustees, wrote:
"It is with deep regret that I share the news that on March 28, the Board of Trustees voted to permanently close Becker College at the end of the current academic year. The College will provide academic, support and transitional services to students through August 31, 2021. Following an orderly transition, classes will not resume in the Fall."
Becker College, once Becker Junior College, was shaped from a series of mergers and expansions, dating to the 1784 founding of Leicester Academy. The four-year school has about 1,700 students on campuses in Worcester and Leicester.
Many smaller colleges have struggled with a declining pool of college-age students and increasing higher education costs. Covid-19 has worsened the situation.
“Ultimately, the impacts of Covid-19 turned what was a very challenging situation into an unsustainable situation,’’ said Becker President Nancy Crimmin.
The college earlier this year had hopes of partnering with an affiliate organization, but that deal fell through.
