Why should it? Why would anyone want it to?
Don't mistake my sentiments for cynicism or pessimism. Simply put, the evidence just doesn't point to any reopening. For example:
The former college is carrying debt of over $12 million. The only way to to pay it off is to sell property. Selling every perimeter property doesn't come close to this figure. Add to this the start up costs of reopening the college. Deferred maintenance of several millions, recruiting staff and students, etc. would likely cost upwards of $50 million.
SJ(C?) is no longer accredited nor licensed to operate a college. This means that no federal aid is available. So add the costs of scholarships to the above figure, as well as the difficulty of attracting students to a formerly failed school without accreditation.
Most importantly, the Board of Trustees of Sheldon Jackson College have failed to persuade anyone that they should be responsible for running a college. The same people who fired employees and sent students packing with no notice are still there. I don't want them running any organization that requires a commitment to the welfare of students. Ever.
The effort now should be to preserve the campus core for history's sake, as well as for potential new uses; to call for the dissolution of Sheldon Jackson College as an entity, and to look to future organizations and leaders to bring about a new mission and purpose for a once proud institution.
The current one just has too much baggage.
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I concur.
I wonder if you noticed the disparity in debt declarations: at one point, the SJ(?) president declares that the debt is $7 million (from the report filed in March with the Presbyterian Curch USA) and another report says "nearly $13 million in debt" (from a Presbyterian News Service article from October 2008). The difference was explained in a Daily Sitka Sentinel article from last month or so: it is what is owed the federal government for upgrades.
I wonder if what this means is that the feds will be the ultimate recipient of the core campus?
Well said Chris.
I think some people are still having a hard time admitting that something that they loved so much is dead. I think of the stories I hear or read in the news about someone wanting to take a loved one off of life support only to end up in court because some other person still holds onto the hope that the one they loved so deeply will come out of a long coma. I’m afraid that the SJ that we loved is way beyond saving with anything this side a miracle falling from the sky in the form of millions of dollars. Chris is right, the important thing now is to try to preserve the historic buildings, but even that will be a very big task indeed.
Will someone in the 'know' there in Sitka please update us caring outlanders and disillusioned Presbyterians on "the Board's" efforts to get other colleges interested in it. And what about the Hatchery and the SSSC?? Any hope for any of these????
I don't like it, but I agree. SJ is never coming back. Not in any form like what we knew. One day, there may be another school on that property but it will not be SJ, it will not be run by the same people and it will never be the same.
I am afraid that the Presbyterian USA people are unwilling to accept the fact that they should just close the chapter on SJC. I have tried to communicate with the people who are responsible with Joy offerings, people who are making Foundation payments to SJC through grants but they are waiting for something to happen, but why the wait, SJC is dead and every one should realize that nothing can save it. Clyde
I'm sure lots of you are wondering about the hatchery. I am working hard to keep the hatchery going. There are now 6 Americorps volunteers, all High School age, here for the summer. They are learning about fish culture, and assisting with hatchery tours to benefit cruise ship visitors. They are assisting with summer cleanup and maintenance projects as well. The hatchery has 3 fiberglass display tanks outside, where pinks, chums and coho smolts can be viewed. The Americorps volunteers keep these tanks cleaned and fed, and they are able to explain the life cycles of these fish to visitors. Inside the incubation rooms, there are nursery troughs contining 150,000 coho fry, and 100,000 chinook fry. These fish will go into outside circular ponds within a month, to begin a 12-month rearing cycle. We have submitted our Annual Management Plan to ADF&G (that's Alaska Department of Fish and Game) and I fully intend to take pink, chum, coho and chinook eggs again this fall, with the help of Sitka volunteers.
We have turned on the fish ladder, hoping to attract and capture the returning chinook for broodstock. Soon there will be cost recovery fishing for the surplus pink, chum and coho salmon.
I continue to work as a contractor for the SSSC. I am hopeful that some additional funding will happen for us. Last year, the State of Alaska gave $250,000 to the SSSC to operate the hatchery, but this did not happen this year.
Salmonid fish culture education continues to happen here. There may not be college sophomores taking my class right now, but the local school district is definitely benefitting from the SJ Hatchery. We are educating our visitors about the value of Alaskan seafood, as we promote the salmon ranching industry.
We continue to rely on donations to help support the program. There are donation boxes at the entrances to the hatchery grounds, and the chain link gates are open 7 days a week, from 8 AM to 5 PM. This is a labor of love, this hatchery business. I am involved 7 days a week this summer. I can only think positive about what is going on here. With enough positive energy, this program is bound to keep going. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the volunteers! All you folks out there, reading this, who volunteered at SJ, you are all to be highly commended, because you really helped keep the place alive!! Thank you all!!
Dan Goodness, Hatchery Manager
Chris, right on! You really nailed this one. Let me just add that to me the fear is that fund raising is still going on and good people are being led to believe that it may re-open and opening their pocketbooks for it. I wish your letter could go in the Sentinel where you'd have a larger audience!
I'm sorry for you all and the rest of the country. This institution if you do not know or were educated to know,,,has been named to the National Historic Landmarks in 2001. I helped with the archives and it takes a LOT of proof to become that status. Also, there is an emense amount of history of the whole state as well as Sitka and even other parts of the us in this library that is now being sold off and it's books being boxed and split up probably an elementary or middle school to not be taken care of. These books a lot of them are first editions, a record of history whether you agree or not. Are we now censoring out what we do not like? Sham on us. SJC is also the beginning of a lot of people's lives, even the new mayor of Sitka!! It is also on the National Regiser of Hisoric Places in 1972. Ya lets loan out the priceless pieces for a few years then we can get rid of our past?!!!!SAy oh well. Also, some elementary teachers who teach YOUR kids in Sitka graduated from SJC and have taught for some 10 years, we have counselors who graduated from there. What a waste. and probably illegel. A SAD state of affairs.
Excuse me, it can be saved if we want to. Many institutions and buildings even older have been saved. make it a museum like some of the old forts. I don't care, but don't just say enough already. That is a cop out. It had problems, but the hatchery was saved. Why not the history, and historical books, pictures, and buildings. There are people ,like our alumni mayor, who could reach out to a philanthopist, etc. What about ancient ruins. Don't we revive them? Enough already to those who say it is not worth saving. It is worth saving and IS ON THE NATIONAl REGISTER of HISTORIC places.Where was the history to make that distinction? In SJC library of course. WE had many distinguished visitors. It is our history, and there is all kinds of insights into it from all over Alaska and even the lower 48. If you don't like the man Sheldon Jackson,or his cause,it is still part of history. He saved the history not just his views on it!!!!You can still make money on it if that is your bag on the whole thing. It still does not need to be destroyed. We are of a generation to know a lot of ways to save things. Let's see if Sitka is up to it. For those who want endless tourists....well here is a good calling. The state saved Mt. Edgecume, why not SJC. Does UAS think SJC was a threat? why, afraid of another opinion? We have a lot of schools here with different focuses. Just make it a museaum if you need to , but save it and do it quick, before Sitkans are looked at as just nearsited. signed alumni of generations.
The hatchery has not been saved. A gift from the State gave it one more year. It does nothing that NSRAA does not already do better. It is a waste of dollars as is trying to save SJ. Just give it up folks and let nature take its course.
Oh, but you are so very wrong, anon. You say the hatchery has not been saved. You can have your own opinion, but you haven't a clue as to the truth. The hatchery has now survived for almost two additional years since the closing of the college. The hatchery is way too important for the local school district, and for this City, for it to be mothballed. NSRAA can raise fish, but it can't prepare students for their careers in fisheries. That is what the SJ Hatchery program did, for many years. This is what the SJ Hatchery program is destined to continue to do, far into the future. Just watch what happens.
I appreciate the spirited discussion happening here. Let me be clear about the intention of my original post. It is not a "throwing in the towel" or acceptance of defeat. Rather, it is simply an assertion that the old SJ(C?) is not worth saving, and that the Board of Trustees is not credible enough to be involved.
Several auxiliary functions like the Hatchery, Childcare Center, Wellness Center, Archives, etc. are worth saving, and efforts are being led by competent, credible individuals and groups. Support them.
There is no going back, only forward.
There is more than just the childcare center and Hames and the Hatchery worth saving!!!! Tell me was Dobler Pres in 99? Just curious.
There certainly is. These are examples of entities already having some success. What would you like to see?
I'd would like for something good to grow out of these tragic circumstances, but cannot support any efforts led by the Board of Trustees or President Dobler. Dobler was not President in 1999, but began his time as Board President shortly after.
Not everyone is doing all they can do. Sitkans and other state people have a lot of power..Each part of the campus is historical and should be saved. THat is what a declaration of National Historic Landmark means. It is worth saving. It has to be done now asap. Look at the other sites that have been saved. Castle hill, Mt. Edgecumbe boarding school, the Russian Bishop's house was renovated in a major way not too many years ago. The money spent will be worth the saving. It can be worked to have tours and other events to raise money to recoupe. There is money somewhere it is a matter of those in places and the know to do it and the Sitkans, alumni, representatives of the state, historians, sciences, tour companies, the list goes on to get it done. Sitka was the 1st capital, it has history, the historical things are here unless we are neglectful and let it go. Sitka has a LOT of historical landmarks to see, and SJC is one of the biggest for the most reasons and a part of the whole state's history and people. ARchetecture, length of service, the emense amountof historical items in the setting they were used in and, cared for by many many people from all over the country. Many Many volunteers and alumni.It should remain for future generations the future research, etc. And by the way to sell the library out of the rest of the campus would take a lot away from the whole. The school started a lot of people off to good things in their lives, and there were many good professors.
You don't think the school should be saved by the Board of Trustees or you don't believe they will, then they need to go and Sitka needs to do it! What about the tribe, Gov. Brady started the school. There seems to be enough interested parties now, get it done!!! to coin a phrase.
Save what? A couple of cheating spouses is about all that is left of the math and biology facilty.
Cheating spooses? whatever you arae eluding to does not have anything to do with a national hisorical site. If you have a beef with some couple that is a personal isssue.
I graduated in 1995, great place to attend college and get my teaching degree. Every year, during one of our on campus/off campus keggers where we had huge bond fires on Indian River there were discussions of how this College was remaining open? When they began selling off the property where we had our very own Sheldon Jackson campus bond fire gatherings. I knew then, it was only a matter of time. The first to go was the college's boat that was used for research and Spring Break cruises for the students as then gradually began to sell off staff houses that the college owned too. Very sad, but ya know if things are not managed correctly, all things must come to an end.
If the hatchery, the Haymes gym and the Day Care Center can remain open to serve the community, that is great. A friend of mine who still lives there said they should have used the old college to train people to preapre for jobs on the new natural gas pipeline. I guess good ideas are not good enough! Good luck Sitka! Sheldon Jackson, rest in peace. ~Steve G~
Does anyone know what they are going to do with the books in the SJ library?
Does anyone know what is going to happen to the books in SJ library? Talk about a good fundraiser...
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