Королевский колледж: История и текущий статус

Christian liberal arts college
the Christian liberal arts college in New York City

The King's College (TKC or simply King's) is a private non denominational Christian liberal arts college in New York City. The King's College was founded in 1938 in Belmar, New Jersey by Percy Crawford. The college re located to the state of Delaware in 1941 and moved to Briarcliff Manor, New York in 1955. In 1994, the college closed after losing its accreditation in December 1993. After being taken over by Campus Crusade for Christ, and after acquiring Northeastern Bible College, The King's College re opened in Manhattan in 1999. The college became independent of Campus Crusade (now known as Cru) in 2012. During and after the COVID 19 pandemic, the college faced financial challenges. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education withdrew accreditation from The King's College on August 31, 2023. The college did not open for the fall 2023 semester, but does not intend for its closure to be permanent. As of January 2024, the college was not accepting applications for admissions.

Percy B. Crawford founded The King's College in 1938 in Belmar, New Jersey. The school re located in 1941 to the Lexington mansion on the 65 acre former estate of Major Philip Reybold near Delaware City, Delaware, and again in 1955 to the former Briarcliff Lodge site in Briarcliff Manor, New York. At Briarcliff, The King's College sponsored the King's Tournament, a sports tournament in which East Coast Christian college athletes competed each year. Robert A. Cook became the college's second president in 1962. The college prospered under his leadership, with enrollment growing to a high of 870 students in 1980. After 23 years as president, Cook retired and became the college's chancellor in 1985, a position which he held until his death in 1991. Nine years later, in December 1994, the New York Commissioner of Education ordered the college to shut down after the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools revoked the school's accreditation. By 1994, the college had experienced years of declining enrollment, financial troubles, and the deterioration of the Briarcliff campus.

The college charter first granted by the New York Board of Regents in 1955 remained in force. In 1997, the college's charter was amended to make Campus Crusade for Christ the sole member of the corporation. a Campus Crusade ministry, began work to pay off the institution's debts and re establish it in New York City. Instrumental in this process was the acquisition of Northeastern Bible College, which had experienced a decline and closure similar to that of King's. In 1999, King's leased of space on three floors of the Empire State Building in New York City for classrooms, a student recreation center, and administrative offices, Radandt remained president, with Oakes as chairman. despite the fact that he was still married to his estranged wife. While a search committee was formed to select a permanent president, Andy Mills filled in for a third time. In 2012, the college relocated from the Empire State Building to a new location one block south of Wall Street on Broadway. The college also became independent of Campus Crusade in 2012. On July 11, 2013, the college announced the appointment of Gregory Alan Thornbury, former dean of the School of Theology and Missions at Union University, as the sixth president of the institution. On November 21, 2017, the college announced that Thornbury would become its Chancellor and retired Air Force Brigadier General Tim Gibson would serve as Interim President. In June 2018, the college purchased a former hotel in the Financial District to become a student residence. Gibson was formally appointed the seventh president of King's on August 21, 2018. Gibson resigned in August 2022. Stockwell Day, former Canadian finance minister, was appointed as the interim president. On May 8, 2023, Steven French was appointed interim president.

In February 2023, the college's accreditor, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) sought additional information regarding its "teach out plan". This action required the college to demonstrate its compliance with MSCHE standards by April 18, 2023 or face the loss of its accreditation. Later in March, students living in apartments arranged by the college received eviction notices due to back rent the college owed the landlords, as the $2 million loan was not enough to cover the rent. King's pursued negotiations with seven other colleges to create preferred transfer agreements. On May 26, 2023, MSCHE withdrew its accreditation of The King's College; the withdrawal of accreditation was made effective as of August 31, 2023. The college appealed this decision on June 12, 2023. One week later, the college announced that it would not hold classes in the fall of 2023 and reduced the number of faculty and staff positions. The college also noted that it did not intend for the closure to be permanent. On July 27, 2023, MSCHE noted that it considered King's to be closed; MSCHE also noted that the closure of the college terminated the college's June 12 appeal. The New York State Education Department lists King's as a "potential closure" and that since July 2023, the college has not had any students. The college's financial saga has been documented in the 2023 Demise of the Crown podcast. The podcast is produced by the Empire State Tribune, the King's student led news outlet, and was produced and co hosted by Julia Jensen and Colby McCaskill.

As of 2018, the college offered semester long programs in journalism, theater, and business for visiting undergraduates from other colleges. As of 2019, all students at King's took an 18 course Great Books style curriculum.