Time Running Out for Northland College to Raise $12 Million

ASHLAND, Wis. – Next Wednesday is the deadline for Northland College in Ashland to raise $12-million to remain open next year.

As of Friday evening, the college has not said how those efforts are going.

However, the lack of information has not slowed efforts by faculty, students, staff, and the Ashland community to envision how the school might stay open.

Associate Professor Dave Ullman says, he and 3 other faculty members have gathered ideas on how Northland may be reimagined. Those ideas have been put into a plan, known as True Northland.

Ullman said, “How can we reimagine what Northland does? Obviously, we are an educational institution. But how can we build upon that and think about additional revenue streams?  How can we bring more money to the college, but also bring more money to the college that makes for a more enriching experience for our students, that is in line with our mission?

The overarching idea of the plan is to change from a closed campus to an open campus, to benefit the community and the school. Ideas include using the dorms to help ease the housing shortage, renting office space and labs, and turning some of the college property into a community garden.

Kelby Youngberg is a junior from Goshen, Indiana. The outdoor education major knows he should be concerned about where he’ll be his final year, but he’s been too busy trying to raise awareness and money for the school. “I am just putting it off until I absolutely have to,” said Youngberg. “When they’re saying, our doors are closing, you gotta get out. I guess I’ll have to think about it then.”

Ullman says the True Northland plan has been given to school president, Chad Dayton, who passed it on to the Northland College board. Ullman says that so far there has been no response.

So for now, no one is sure about the next school year, or what will happen after next Wednesday’s fundraising deadline.

FOX 21 has made repeated requests to Northland for information, an update, or comment, but the college has not provided any.