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Book Nook provides readers with insights into the world of books. Vick Mickunas takes you into the center of the publishing world with the latest book buzz, book reviews, and exclusive chats with authors..Home > Blogs > Book Nook > Archives > 2007 > August > 27 > Entry
the Vampires of Antioch
The saga of the undead Antioch College expands and glows in the dark:
According to an article by Stephanie Gottschlich that was published today in the Dayton Daily News there has been another astonishing reversal in the fortunes of Antioch College.
Readers of this blog will remember that I have facetiously mused upon Antioch College’s vampiric tendencies in the past. It seems that whenever somebody tries to kill it, the College rises up again, as if from the dead. That’s the undead Antioch. I also took the frivolous approach by suggesting that since books about vampires are huge right now that vampirian Antioch could make a ghastly good subject for a book.
Apparently, it is attempting to rise from the dead once again. According to the article: “The Antioch University board of trustees announced Monday it is in negotiations with Antioch College alumni to find a way to keep the college open, instead of closing it at the end of the academic year as originally planned.”
Wow! Antioch College is a VAMPIRE!
The Antioch University Board of Trustees met this past weekend. They have insisted that they would not even consider the subject of keeping Antioch College open. So, what happened? If I was one of the Antioch University administrators who has been adamantly stating that closing Antioch College was simply not negotiable I would be searching for the telltale fang marks on the necks of some of these trustees who are now reversing themselves.
Do you see what I mean? Antioch College is a VAMPIRE!
But seriously, if this whole thing is going to work there are lots of questions that must be answered.
Here are some burning questions that haunt this correspondent:
Who talked the Board of Trustees into closing Antioch College in the first place?
What was the rationale? The reasons remain murky. Will the individuals who pushed to shutter Antioch College be identified and possibly removed from any authority over Antioch College?
After all, they tried to kill it once. What would stop them from doing it again? Creating a separate governance system for Antioch College would seem to be an important first step.
Foxes shouldn’t be guarding the henhouse.
So, where’s the money? Can we follow that old money trail? Will it serve to illuminate the circumstances that led Antioch University into this mind-boggling muddle?
One more thought; I do believe that this whole Antioch adventure should be made into a book. It doesn’t have to have any vampires. Heck, it doesn’t even have to be fiction.
Truth is stranger than fiction, after all. Perhaps the rationale for closing Antioch College was really an elaborate fiction in the end?
Inquiring minds wish to know….
Vick Mickunas
Permalink | Comments (4) | Categories: booms and busts
Comments
By vick mickunas
September 2, 2007 8:20 PM | Link to this
“The Antioch Adventure,” yes, I have seen that film at the Little Art in Yellow Springs. In regard to vestal virgins, I’m not sure about that metaphor? How is Antioch College vestal? Much less, virginal? I’ll stick with the vampire allusion. I am willing to consider virginal vampires? Not sure how that works however under the terms of the Antioch College “sex codes.” May I have permission to bite your throat? It’s my first time.By scribstress
September 2, 2007 7:54 PM | Link to this
As an alum of the ‘undead’ i’ve enjoyed reading your take on what is happening in yellow springs. In my version the vampire is the university and the college the unwitting vestal virgin. readers who’d like to ‘save antioch save the world’ can donate funds at antiochians.orgBy Hopita
September 2, 2007 7:41 PM | Link to this
You know, there actually is a movie called “The Antioch Adventure.” You used to be able to buy it through the college bookstore — no clue if that’s still the case or not.By Mark from St. Paul
August 27, 2007 7:22 PM | Link to this
I’m surprised more academic groups aren’t raising hell about the plan to replace tenured faculty with adjunct faculty. The adjunct faculty scam is almost as noxious as the abuse of grad students by universities. Stories about adjunct faculty on foodstamps are for real, not apocryphal!