"They deleted Malloy," my daughter said as we drove past the empty field where a 350-bed residence hall once stood. This simple observation encapsulates the stark reality of college closures - buildings vanish, but memories linger.
This morning I woke up to this article in Inside Higher Ed documenting the closures that have occurred in 2024. Inside Higher Ed has done a notable job documenting/tracking the closures and mergers in the sector, but as is typical of such reporting, space is limited on reporting regarding the aftermath of such events.
As the former Vice President for Student Affairs at Mount Ida College, which closed in 2018, I've spent years grappling with the aftermath of such closures Call it an area of research and inquiry or call it a way to manage my trauma, regardless of what you call it, it’s my thing.
The video above was taken recently while driving through the former Mount Ida College campus. The field you see was the site of a 350 bed residence hall. A hall where I once worked, where students lived, where parties were had (and broken up) and where other moments played their way out. When I shared the news recently with members of the community that Malloy Hall and another smaller residence hall, Chapman had been knocked down the responses came in on my Facebook page and through text message.
While buildings can be "deleted," the spirit of what they represented lives on in the memories and experiences of those who walked their halls. As we navigate the closures and mergers that are continuing to be added to the list, we must remember that each closure ripples through lives in ways that statistics will never capture.
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Dr. Laura De Veau is Principal & Founder of Fortify Associates, LLC. Fortify Associates, LLC is unique in the higher education, not-for-profit, and public service market. They provide comprehensive workshops, program reviews and project management services with a combination of in person and virtual delivery. Fortify Associates is committed to creating experiences that are unique to the needs and culture of each of their clients. Dr. Laura De Veau is a Visiting Assistant Professor at Boston College’s Lynch School of Education & Human Development.
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