The Northland College Board of Trustees today voted unanimously to close the college at the end of the 2024–25 academic year.
Founded in Wisconsin in 1892, Northland was the first United States college to fully integrate an environmental focus with its liberal arts curriculum.
Located on the south shore of Lake Superior, surrounded by northern forests, Northland College inspired its students to explore the fundamental interconnections between nature, place and people.
“Despite the collaborative efforts of the entire Northland family, we no longer have the resources needed to navigate the economic and demographic storms endangering small, liberal arts institutions today,” said Ted Bristol, chair of the Northland College Board of Trustees, in a statement. “With declining enrollment and soaring costs, it takes more to operate the college than we raise in tuition. Even after enacting aggressive measures to cut costs and raise revenues, Northland College has no sustainable path forward.”
Northland’s innovative, interdisciplinary learning approach fostered dynamic educational experiences, research and partnerships that extended well beyond its classrooms. The college’s mission was driven by the belief that understanding and addressing complex environmental and social challenges requires inclusion of diverse perspectives, critical thinking, creativity and collaboration.
Northland’s capacity to finance itself had been in jeopardy since March 2024, when its board declared financial exigency. More than 1,000 donors responded to a spring 2024 fundraising appeal and the college reduced costs by streamlining its academic offerings and cutting staff. Northland began the fall 2024 semester with a smaller student body and a focus on nine majors.
The board of trustees today also accepted the resignation of president Chad Dayton and appointed VP for academic affairs and dean of the faculty Barb Lundberg as Northland’s interim president.
The school has NCAA D-III men’s and women’s hockey programs in the WIAC with combined records of 1-43 this season.
