Wilson College Puts Off a Decision on Co-Education

Wilson College was founded in 1869 as a college for women. Today, the women’s residential college remains while men can enroll in adult continuing education classes. In recent years, enrollments have remained flat, averaging about 763 students over the past decade. This fall, there are only 695 students enrolled. The college has had operational deficits in three of the last four years and has nearly $31 million in total debt.

Wilson College President Barbara K. Mistick has proposed strengthening existing majors and adding a number of new academic programs, including several in the health sciences, making facilities and infrastructure improvements, and expanding co-education across all programs.

The board of trustees of Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, met for two days from November 30 to December 1 to consider proposals to strengthen the college academically and financially. But the board put off making any decisions, including the co-education proposal, until its next scheduled meeting on January 13.

“This is an important decision that will affect the future direction of Wilson College, and the board of trustees takes this responsibility very seriously,” said John Gibb, chair of the board of trustees. “Our intention is to review and analyze all of the material to enable the board to give greater consideration to the information presented, before charting a course for the financial well-being and academic health of the institution.”