Wikipedia

Sweet Briar College

(Redirected from Sweet Briar Vixens)

Sweet Briar College is a private women's liberal arts college in Sweet Briar, Amherst County, Virginia. It was established in 1901 by Indiana Fletcher Williams in memory of her deceased daughter, Daisy.[3] The college formally opened its doors in 1906 and granted the B.A. degree for the first time in 1910. It nearly closed in 2015 but was saved by donations and legal actions by alumnae.

Sweet Briar College
MottoRosam quae meruit ferat (Latin)
Motto in English
"She who has earned the rose may bear it"
TypePrivate women's liberal arts college
Established1901
Endowment$73.9 million (2017)[1]
PresidentMary Pope M. Hutson[2]
Academic staff
74 (fall 2022)
Students460 (fall 2022)
Location
Amherst County, Virginia, U.S.
,
U.S.
CampusRural, historic, 2,840 acres (1,150 ha)
Colors    Pink and green
NicknameVixens
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division III, ODAC
Websitewww.sbc.edu

Sweet Briar is known for its campus with its historic Georgian Revival architecture by Ralph Adams Cram and its 3,250 acres (13.2 km2) of hills, forests, and fields.

History

edit
 
Elijah Fletcher (1789–1858), father of Indiana Fletcher Williams

Sweet Briar plantation

edit

The college is named after the former plantation of Elijah Fletcher and his descendants. Fletcher was a 19th-century teacher, businessman and mayor of Lynchburg, Virginia. Fletcher enslaved people in his household and on his plantations. He married Maria Antoinette Crawford in 1813, and purchased the Sweet Briar plantation property from her aunt and uncle. The plantation was initially known as Locust Ridge; Crawford supposedly renamed it "Sweet Briar" after the roses which grew on the land. Their daughter, Indiana Fletcher, was born in 1828 in Lynchburg.

Indiana attended the Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, Doane Academy, and later toured Europe with her brother and sister. She met James Henry Williams, a student at Union Theological Seminary in 1858, and after reuniting in Virginia following the American Civil War, they were married in 1865. Their daughter, Maria Georgiana "Daisy" Williams, was born in 1867. At Elijah Fletcher's death, Indiana inherited the plantation. James Williams gave up his initial career as a clergyman to maintain the property. Daisy Williams died at the age of 16 in 1884. Both James and Indiana Fletcher-Williams were devastated at her death, and James expressed a wish in his own will that a school might be established in honor of Daisy. William died in 1889, leaving his entire estate to his wife, and Indiana's brother Sidney also gave her additional property upon his death in 1898. When Indiana died in 1900, she bequeathed Sweet Briar plantation to become a school for young women.[4][5]

By his death in 1858, Elijah Fletcher enslaved over 110 people.[6] After the emancipation in 1865, several formerly enslaved people and descendants of enslaved people continued to work for pay and live at Sweet Briar, including Martha Penn Taylor, who worked for three generations of the Fletcher-Williams family, and Signora Hollins (who was Indiana Fletcher's childhood playmate).[7] Some descendants of the people enslaved by the family still work at the college, and others hold family reunions on campus.[8][9]

Indiana Fletcher Williams' bequest and official opening

edit

In 1901, with the assistance of then Virginia state senator Carter Glass, the Virginia General Assembly issued a charter to Sweet Briar Institute as indicated in the will of Indiana Fletcher Williams. The will stated that the land of Sweet Briar plantation must be used as a "school or seminary to be known as the "Sweet Briar institute," for the education of white girls and young women. It shall be the general scope and object of the school to impart to its students such education in sound learning, and such physical, moral and religious training as shall, in the judgment of the directors, best fit them to be useful members of society".[10]

In 1906, Sweet Briar College officially opened with 51 students and granted its first AB degrees in 1910. In 1932, Sweet Briar's study abroad exchange program with the University of St. Andrews, Scotland, was established. In 1948, the renowned Junior Year in France (JYF) program was launched, followed by a number of other study abroad programs.[11][12][13]

Civil Rights era changes

edit

Legal action to alter Indiana Fletcher Williams' will was required to admit African-American students, as it had limited the purpose of the college to the education of solely white women.[14] On August 17, 1964, wishing to eliminate "white" from the charter and comply with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Sweet Briar filed a bill of complaint with the Amherst County Circuit Court. The request was initially denied at the state level, with the Commonwealth's Attorney General stating that the will was "plain, unambiguous, conclusive, and binding".[This quote needs a citation]

After several years of unsuccessful state litigation, the college filed a complaint with the federal United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia. On April 25, 1966, Judge Thomas J. Michie issued a temporary restraining order that prevented enforcement of the racial restriction. On July 17, 1967, a three-judge Charlottesville court confirmed permanence of the restraining order. The first African-American student, Marshalyn Yeargin-Allsopp, was admitted to the college in September 1966.[14][15][16]

Distinguishing features and early decades

edit
 
Benedict Hall, an academic building on campus

Sweet Briar long held a robust academic reputation.[17] During its first decade, Sweet Briar ran a "sub-college" department to prepare students for college-level work.[18][19][20][21] The original board of trustees appointed in Williams' will maintained that the college would be the academic equivalent of Smith, Wellesley and Mount Holyoke.[22] The difference in Sweet Briar's curriculum was the inclusion of "hands-on" or "practical" courses, as well as physical education, in accordance with Williams' directive that the school produce "useful members of society".[23][24] This forward-thinking approach evolved into the college's core mission, where students have direct access to their disciplines while gaining real-world and classroom learning experience. During the first few years of the college, this concept quickly gave way to a more traditional liberal arts curriculum.[25][26]

2015 closure attempt

edit

Pending closure announced by board

edit

On March 3, 2015, the college's board of directors, following a unanimous vote on February 28, 2015, announced the college would close on August 25, 2015, due to "insurmountable financial challenges". They cited declining enrollment and an endowment insufficient to cover potentially large-scale changes needed to boost enrollment, like coeducation.[27] Another possible factor presented by the board was a declining interest in the traditional women's college model.[28][29] Sweet Briar had explored merging with other stronger institutions including the University of Virginia, but nothing came of it.[30]

 
Reid Hall, a dormitory on campus

The board announced that academic activity was to cease on August 25, 2015, the college's pending closing date. Some professors said they received termination notices stating their last day of work would be May 30, 2015; the last day of employment for most was June 30, 2015.[31]

Between 2011 and March 2015, Sweet Briar's endowment had dropped from $96.2 to $84 million, as the college drew on endowment for operating expenses.[32] Most of the college's endowment is restricted, meaning the money must serve designated purposes, such as scholarships or faculty chairs. According to Standard & Poor's (S&P), which rates the college's bond debt, only $19 million was unrestricted, $18 million temporarily restricted, and $53 million permanently restricted.[33][34] Sweet Briar is burdened with about $25 million in debt owed primarily to bondholders, and the college faced the possibility of default and an accelerated lump-sum payment of the entire amount.[35]

College Board representatives explained that with insolvency inevitable—even though the college was still technically solvent—the Board felt the responsible course was an advance announcement of the closing.[36] That would let enrolled students transfer at the beginning of a new academic year and prevent an entering first-year class from having to transfer after only one semester. It would also allow the college to honor financial obligations and provide severance to faculty and staff.[37]

Efforts to forestall closing

edit
 
Mary Helen Cochran Library

A group of Sweet Briar alumnae, students, faculty, and supporters united to save the college from closing through legal action, social media and a fundraising campaign, "Saving Sweet Briar".[38] Saving Sweet Briar, Inc. asserted that the financial decline cited as the reason for closing was overstated or illusory, and sought the resignation of interim President James F. Jones and the board of directors.[39] In a return statement, the President and the Board declined resignation, saying that doing so would "further destabilize an already fragile situation", and that allegations against them were "wrong and unfair".[40][41]

A majority of Sweet Briar faculty members passed a resolution opposing the Board's decision to close the college and subsequently issued a vote of no confidence in the school's Board and its president. Over 50 tenured and untenured Sweet Briar faculty members later joined a lawsuit against the college, seeking $42 million in damages, reinstatement of employment, and injunctions to prevent the closure of the college and termination of its faculty.[42]

On March 30, 2015, the Amherst County Attorney filed a separate lawsuit, this one on behalf of the Commonwealth of Virginia, seeking an injunction to block the closing of Sweet Briar College and to force the removal and replacement of the president and board of directors.[43] Following an amicus curiae brief released by Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring, who argued that the Amherst County Attorney did not have the standing to seek an injunction,[44] a Bedford County judge ruled that the county attorney had standing to sue under Virginia's charitable solicitation law, but not under its trust law.[45] At a hearing on the Amherst County Attorney's lawsuit on April 15, 2015, the judge granted a 60-day injunction to prevent the college from shifting endowment money solicited for its continued operation to its closing.[46] The judge did not halt the closing, remove the president and board, require the college to continue operations, or appoint a special fiduciary to review college finances.[47] The college's attorney said the college would continue the process of closing, using unrestricted funds.[46]

 
Indiana Fletcher Williams (1828–1900), founder of Sweet Briar College
 
Daisy Williams (1867–1884), daughter of Indiana Fletcher Williams, ca. age 12

On April 20, following the decision on the injunction, a group of Sweet Briar students, parents, and alumnae filed a third lawsuit calling the Board decision to close the school a breach of contract. Rather than monetary damages, the suit requested injunctions to prevent the college from taking more steps to shut down or sell assets, and a permanent injunction requiring Sweet Briar to continue operating.[48] The college's spokeswoman contested the allegations.[48][49] After a hearing on April 29, the same Bedford County judge ruled that the college could not sell any of its assets for six months, although he still did not enjoin the closing.[50]

The college embarked on negotiations to transfer some time-sensitive assets despite the court's injunction.[51] The parties negotiated an agreement to transfer hazardous chemicals, to sell to faculty their personal computers, and to keep Sweet Briar's study abroad program functioning.[52] In adopting the agreed order, the judge declined to allow the transfer of the college's horses. On his own, he added to the injunction for the first time a restriction that the college shall "engage in no such act during the period of this injunction that has as its goals facilitating the closing of the college unless such act is authorized by further order of this court".[52]

On behalf of the Commonwealth, the Amherst County Attorney filed an appeal of the judge's April 15 decision on trust law applicability with the Virginia Supreme Court. Following a hearing on June 4, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Commonwealth on June 9, stating that Virginia trust laws can apply to Sweet Briar, and referred the case back to the Bedford county circuit court judge for consideration of a temporary injunction to halt the closing of the college.[53][54][55][56]

Agreement to keep the college open

edit

On June 20, 2015, the Virginia Attorney General's office announced a mediation agreement to keep Sweet Briar College open for the 2015–16 academic year. The agreement called for Sweet Briar College president James Jones to resign, as well as at least 13 members of the college's board of directors to allow Saving Sweet Briar to appoint a new majority.[57][58] Lawyers for Saving Sweet Briar contacted Phillip Stone, the former president of Bridgewater College, to ask him to serve as Sweet Briar's new president.[59] Saving Sweet Briar agreed to contribute $12 million, and the state Attorney General agreed to release restrictions on an additional $16 million of endowment money, to pay for continuing operations. On June 22, 2015, the Bedford County judge approved the agreement, and dismissed the pending lawsuits.[60]

Revitalization

edit

Change of leadership

edit

Sweet Briar's board is historically elected annually in the spring, however Saving Sweet Briar and plaintiffs in the litigations appointed an entirely new board in July 2015.[61][62] In a conference call vote, the new board unanimously installed Phillip Stone as the new president and formally rescinded the previous board's announcement that the school was closing.[61]

Stone announced in newspaper interviews that he did not regard this as an interim or one-year appointment, and that in years to come he intended to increase enrollment beyond Sweet Briar's highest past student count.[61] Stone invited most faculty and staff members to remain in their positions; the settlement included paying six months' severance to any who elected to depart.[63][64] The settlement required Saving Sweet Briar to deliver $12 million by September 2015 to help cover 2015–16 operating costs. The group met and exceeded its target, providing $12.143 million by September 2[65] In November 2015 the college finances proved strong enough that the board decided not to draw on the promised $16 million which the court had made available from the endowment, reserving the option to do so later if necessary.[66]

On April 23, 2016, the Board of Directors announced that Stone would be stepping down as the president to allow the Board to appoint a permanent leader.[67] On February 6, 2017, the college announced that Meredith Jung-En Woo would become the 13th president of the college, to be instated on May 15, 2017.[68][69]

Academic re-structuring

edit

Under Woo the college announced a radical departure from the traditional academic curriculum at Sweet Briar for the fall 2018 semester,[70] restructuring it to remove historic academic departments and replace them with three "centers": Engineering, Science and Technology in Society; Human and Environmental Sustainability; and Creativity, Design and the Arts.[70] The traditional general education requirements was replaced with a new core curriculum program based around women's leadership.[70]

Semesters changed from a 15-week system to "3-12-12-3"-week semesters, with the three-week terms allowing for focus on opportunities such as intensive classes, study abroad, and research opportunities.[71][72]

Financial status and enrollment

edit

In January 2016, the college announced that it had received more than 1000 applications for the 2016–2017 academic year and that it did not plan to touch the $16 million of restricted funds initially planned to be released from the endowment by the attorney general.[73]

In June 2018, the regional accreditor, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, placed Sweet Briar on "warning" status based on a review of its fiscal-year 2017 finances. The college was required to demonstrate to the accreditor within the subsequent 12 months that its finances were sound and soundly managed, or further action, including revocation of accreditation and loss of federal financial aid, could have followed.[74] In June 2019, the commission lifted the warning status.[75]

Admissions policy barring transgender students

edit

In August 2024, Sweet Briar's leaders announced that the college would not accept transgender students. The Common Application, which Sweet Briar requires applicants to complete, had recently changed to list four possible genders, something the college's administrators found unacceptable saying that the change "presents a challenge both for students applying for admission and administrators and staff making admissions decisions".[76]

College policy now says students can be admitted "if she confirms that her sex assigned at birth is female and that she consistently lives and identifies as a woman". Before this it just required a birth certificate. Sweet Briar's student government association and other campus groups have used social media to criticize the change.[77] On August 26, 2024, the college's faculty senate approved a resolution in favor of reversing the new policy, writing that transgender students are "precisely the students who benefit from attending an institution that is historically dedicated to gender equity in a world where women were underserved and undervalued".[76] John Gregory Brown, chair of the faculty senate, described the new policy as "morally repugnant".[76]

Presidents

edit

Academics

edit

The college offers 17 majors, 21 minors, three preprofessional programs (pre-law, pre-medicine, and pre-veterinary), two certificate programs (arts management and equine studies), teacher licensure in 10 areas, and one graduate degree (Master of Arts in Teaching).

Sweet Briar offers the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, and Bachelor of Science degrees for undergraduate students. It is the second women's college to offer an ABET-accredited engineering degree.[83][84]

Sweet Briar has a student/faculty ratio of 9 to 1 with 84% of classes having fewer than 20 students.[85] For 2023, U.S. News & World Report ranked the college tied for #29 in Most Innovative Schools and tied for #35 in Top Performers on Social Mobility, both out of 210 national liberal arts colleges.[86]

The college offers several study abroad programs, most with a focus on foreign language, such as its Junior Year in France (JYF) program. Other programs include the Japanese Studies Program at Doshisha Women's College of Liberal Arts, Wake Forest/Southern Atlantic States Association for Asian and African Studies (SASASAAS) Program in China-Beijing, Intercollegiate Center of Classical Studies in Rome, the American School of Classical Studies Summer Program at Athens, the National Security Education Program (NSEP) in multiple countries, and other programs in different locations. With approval, students earn credit for international internships.[87]

Sweet Briar offers several academic fellowships and grants for its existing students, including:

  • Sweet Briar College's Honors Program offers fellowships to students to support independent-research projects under the supervision of faculty mentors. Projects may be interdisciplinary and include multiple mentors.[88][89]
  • The Student Research and Creative Endeavors Grants provide up to $500 to offset costs associated with student research or creative projects. Grant applications may be from individual students or teams of students.[90]
  • Student Travel Grants from the Honors Program supports academic-related travel during the academic year.[91]
  • Several scholarships are available for academic travel, which may be used to attend conferences.[87]

Architecture

edit
Sweet Briar College Historic District
 
Arcade between Pannell Art Gallery and Randolph Hall
 
 
LocationSweet Briar Dr., 0.5 miles west of US 29, Amherst, Virginia
Coordinates37°33′20″N 79°4′50″W / 37.55556°N 79.08056°W / 37.55556; -79.08056
Area27.2 acres (11.0 ha)
ArchitectRalph Adams Cram; et al.
Architectural styleColonial Revival
NRHP reference No.95000240[92]
VLR No.005-0219
Significant dates
Added to NRHPMarch 30, 1995
Designated VLRJanuary 15, 1995[93]

The college's architecture is dominated by the work of Ralph Adams Cram, who also lent his architectural expertise to the campuses of Princeton University and West Point, among others. Although Cram's forte was Gothic Revival, he designed Sweet Briar in the Colonial Revival style, using red brick buildings with white balustrades and arcades.[94]

Twenty-one of the thirty campus buildings were designated as the "Sweet Briar College Historic District" by the National Register of Historic Places. Sweet Briar House, which traditionally houses the college president, is among these buildings.[92][95][96][97][98]

The campus property includes the Sweet Briar plantation burial ground (known as the slave cemetery), where upwards of 60 slaves are buried.[99]

Archaeologists have uncovered many slave artifacts on campus. A slave cabin from the 1840s, which was also used for early college employees, is behind Sweet Briar House.[100][101][102]

Many of the college's faculty and staff live on campus, in homes that they rent or privately own. The land these homes are on belongs to the college.[103][104]

Campus life

edit

Sweet Briar is a residential campus, and nearly all students live on campus.[105] There are seven standard dormitories and additional independent living options for upperclasswomen in the Green Village and Patterson House. The college has over 50 clubs and organizations.

Like other women's colleges in the United States, Sweet Briar College has many traditions.[106] The most prominent is the annual Founder's Day, when students, faculty and staff walk to Monument Hill to place daisies at Daisy Williams's grave site and memorial.[107]

Athletics

edit

Sweet Briar athletic teams are the Vixens. The college is a member of the Division III level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) since the 1982–83 academic year.

Sweet Briar competes in nine intercollegiate varsity sports: Women's sports include cross country, equestrian, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming and tennis. Fencing is a Sweet Briar club sport.

Students also participate in recreational sports through the Sweet Briar Outdoor Program (SWEBOP), which organizes a number of trips throughout the year. These include hiking, fly fishing, caving, rock climbing and weekly kayaking and skiing.[108]

Riding

edit

The college is known for its horseback riding program,[109] which focuses on show and field hunters, hunt seat equitation, and show jumping. The school has seven riding teams. These include a jumper team, a hunter show team, a JV hunter show team, an American National Riding Commission (ANRC) team, a field team and an Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) team. As part of its program, students can study for an Equine Studies Certificate with a focus in training or equine management.[109] Sweet Briar hosted the 37th Annual ANRC Intercollegiate Equitation Championship judged by George H. Morris in 2014.[110]

Sweet Briar's accolades include four ODAC titles (1987, 2012, 2015, 2016),[111] nine ANRC team national championship titles (1978–1980; 1986–1990; 1999),[112] and 10 ANRC team reserve national championships titles (1981–1985; 2000–2002; 2004–2005). Sweet Briar students have been individual national champions nine times,[113] and individual reserve ANRC national champions seven times. In 2006, Sweet Briar's IHSA team won their region (Zone 4, Region 1) and placed second at Zones, qualifying the team for the Nationals Competition.[114] The team placed third overall. In 2008, Sweet Briar's IHSA team again won their region and proceeded to the Nationals, where team members collected individual ribbons.[115][116]

Notable people

edit

Administration

edit

Alumnae

edit

Faculty

edit

Previous faculty

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Sweet Briar Reports 95 New Students - Inside Higher Ed". insidehighered.com.
  2. ^ "Mary Pope Hutson Named 14th President of Sweet Briar College".
  3. ^ archive.org, Copy of Charter of Sweet Briar Institute and the Amendments to Said Charter, 1927 (Retrieved 3-16-15)
  4. ^ Stohlman, Martha Lou Lemmon (1956). The story of Sweet Briar College. Alumnae Association of Sweet Briar College.
  5. ^ "The Fletcher-Williams Family". Sweet Briar College. Sweet Briar College museum. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  6. ^ Gore, Sherese (April 8, 2015). "The enslaved founders: Letters from 1800s reveal life on "Sweetbrier" plantation". New Era Progress – Amherst County. News Advance. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  7. ^ "African American Heritage at Sweet Briar". African American Heritage at Sweet Briar College. Tusculum Institute at Sweet Briar College. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  8. ^ Svrluga, Susan. "For a family whose ancestors were slaves at the Sweet Briar plantation, a loss". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  9. ^ Rainville, Lynn (June 14, 2019). Invisible Founders: How Two Centuries of African American Families Transformed a Plantation into a College. Berghahn Books. doi:10.2307/j.ctv287sczz. ISBN 978-1-78920-231-1. JSTOR j.ctv287sczz. S2CID 251560457.
  10. ^ "Copy of the Charter of Sweet Briar Institute and of the Amendments of Said Charter". Sweet Briar College. 1927 – via Archive.org.
  11. ^ "SWEET BRIAR PLANS STUDY GROUP IN PARIS". New York Times. January 13, 1948. ProQuest 108141973.
  12. ^ "History". Sbc.edu. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  13. ^ "Sweet Briar College JYF". Sbc.edu. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  14. ^ a b Abrams, Mary Malyneux. "Thank You Mr. Newman: Re-Interpreting the Will of Indiana Fletcher Williams". Archive.org. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  15. ^ "A little change goes a long way | Sweet Briar College News". Sbc.edu. June 14, 2013. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
  16. ^ "In the Supreme Court of the United States, October term 1966 : Sweet Briar Institute, appellant, v. Robert Y. Button, et al., appellees, on appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia; jurisdicitonal statement". Archive.org. 1966. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  17. ^ Argetsinger, Amy (November 27, 2000). "Va. College Scores Well On New Test; Survey Finds Sweet Briar Among Best for Learning". Washington Post. ProQuest 409045150.
  18. ^ "SCHOLARSHIP FOR GIRLS.: Offered by Sweet Briar Institute to Candidates from the South". No. 1877–1922. Washington Post. July 19, 1906. ProQuest 144652429.
  19. ^ "Sciences Lead Course Choices At Sweet Briar". Washington Post. No. 1923–1954. October 4, 1942. ProQuest 151543550.
  20. ^ "Sweet Briar Strong On Foreign Affairs". Washington Post. No. 1923–1954. August 28, 1949. ProQuest 152108539.
  21. ^ Walzer, Philip (November 26, 2000). "SWEET BRIAR IN TOP TIER IN SURVEY OF COLLEGES". The Virginian Pilot. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  22. ^ "Sweet Briar College: The New College for Women in Virginia". No. 29. Vogue. June 27, 1907. ProQuest 904264663.
  23. ^ "Certificate for the Amendment to the Charter of Sweet Briar Institute, Granted by State Corporation of Commission, July 6, 1927". Archive.org. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  24. ^ "Bulletin of Sweet Briar College: Sciences at Sweet Briar". Archive.org. 1969. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  25. ^ "Bulletin of Sweet Briar College--Teaching at Sweet Briar". Archive.org. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  26. ^ Muhelfield, Elizabeth (July 31, 2005). "EDUCATION: TWO LEVELS, TWO VIEWS PRIVATE COLLEGES CHALLENGE, REWARD STUDENTS AFFORDABLY". Richmond Times Dispatch. Retrieved March 15, 2015.[permanent dead link]
  27. ^ Kapsidelis, Karin. "Sweet Briar College to close". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
  28. ^ dukechronicle.com, All women's colleges face challenges, March 17, 2015 (Retrieved 3-20-15)
  29. ^
    • Allie Bidwell (March 3, 2015). "Declining Enrollments, Financial Pressure Force Two Liberal Arts Colleges to Close – US News". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved March 19, 2015. [S]aid President James Jones Jr.: ['We reached] the unfortunate conclusion that there are two key realities that we could not change: the declining number of students choosing to attend small, rural, private liberal arts colleges and even fewer young women willing to consider a single-sex education . . . .
    • Peter Galuszka (March 4, 2015). "Why Sweet Briar Is Closing". Styleweekly. Retrieved March 6, 2015. Sweet Briar has offered strong academics, including engineering for its students, many of whom went on to top global jobs. It also had a reputation, admittedly dated, of being an Old South finishing school for affluent young women who enjoyed riding horses and the social whirl.
    • Jacobs, Peter. "Here's the failed plan to save the Virginia college that ended up imploding". Business Insider. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  30. ^ Steve Kolowich (July 14, 2015). "That Time Sweet Briar Tried to Merge With the U. of Virginia - Administration - The Chronicle of Higher Education". Chronicle.com. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
  31. ^ *Jessie Pounds (June 20, 2015). "Sweet Briar faculty make plans to stay — or to go - NewsAdvance.com : News - Lynchburg, Virginia Area". Newsadvance.com. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
  32. ^ Peter Jacobs (March 16, 2015). "Something just doesn't add up with an imploding college's financials". Business Insider. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
  33. ^ Ry Rivard (March 5, 2015). "Who Gets the Endowment?". Inside Higher Education. Retrieved March 8, 2015.
  34. ^ Abby Jackson (March 4, 2015). "What is going to happen to Sweet Briar's endowment?". Business Insider. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
  35. ^ Sherese Gore (May 3, 2015). "Bonds spelled trouble as financial problems mounted at Sweet Briar College – NewsAdvance.com : News – Lynchburg, Virginia Area". Newsadvance.com. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  36. ^ *Elizabeth Wyatt and Sandra Taylor (April 29, 2015). "Wyatt and Taylor: Sweet Briar directors faced an impossibly difficult decision – Richmond.com: Guest-columnists". Richmond.com. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  37. ^ Peter Jacobs (March 3, 2015). "Sweet Briar College closing: Why the wealthy Virginia school is closing its doors". Slate. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  38. ^ *Ananda Rochita (March 6, 2015). "Alumnae make efforts to keep Sweet Briar College open". WSLS 10. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  39. ^ *Pounds, Jesse (March 23, 2015). "Law firm sends letter asking Sweet Briar president, board to resign". News Advance (Lynchburg). Retrieved March 24, 2015.
  40. ^ Karen Kapsidelis (March 24, 2015). "Sweet Briar board, president won't resign". Richmond Times Dispatch. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  41. ^ "Sweet Briar College Statement Regarding Troutman Sanders Letter". www.sbc.edu. Sweet Briar College. Archived from the original on March 27, 2015. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  42. ^ *Friedenberger, Amy. "Sweet Briar College Faculty Passes Resolution Opposing Closure," March 16, 2015. Roanoke Times. (Retrieved 3-17-2015)
  43. ^ *Scott Jaschik (March 31, 2015). "Suing to Save Sweet Briar". Inside HigherEd. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  44. ^ Svrluga, Susan. "Virginia attorney general weighs in on Sweet Briar College case". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  45. ^ Jacobs, Peter (April 14, 2015). "The case to save an imploding college is moving forward, despite steep legal challenges". Business Insider. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
  46. ^ a b staff (April 15, 2015). "Judge Orders injunction in Sweet Briar College Closure – NBC29 WVIR Charlottesville, VA News, Sports and Weather". NBC29.com. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  47. ^ Jessie Pounds (April 15, 2015). "Judge issues 60-day injunction against using solicited funds to close Sweet Briar". Newsadvance.com. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  48. ^ a b Jessie Pounds (April 20, 2015). "Students, parents join with alumnae on Sweet Briar College legal action – The Amherst New Era Progress: News". Newsadvance.com. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  49. ^ Svrluga, Susan. "Now faculty are suing Sweet Briar, too". Washington Post. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  50. ^ Saunders, Tim (April 29, 2015). "Bedford County judge rules that Sweet Briar College cannot sell any assets for six months". WDBJ7. Archived from the original on May 2, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  51. ^ Turyn, Noreen (May 4, 2015). "Sweet Briar College Asks To Sell Off Limited Assets Despite 6 Month Injunction". ABC 13. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  52. ^ a b Jessie Pounds (May 11, 2015). "Order allows Sweet Briar College to dispose of some assets – NewsAdvance.com : News – Lynchburg, Virginia Area". Newsadvance.com. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  53. ^ Laura Vozzella and Susan Svrulga (June 4, 2015). "Sweet Briar activists get good vibes from Va. Supreme Court". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  54. ^ "Sweet Briar ruling". The Roanoke Times. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  55. ^ Green, Frank; Kapsidelis, Karin. "Va. Supreme Court: Trust laws can apply to Sweet Briar, case returned to lower court". Richmond Times Dispatch. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  56. ^ "Virginia Supreme Court Rules Sweet Briar College Will be Considered a Trust". ABC 13. June 9, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  57. ^ Karin Kapsidelis (June 20, 2015). "Agreement reached to keep Sweet Briar open - Richmond Times-Dispatch: Virginia News And Politics". Richmond.com. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
  58. ^ "Memorandum of Understanding" (PDF). Attorney General Mark R. Herring.
  59. ^ Steve Kolowich (June 23, 2015). "'Let's Make This Work': Sweet Briar's New President Surveys the Task Ahead - Leadership & Governance - The Chronicle of Higher Education". Chronicle.com. Archived from the original on June 24, 2015. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  60. ^ Susan Svrluga (June 22, 2015). "Sweet Briar survives: Judge approves settlement deal to keep the college open". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 22, 2015.
  61. ^ a b c Jessie Pounds (July 2, 2015). "Transfer of power complete at Sweet Briar College - Roanoke Times: Higher Education". Roanoke.com. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  62. ^ The Editorial Board (June 24, 2015). "Far-Reaching Lessons From Sweet Briar - NewsAdvance.com : Editorials". Newsadvance.com. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  63. ^ "Incoming Sweet Briar President Expects to Invite All Faculty to Remain". Wset.com. June 23, 2015. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  64. ^ Karin Kapsidelis (June 22, 2015). "Judge OKs deal to save Sweet Briar College - Richmond Times-Dispatch: Education". Richmond.com. Retrieved June 22, 2015.
  65. ^ "Final $3.6 million payment is made to keep Sweet Briar open - Richmond Times-Dispatch: Education". Richmond.com. Associated Press. September 2, 2015. Retrieved September 3, 2015.[permanent dead link]
  66. ^ Jessie Pounds (November 4, 2015). "Sweet Briar College board OK's austerity budget - Roanoke Times: Virginia". Roanoke.com. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
  67. ^ Heilman, Christian. "Sweet Briar College president stepping down". Retrieved April 23, 2016.
  68. ^ Doss, Catherine. "Sweet Briar College announces Meredith Woo as next president". Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  69. ^ "Sweet Briar College names Meredith Woo as next president". February 6, 2017.
  70. ^ a b c Moody, Josh. "Sweet Briar College releases details on new core curriculum". NewsAdvance.com. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
  71. ^ "Sweet Briar resets core curriculum and tuition for excellence, relevance and affordability". September 6, 2017.
  72. ^ "After All but Closing, Sweet Briar Will Shift Curriculum and Pricing". September 6, 2017.
  73. ^ "Sweet Briar College sees highest number of new applicants in 50 years". WDBJ7. Archived from the original on January 23, 2016. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
  74. ^ Kelderman, Eric (June 15, 2018). "Sweet Briar College Is Placed on "Warning" by Accreditor". The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  75. ^ "SACSCOC June Actions and Disclosure Statements" (PDF). Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  76. ^ a b c Moody, Josh (August 28, 2024). "New Sweet Briar Policy Bars Transgender Students". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  77. ^ Teixeira, Liana (August 19, 2024). "Sweet Briar College Students Criticize New Admissions Policy as Transphobic". University Herald. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  78. ^ "About, History, List of Presidents". sbc.edu. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
  79. ^ "James F. Jones Jr. named interim president". June 30, 2014.
  80. ^ "Phillip Stone officially becomes Sweet Briar College president". Sweet Briar College News. Retrieved July 2, 2015.
  81. ^ Pounds, Jessie (April 14, 2015). "Ex-SBC president Parker backs school; Saving Sweet Briar pledges hit $10M". The Roanoke Times. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  82. ^ "Phillip Stone officially becomes Sweet Briar College president". SBC.edu. Retrieved July 2, 2015.
  83. ^ lynchburgbusinessmag.com, "Engineering Program Moves into Accreditatio–Sweet Briar College celebrates recently acquired accreditation status," Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine House, Megan L., November 2011, (Retrieved 3-21-15)
  84. ^ nsf.gov, Science & Technology Policy Institute, "Portfolio Evaluation of the National Science Foundation's Grants Program for the Department-level Reform (DLF) of Undergraduate Engineering Education," Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine Shipp, Mitchell, & Lal, January 2009, p. 108 (Retrieved 3-21-15)
  85. ^ "Academics". usnews.com. U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  86. ^ "Sweet Briar College Rankings". usnews.com. U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  87. ^ a b "Study Abroad | Sweet Briar College". Sbc.edu. Archived from the original on November 26, 2013. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
  88. ^ "Summer Research Program | Sweet Briar College". Sbc.edu. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
  89. ^ "Previous Honors Summer Research Projects | Sweet Briar College". Sbc.edu. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
  90. ^ "Student Research and Creative Endeavors Grants | Sweet Briar College". Sbc.edu. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
  91. ^ "Student Travel Grants | Sweet Briar College". Sbc.edu. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
  92. ^ a b "National Register Information System – (#95000240)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  93. ^ "Virginia Landmarks Register". Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
  94. ^ archive.org, "The Ralph Adams Cram Architecture of Sweet Briar College," Chambers, S. Allen Jr., 1995 (Retrieved 3-17-15)
  95. ^ "History Sweet Briar College. Retrieved on 2008-06-06". Archived from the original on June 3, 2009.
  96. ^ Geoffrey B. Henry (February 1994). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Sweet Briar House" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 26, 2012. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  97. ^ "Sweet Briar College Historic District". www.dhr.virginia.gov. Archived from the original on September 26, 2012. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  98. ^ "Accompanying map" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 26, 2012.
  99. ^ Svrluga, Susan (April 6, 2015). "For a family whose ancestors were slaves at the Sweet Briar plantation, a loss". Washington Post.
  100. ^ Wells, Brant (March 13, 2013). "Sweet Briar researcher documents slave history". News Advance – Lynchburg. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
  101. ^ "African American Heritage". Tusculum at Sweet Briar College. Archived from the original on November 9, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
  102. ^ "Slave Cabin Research Grants Produce Results" (PDF). Vol. 4, no. 3. Tusculum Institute at Sweet Briar College Newsletter. July 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
  103. ^ Sherese Gore (March 18, 2015). "Uncertainty looms for Sweet Briar's on-campus homeowners, renters". Amherst New Era-Progress.
  104. ^ Laura McKenna, The Unfortunate Fate of Sweet Briar's Professors, The Atlantic (March 10, 2015).
  105. ^ "Residence Life Sweet Briar College". Archived from the original on October 29, 2007. Retrieved June 6, 2008.
  106. ^ "10 Fantastic Autumn Traditions Celebrated at Women's Colleges". The Huffington Post. November 6, 2014.
  107. ^ "Traditions". sbc.edu. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
  108. ^ "Outdoor Programs –SWEBOP Sweet Briar College". Archived from the original on October 29, 2007. Retrieved June 6, 2008.
  109. ^ a b "Riding Sweet Briar College. Retrieved on 2008-06-06". Archived from the original on May 9, 2008. Retrieved June 6, 2008.
  110. ^ "2014 Championships". ANRC. May 8, 2013. Retrieved April 12, 2015.
  111. ^ "Sweet Briar Captures Third ODAC Equestrian Title". Old Dominion Athletic Conference. ODAC. April 2, 2015. Retrieved April 12, 2015.
  112. ^ "Championship History". ANRC. May 5, 2014. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
  113. ^ "Winning Tradition | Sweet Briar College". Sbc.edu. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
  114. ^ "Intercollegiate Horse Show Association: National Results". ihsainc.com. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
  115. ^ "Intercollegiate Horse Show Association: National Results". ihsainc.com. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
  116. ^ "Sweet Briar College { Two- and Four-legged Vixens Put Best Feet Forward at IHSA Nationals }". ripley2.noc.sbc.edu. Archived from the original on July 20, 2011. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  117. ^ "Katherine Emery Eaton; was actress". The Boston Globe. February 8, 1980. p. 63. Retrieved August 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  118. ^ "Changing the Face of Medicine – Dr. Connie Myers Guion". nih.gov.
  119. ^ "Reintroducing a practical visionary". Sweet Briar College News.
edit
 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sweet Briar College.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sweet_Briar_College&oldid=1246020446#Athletics"