Wells College

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Wells College was a private liberal arts college in Aurora, New York, United States. From its founding in 1868 until it became coeducational in 2005, Wells was a women's college. The college's campus, set on the shore of Cayuga Lake, remains a part of the Aurora Village–Wells College Historic District and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Henry Wells, a co-founder of both Wells Fargo & Company and American Express Company, established Wells College in 1868 as Wells Seminary, stating that the promotion of higher education for women was his life's dream. After operating for over 150 years, in 2024, it was announced that the college would be closing at the end of the spring semester. It ceased operations effective June 30, 2024, with administrators citing financial challenges. In 2025, Hobart and William Smith Colleges were announced as Wells' legacy partner, who will maintain the closed college's records and endowment.

History

Founding

Wells College was established by Henry Wells in 1868 as Wells Seminary, a women's college. Henry Wells was a co-founder of both Wells Fargo & Company and American Express Company, and he established the seminary in pursuit of promoting higher education for women, a goal which he called "the dream of my life". Wells, with support from benefactors including Edwin B. Morgan, founded the college on a plot of land adjacent to his villa, Glen Park, in Aurora, Cayuga County, New York;<ref name=":022">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> he also rejected an offer from Ezra Cornell to merge their two newly-established colleges.Template:Efn In 1875, Wells stated in an address that he founded the college with the hope it would "always be conducted on truly Christian principles".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> On March 28, 1868, the college was incorporated by the New York State Legislature for the purpose of "promoting the higher education of young women in literature, science and the arts". In 1870, the seminary's name was changed to Wells College.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Over its first ten years, the college's enrollment grew from 34 to 170 students.<ref name=":022" />

Growth

Frances Folsom, born in Buffalo before attending Wells, graduated in 1885 and married then–U.S. President Grover Cleveland the next year, becoming at the time the youngest woman to serve as First Lady. During her time as a student at Wells, social codes regarding correspondence were strictly enforced; nonetheless, Cleveland had received permission to write her and did so to propose their romantic relationship.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1887, she joined the college's board of trustees, and served in her position for over 50 years.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

In August 1888, the college's main building was destroyed in a fire.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Its replacement was planned by architect William Henry Miller and rebuilt over the two years following the fire.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

An 1890 volume by W. T. Harris named nine women's colleges that offered an educational quality on par with coeducational and men's colleges; Wells was listed among them, alongside Bryn Mawr College, Elmira College, Ingham University, Mount Holyoke College, Rutgers Female College, Smith College, Vassar College, and Wellesley College.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

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Wells College Main Building in 1936

In the mid-1960s, Wells College was included in the Finger Lakes Colleges Computing Center, later the Finger Lakes Area Computing Center, a computing center born out of a National Science Foundation grant awarded to Cornell University. The project utilized time-sharing of an IBM 360/67 between colleges and high schools in upstate New York, and, although the 360/67 system did not meet its high expectations, access to the computing center allowed Wells and the other member institutions to make progress on installing their own computing infrastructure.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Financial issues and closure

Coeducation

In October 2004, the Wells College board of trustees convened to consider changing the college to a coeducational institution. When the college's 18 trustees arrived on campus to deliberate, over 100 people staged a protest to block the paths and urge the trustees to vote against the change. The college stated that they were considering becoming coeducational to attract more students and combat "enrollment challenges"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> that posed a risk to the college's finances. After the board president announced on October 2 that Wells would become coeducational the following fall, over 100 students organized a sit-in to protest the resolution and the lack of student, alumni, and parent involvement in the decision.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Multiple alumni, as well as students from other women's colleges, joined the multi-day sit-in,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> inspired by prior protests at Mills College.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Despite the sit-in and letters from over a dozen parents, a university spokesperson stated later in the month that the board would not reconsider its position on the matter.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

After the board reaffirmed its decision to move ahead with coeducation, students filed a lawsuit against the college, which the courts rejected. A judge refusing to block the transition stated he chose not to "second-guess" the trustees' decision and did not to be responsible for any "annihilation" of the college.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> According to the Associated Press, "several" students chose to transfer following the decision.<ref name=":12">Template:Cite web</ref>

It was projected in May 2005 that the "inaugural coed class will include at least 21 males".<ref name=":12" /> In the fall of 2005, campus enrollment was made up of 383 women and 33 men, for a total of 416.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Post-Standard reported on the first day of classes that Wells opened "without problems".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> By 2007, Wells' total enrollment had grown to 574, of which approximately 75 percent were female.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Closure

In June 2019, Wells College's accreditor, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), placed the college on probation for its "[inability] to demonstrate compliance with the Commission’s standards for accreditation and requirements of affiliation".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The college's accreditation had last been reaffirmed in 2014, but in their 2019 report the MSCHE stated that Wells' accreditation was in jeopardy for providing "insufficient evidence" for their compliance with the "Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement" standard.<ref name=":022" />

In May 2020, the president of Wells College, Jonathan Gibralter, sent a series of letters to the students, faculty, and staff members of the college, warning the community that financial issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic threatened the college's future. He wrote: "If New York State continues its mandate that our campus remain closed through all or part of the [2020] fall semester, Wells simply will not receive enough revenue to continue operations."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Additionally, with about 15% of Wells' operating revenue coming from the study abroad program in Florence, Italy, that it administered, COVID-19 travel restrictions cut off a portion of the college's revenue.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The college, at the time, enrolled 414 students.<ref name=":22">Template:Cite web</ref>

In June 2021, Wells' accreditation was reaffirmed by the MSCHE.<ref name=":022" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A year later, an auditor's report said that on June 30, 2022, Wells College's endowment totaled a value of 28.8 million dollars.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Its enrollment that school year was 342 students.<ref name=":22" />

When upstate New York private colleges Cazenovia College and Medaille University both closed in 2023, Wells became a teach-out partner, accepting transfer students from the two institutions in an effort to allow them to complete their studies.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In April 2024, the college's president and board chair announced that the Wells would close at the end of the spring 2024 semester due to "financial challenges ... exacerbated by a global pandemic, a shrinking pool of undergraduate students nationwide, inflationary pressures, and an overall negative sentiment towards higher education". The public announcement, posted April 29, stated that the college would close at the end of the spring semester.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2023–2024, the college's final academic year, Wells enrolled 357 students and employed 38 faculty members.<ref name=":22" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Efn

One June 20, 2024, college president Jonathan Gibralter left the institution.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On June 30, the same day its accreditation expired,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Wells College ceased its operations and closed.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Post-Standard summarized the closure reasons as "the college ran out of students and money". The New York State Department of Labor announced that 141 workers of the college's 165 total employees would be affected by worker adjustment and retraining.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On July 1 , Susan Henking was appointed president to oversee the closure.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Legacy

While it was originally announced alongside the closure itself that Manhattanville University in Purchase, New York, would maintain the college's transcripts, business records, and other important artifacts, in June 2025 the Wells College Board of Trustees entered into a legacy agreement with Hobart and William Smith College.<ref name="closure pr222">Template:Cite press release</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> As part of that agreement, books, records and other items from Wells College would be held at Hobart and William Smith, artworks would be transferred, and greenspace would be named in honor of the former college.

Academics

Wells College students had the option to cross-register for classes at other institutions as part of an inter-college exchange program. Wells' partners in the program were Cornell University, Ithaca College, and Cayuga Community College.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In its 2024 rankings, U.S. News & World Report ranked Wells at 146th among national liberal arts colleges.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Wells College had several study abroad programs, most notably in Florence, Italy. It had also created centers in sustainability, business and entrepreneurship, and book arts. Additionally, undergraduate students were required to participate in at least two internships during their time at Wells, one of which had to be off-campus.Template:Citation needed

Wells had an honor code to which all students subscribed. By signing the Honor Code, Wells students pledged "not to lie, cheat, steal, deceive, or conceal in the conduct of their collegiate life".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Wells allowed students to have take-home exams and to work in their residence hall rooms, at the library, or on the dock by the lake, rather than only in classrooms.Template:Citation needed

Athletics

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Wells athletics logo

Wells College, nicknamed The Express, competed as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division III level. Their school colors were red, white, and black.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Historically, cardinal and scarlet were used as specific shades of red for Wells' academic costume.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

As a member of the Private College Athletic Conference throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Express sports teams of the college captured four consecutive conference championships in women's tennis (1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81).<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> They also won titles in women's bowling (1978–79, 1979–80). Wells, which officially became an NCAA Division III institution prior to the 1986–87 athletic season, joined the Atlantic Women's Colleges Conference (AWCC) prior to the 1996–97 athletic season. In 1996, the Wells women's soccer team captured the school's only AWCC championship title. At the time, Wells offered six intercollegiate athletic sports: field hockey, softball, women's lacrosse, women's soccer, women's swimming and women's tennis.

In 2005, as part of the Board of Trustees' decision to accept men to the traditionally all-women's college, Wells incorporated men's soccer, men's swimming, and men's and women's cross country into their athletic cadre.

Prior to the 2007–08 academic year, the Express teams were invited to join the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) and compete against 14 other schools in the East Region. In joining the NEAC, Wells competed for conference championships and the opportunity to receive an automatic qualifier to participate in the NCAA tournament in select sports. Ultimately, Wells captured six conference championships in the NEAC. Men's swimming won the first league title in 2009–10,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and earned a second title in 2012–13. Women's swimming have won three consecutive conference championships, during the 2011–12, 2012–13, and 2013–14 seasons.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Men's basketball won the NEAC championship in 2010–11 and was the first team from Wells to participate in the NCAA Tournament.

In the 2018–19 season, the Wells men's volleyball team made it to the Elite 8 (Quarterfinals) in the NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Tournament before falling to Stevens Institute of Technology. In the 2019–20 season, the Wells College women's swim team won first place in the NEAC swimming championships. In 2021, the NEAC rebranded and became the United East Conference. For the next two athletic seasons, Wells was a member of the United East. In 2022, the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference and Wells announced the Express would become full-time members at the start of the 2023–24 school year.

As of the 2021–22 athletic season, Wells offered 15 NCAA Division III varsity sports, including field hockey, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's swimming, men's and women's volleyball, men's and women's cross country, softball, and baseball.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Athletics were offered with half a PE (physical education) credit earned for each season completed.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On April 29, 2024 the college announced its closure. Despite the uncertain time, Wells athletics had a successful spring season in their lone season in the AMCC. The baseball team finished with a 19–18 overall record, while just missing the AMCC tournament by a game. The women's lacrosse team capped off the final season in program history winning the AMCC championship and regular-season title. The Express finished the season 16–1 overall and 6–0 in conference play. Wells hosted the semifinals and championship rounds. On May 4, the Express defeated Mt. Aloysius to win the AMCC title by a score of 19–6 in what was the final sporting event in Wells College history, fitting for an institution that was founded as a women's college. Despite winning their conference tournament, the Express did not get a bid to the NCAA Division III Women's Lacrosse Tournament; the AMCC was not an automatic qualifying conference, because it had only four teams competing. Between the baseball and women's lacrosse teams, the Express accumulated a plethora of all-conference selections during the final spring 2024 season.

Campus

File:Wells College Boathouse.jpg
Wells College Boathouse on Cayuga Lake

The campus of Wells College spanned 127 acresTemplate:Efn in the rural setting of Aurora,<ref name=":022" /> a village in Cayuga County, New York, on the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake, one of the Finger Lakes.

The Louis Jefferson Long Library on the Wells College campus was completed in 1968 and had been designed by Walter Netsch, an example of a building employing his architectural Field Theory. Netsch was a member of the architecture firm SOM, which also designed the Barler Music Hall and Campbell Art Building.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Leadership

Deans

Presidents

Notable alumni

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Notable faculty

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See also

Notes

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References

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Further reading

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