The College of Santa Fe, currently under new management, with an indeterminate name of inconceivable origin that we will refer to as the University of Santa Fe for Martial Arts and Crafts College of Epic Fail. Frankly, They should have stuck with "The College of Santa Fe." Simple. Dignified. Elegant. Exactly what it says on the tin, with one of the finest creative writing programs in the country.
The USFMCCEF which has replaced it however, Is a small, frail little thing. Santa Fe has strong winds, and I'm kind of afraid that it's going to get thrown off the damn mountain on a bad day. From 800 students to about 200. The faculty has shrunk. The world has changed. Blame the financial crisis, but most important of all blame that college president from ten years prior who totally boned the school with his Epic Fail.
Henceforth, we will refer to the USFMCCEF (University of Santa Fe for Martial Arts and Crafts College of Epic Fail) as CEF. (College of Epic Fail.) Do not get me wrong, I love my school. I'm sorry to see what's happened to it. Love the school, hate the administration that's gutted it. For all of you playing the home game, let me give you the rundown of what transpired on our side of the mountain.
About two years ago, when the Financial Crisis was really picking up steam, shit hit the fan. The College had been in trouble for some time now, and had been very quiet about this fact. It could have ridden out the storm under normal circumstances, but with the Crisis hitting full steam the school's creditors all called in its debts at the same time. No more waiting: the college needed to pay up, in full, or get repossessed.
Rather than have someone send in the world's largest repo-army, the school started using every option at it's disposal. They attempted to make a deal with the Laureate Group, which would make them a Laureate school, which would give the Laureate group the debt. The catch of course, being that the College of Santa Fe would be under new management. This deal fell through in record time, which lead to the College of Santa Fe seeking help from the State of New Mexico. The governor did his part, but the money just wasn't there on the state level. Finally, at the end of the Spring Semester, the college announced that it was going to have to shut down. This was it friends, our final farewell. They started to set up deals with other schools that would allow the people transferring from CSF to get their degrees honored and their credits transferred.
At the eleventh hour, the people of Santa Fe got involved and CSF managed to bring Laureate back to the table. The city of Santa Fe agreed to take a portion of CSF's debt, and Laureate would buy out the rest. The College of Santa Fe would become a subsidiary of the Laureate group and all would be well. The school would be gutted on all levels, but it would continue to survive.
I'm bitter. Then again, I'm still going to my school. I guess it's a blessing and a curse. I actually left for Chicago for a semester (big mistake) because I just didn't think it'd be the same as it was. The truth is, it isn't. On the other hand, it beats the crap out not getting my degree. And the people here still have that same quirky charm that they've always had. I kind of hope I do too.
And that is where we stand at this moment in time.
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