HUC could close two of its three U.S. campuses

April 17, 2009

WASHINGTON (JTA) -- The Reform movement's rabbinical school is considering closing two of its three U.S. campuses.

The board of governors of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion will meet next month to discuss various ways of dealing with the school's financial problems, including whether to keep open just one of its three campuses in Los Angeles, New York and Cinncinati, according to the Los Angeles Times. Other alternatives include merging some academic programs while keeping more than one campus open.

In a letter to members of the college community this week, president Rabbi David Ellenson said HUC faced a deficit this year of $3 million and was "in the most challenging financial position it has faced in its history -- even more so than during the Depression," because of declines in its endowment and in dues paid by Reform congregations across the country, among other funding problems.

Ellenson said his salary and the salaries of other top administrators already had been cut by 10 percent and that tuition was going to be raised as well.

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