Bob Regan
President of Urban College of Boston, Bob Regan, smiles as he addresses students, faculty and community supporters at college headquarters at Action for Boston Community Development after announcing that Urban College will stay open. With Regan are Boston City Councilor-at-Large Ayanna Pressley and Urban College Board Chairman Peter L. Ebb.
The college community and many supporters cheered the announcement by Ebb that the college will stay open and begin registration for the fall semester on August 27. Classes begin September 4.
The two-year, evening college with the unique mission of serving low-income, disadvantaged adult learners has faced financial challenges since Congressional budget cuts eliminated a longtime federal grant last year.
Recently, the New England Association of School and Colleges, the regional higher education accrediting agency, placed the college’s accreditation in jeopardy and recommended it not admit a fall class. UCB must show at a hearing in late September that it has the financial resources to sustain its operations over coming years.
“We will open this September, next September and many Septembers after that,” said Ebb.
In recent weeks, as word spread that the college was in financial trouble, several major donors and foundations have stepped forward with assistance.
