Sattler College Turmoil

[Sliceitup]

For those of us who aren’t as familiar with Sattler, what is Eventide? And how is it connected with Sattler?

It is Finny Kuruvilla's financial management firm: https://www.eventideinvestments.com/individuals/

And the source of much of the seed money that started Sattler and keeps it operational.

The real cost per student at Sattler is right at 60K per year. Through Eventide contributions, that cost is dropped to somewhere between 10-25K per student. Multiply that 35-50K by 100 and it gives a picture of what outside funds are pouring into this model.

It goes without saying, that with a down year in the stocks, which has also happened with Eventide, the budget becomes quite a bit more painful. In recent times Sattler has driven a much harder bargain regarding what they want students to pay (which is understandable considering the cost). They also have radically switched gears from saying that Sattler students don't borrow for school and won't be in debt to now encouraging them taking on subsidized loans.

This explains some things. It has crossed my mind that the school seems very small, and yet is located, from what I understand, right in Boston, which seems like an expensive place to get real estate. And expensive lodging for students.

[RZehr]

Finny was never keen on the idea, but allowed Taylor to pursue this 6 months ago. It seems like Finny has become more uncomfortable with the idea since then. He has not been comfortable with the "progressive" Anabaptist influence that has come to Boston. (many moderate-conservative and intermediate-conservative Anbaptists are not blessing their young people to study at Sattler.)
(As I understand it.)

I can see how this might be problematic to FOTW. They don't really see eye to eye with more conservative Mennonites, but I could see them being more comfortable with them, then the more progressive Mennonites. Unfortunately, they seem to have, and probably increasingly so over time, attract the more progressive Mennonites and less of the more conservative Mennonites. So I could see them viewing their progressive Mennonite customers as a bit of a threat to their own church group in terms of bringing in undesirable influences. I don't really know what they can do about that.
I could be way off here. But this theory is what sort of makes sense to me.

Frankly, I don't think it is fair to say they have attracted more progressive Mennonites. They have systematically and strategically recruited them.

Okay, whatever. It doesn't make me any difference either way. I'm kind of just saying that it doesn't come as a huge surprise to me, to hear that their church is getting uncomfortable with the results.

[Ken]

For those of us who aren’t as familiar with Sattler, what is Eventide? And how is it connected with Sattler?

It is Finny Kuruvilla's financial management firm: https://www.eventideinvestments.com/individuals/

And the source of much of the seed money that started Sattler and keeps it operational.

The real cost per student at Sattler is right at 60K per year. Through Eventide contributions, that cost is dropped to somewhere between 10-25K per student. Multiply that 35-50K by 100 and it gives a picture of what outside funds are pouring into this model.

It goes without saying, that with a down year in the stocks, which has also happened with Eventide, the budget becomes quite a bit more painful. In recent times Sattler has driven a much harder bargain regarding what they want students to pay (which is understandable considering the cost). They also have radically switched gears from saying that Sattler students don't borrow for school and won't be in debt to now encouraging them taking on subsidized loans.

According to their most recent financial statement https://www.sattlercollege.org/hubfs/Fi ... ummary.pdf

If I am reading it correctly...

Sattler is getting $4.4 million/year in donations of which $2.4 million comes directly from Finny Kuruvilla.
Their revenues from tuition, room & board come to $2.7 million/year
And their total operating expenses are $9.7 million/year

Which doesn't seem very sustainable long-term.

[Ken]

I can see how this might be problematic to FOTW. They don't really see eye to eye with more conservative Mennonites, but I could see them being more comfortable with them, then the more progressive Mennonites. Unfortunately, they seem to have, and probably increasingly so over time, attract the more progressive Mennonites and less of the more conservative Mennonites. So I could see them viewing their progressive Mennonite customers as a bit of a threat to their own church group in terms of bringing in undesirable influences. I don't really know what they can do about that.
I could be way off here. But this theory is what sort of makes sense to me.

Frankly, I don't think it is fair to say they have attracted more progressive Mennonites. They have systematically and strategically recruited them.

Okay, whatever. It doesn't make me any difference either way. I'm kind of just saying that it doesn't come as a huge surprise to me, to hear that their church is getting uncomfortable with the results.

Is it fair to say that an expensive private residential college in Boston that teaches no technical/ag skills isn't going to be particularly attractive to the most conservative branches of Mennonites no matter how you try to market it?

[joshuabgood]

I can see how this might be problematic to FOTW. They don't really see eye to eye with more conservative Mennonites, but I could see them being more comfortable with them, then the more progressive Mennonites. Unfortunately, they seem to have, and probably increasingly so over time, attract the more progressive Mennonites and less of the more conservative Mennonites. So I could see them viewing their progressive Mennonite customers as a bit of a threat to their own church group in terms of bringing in undesirable influences. I don't really know what they can do about that.
I could be way off here. But this theory is what sort of makes sense to me.

Frankly, I don't think it is fair to say they have attracted more progressive Mennonites. They have systematically and strategically recruited them.

Okay, whatever. It doesn't make me any difference either way. I'm kind of just saying that it doesn't come as a huge surprise to me, to hear that their church is getting uncomfortable with the results.

That makes sense, and I don't mean to be prickly, but I do think it needs to be clear that these folks that are at Sattler were directly recruited and invited. It wasn't like they just went up there by themselves and started becoming a critical mass. They were solicited heavily and effectively, and I supported it btw, and so they went (including a number from my school, and my own son was planning on attending, but now is exploring other options).

[Dan Z]

For those of us who aren’t as familiar with Sattler, what is Eventide? And how is it connected with Sattler?

It is Finny Kuruvilla's financial management firm: https://www.eventideinvestments.com/individuals/

And the source of much of the seed money that started Sattler and keeps it operational.

The real cost per student at Sattler is right at 60K per year. Through Eventide contributions, that cost is dropped to somewhere between 10-25K per student. Multiply that 35-50K by 100 and it gives a picture of what outside funds are pouring into this model.

It goes without saying, that with a down year in the stocks, which has also happened with Eventide, the budget becomes quite a bit more painful. In recent times Sattler has driven a much harder bargain regarding what they want students to pay (which is understandable considering the cost). They also have radically switched gears from saying that Sattler students don't borrow for school and won't be in debt to now encouraging them taking on subsidized loans.

Their new accreditation status has perhaps now opened up this possibility as well.

[RZehr]

Frankly, I don't think it is fair to say they have attracted more progressive Mennonites. They have systematically and strategically recruited them.

Okay, whatever. It doesn't make me any difference either way. I'm kind of just saying that it doesn't come as a huge surprise to me, to hear that their church is getting uncomfortable with the results.

Is it fair to say that an expensive private residential college in Boston that teaches no technical/ag skills isn't going to be particularly attractive to the most conservative branches of Mennonites no matter how you try to market it?

Hmmm. I don't know. How many students are enrolling at Sattler? It doesn't seem to be a very high number, maybe 50 - 100? So I would expect there would be 50 - 100 conservative Mennonites that would be willing and able to attend an urban college for things other than technical/ag skills. Maybe not.
The bigger problem as I see it, is that conservative Mennonites might have more reservations about who is operating it (specifically, anyone that is not conservative Mennonite, but is running parallel), and having to deal with undesirable influences or teachings - in other words, the conservatives would have the exact same concerns about FOTW, that FOTW seem to be having with more progressive Mennonites.

[Ken]

It is Finny Kuruvilla's financial management firm: https://www.eventideinvestments.com/individuals/

And the source of much of the seed money that started Sattler and keeps it operational.

The real cost per student at Sattler is right at 60K per year. Through Eventide contributions, that cost is dropped to somewhere between 10-25K per student. Multiply that 35-50K by 100 and it gives a picture of what outside funds are pouring into this model.

It goes without saying, that with a down year in the stocks, which has also happened with Eventide, the budget becomes quite a bit more painful. In recent times Sattler has driven a much harder bargain regarding what they want students to pay (which is understandable considering the cost). They also have radically switched gears from saying that Sattler students don't borrow for school and won't be in debt to now encouraging them taking on subsidized loans.

Their new accreditation status has perhaps now opened up this possibility as well.

So they aren't going the way of places like Grove City College and Hillsdale in refusing to accept Federal aid? Subsidized student loans are a form of Federal aid.

[Ken]

Okay, whatever. It doesn't make me any difference either way. I'm kind of just saying that it doesn't come as a huge surprise to me, to hear that their church is getting uncomfortable with the results.

Is it fair to say that an expensive private residential college in Boston that teaches no technical/ag skills isn't going to be particularly attractive to the most conservative branches of Mennonites no matter how you try to market it?

Hmmm. I don't know. How many students are enrolling at Sattler? It doesn't seem to be a very high number, maybe 50 - 100? So I would expect there would be 50 - 100 conservative Mennonites that would be willing and able to attend an urban college for things other than technical/ag skills. Maybe not.
The bigger problem as I see it, is that conservative Mennonites might have more reservations about who is operating it (specifically, anyone that is not conservative Mennonite, but is running parallel), and having to deal with undesirable influences or teachings - in other words, the conservatives would have the exact same concerns about FOTW, that FOTW seem to be having with more progressive Mennonites.

My point was about higher education in general, not Sattler in specific. What is the percentage of youth from the most conservative Mennonite groups who get 4-year college degrees?

[joshuabgood]

The real cost per student at Sattler is right at 60K per year. Through Eventide contributions, that cost is dropped to somewhere between 10-25K per student. Multiply that 35-50K by 100 and it gives a picture of what outside funds are pouring into this model.

It goes without saying, that with a down year in the stocks, which has also happened with Eventide, the budget becomes quite a bit more painful. In recent times Sattler has driven a much harder bargain regarding what they want students to pay (which is understandable considering the cost). They also have radically switched gears from saying that Sattler students don't borrow for school and won't be in debt to now encouraging them taking on subsidized loans.

Their new accreditation status has perhaps now opened up this possibility as well.

So they aren't going the way of places like Grove City College and Hillsdale in refusing to accept Federal aid? Subsidized student loans are a form of Federal aid.

No they are same as Hillsdale. No Federal aide...FAFSA etc. The subsidized loans are provided by I guess Sattler itself, or maybe a third party...not sure. However, it isn't federal or state loans.