Alabama A&M offers to purchase Birmingham Southern Campus

Alabama A&M extends offer to purchase the campus of Birmingham Southern College (BSC). The private liberal arts college will close forever on May 31 after state efforts to save the failing college on Arkadelphia Road in Birmingham were suspended due to BSC's poor credit worthiness.

BSC officials have reportedly confirmed to media outlets that they have an offer in place to purchase BSC's campus and that they have extended their offer to BSC officials.

The new satellite campus would be called Alabama A&M University at Birmingham. Alabama A&M has offered to accept transfers from BSC students who need another institution to finish their education.

BSC officials claim that they have offers for the site.

Residents of the community have expressed their concern that if the campus becomes vacant that it may become a haven for gangs, the homeless, and drug fiends, negatively impacting their community.

Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University (AAMU) is a historically Black College and University (HBCU) with a 150 year history. It is also a traditional 1890 land-grant institution, AAMU functions as a teaching, research and public service institution, including extension. It was founded in 1875 by a former slave, Dr. William Hooper Councill.

Alabama A&M provides more than 60 undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs and concentrations, a diverse international faculty, 50 plus student organizations, and an extensive alumni network comprised of politicians, educators, entrepreneurs, doctors, lawyers, engineers, scientists, authors, artist, and more, many of whom are change agents on the local, national and international stage.

Alabama House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville) is an alum.

BSC also has a number of prominent alumni, including former New York Times Editor Howell Raines and Alabama Senate Rules Committee Chairman Jabo Waggoner (R-Vestavia Hills).

Waggoner introduced legislation in the Senate to provide BSC with a bridge loan. The State Treasurer was tasked with making the decision on whether or not to grant BSC the loan. After State Treasurer Young Boozer (R) studied BSC's finances he ruled that the state could not get primary lienholder status on the campus if BSC defaulted so could not in good conscience award BSC the loan. Administrators appealed to the Legislature for aid; but ultimately a second effort to provide the troubled private college assistance failed in the House of Representatives. Women's college Judson, near Marion, also failed. HBCU Stillman College in Tuscaloosa received assistance from the Trump administration to get through a troubling time period.

https://www.aamu.edu/about/index.html

The annual Magic City Classic football game (and 4 day long event) is played in Birmingham because both Alabama A&M and Alabama State University (an HBCU in Montgomery) have such large numbers of alumni in the Birmingham area.

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