EcoLeague

On February 19, 2025, EcoLeague member Northland college announced:

“The Northland College Board of Trustees today voted unanimously to close the College at the end of the 2024–25 academic year. Founded in Wisconsin in 1892, Northland was the first US college to fully integrate an environmental focus with its liberal arts curriculum. Located on the south shore of Lake Superior, surrounded by northern forests, Northland College inspired its students to explore the fundamental interconnections between nature, place and people.

‘Despite the collaborative efforts of the entire Northland family, we no longer have the resources needed to navigate the economic and demographic storms endangering small, liberal arts institutions today,’ said Ted Bristol, Chair of the Northland College Board of Trustees. ‘With declining enrollment and soaring costs, it takes more to operate the College than we raise in tuition. Even after enacting aggressive measures to cut costs and raise revenues, Northland College has no sustainable path forward.'”

This is unfortunate news for the Northland and EcoLeague communities.  We wish Northland’s students, staff, faculty, alums, and community well. The consortium and its remaining members will support Northland in whatever manner possible during this time of transition.