Newton seminary to shrink, move - maybe all the way to New Haven

The 208-year-old Andover Newton Theological School plans to sell its current campus and either set up shop as a smaller school or become part of the Yale Divinity School:

Today, Andover Newton must move in a bold new direction to ensure our work and mission continue to thrive. In part, this is necessitated by seismic changes that are taking place in the church and, by extension, in theological education. Like most independent theological schools, enrollment at Andover Newton has been in steady decline for more than 10 years due to a contracting applicant pool. As much as we cherish it, the large campus we occupy today was built to meet the needs of another era. It is clear that Andover Newton’s current mode of being - even with modifications - is not financially sustainable.

Not only is the institution struggling financially, but those for whom it exists are, too: student debt is soaring to the point where leaders at Andover Newton worry that graduates will be unable to enter ministry due to their financial obligations.