West Central Reporter

MacMurray College in Jacksonville announced on March 27 that it is closing down this spring. Charles O’Connell, chairman of the board of trustees, told the State Journal Register that “there was simply no viable financial path forward” for the 174-year-old institution. 

O’Connell said rising costs, too small of an endowment and declining enrollment--long-time issues for the college--were the reasons for the decision. He said the coronavirus crisis and the resulting economic upheaval were not the primary factors in the choice to close the school.

“The board spent more than a year exploring potential new sources for capital, but we were unable to solve the serious financial difficulties facing us,” O’Connell told the State Journal Register. “We deeply regret the decision and are sorry for the disruption and disappointment it will have for everyone in the Mac family.”

The actress Christine Ebersole, actor Rick Hall, and singer Judy Collins were graduates of MacMurray. Former baseball major leaguers Mark Clark and Bill Sampen also attended the college as well as Pulitzer Award-winning journalist Raymond Bonner and former NFL kicker Olindo Mare.

MacMurray was founded in 1846 as the Illinois Conference Female Academy. MacMurray College for Men was founded in 1955 as a companion college. The two schools merged in 1969.

The college has 101 faculty members and staff and 527 full-time students on its 60-acre campus. Because of the coronavirus crisis, students have moved off-campus and classes are being taught remotely this semester.

Commencement is scheduled for May 9, but because it may be canceled due to COVID-19. 

Students who are not graduating this year will be referred to partner institutions to complete their degrees. Transfer agreements for students have been made at Blackburn College, Eureka College, Greenville University, Illinois College, McKendree University, Millikin University and Monmouth College.