College set for closure holds emotional final commencement

RENSSELAER, Ind. (AP) - Faculty and staff at a northwestern Indiana college that's slated for closure attended an emotional weekend commencement for the school's final graduating class.

Many St. Joseph's College students, faculty, staff and alumni wept or struggled to hold back tears during Saturday's commencement at the Rensselaer school's fieldhouse.

The (Lafayette) Journal and Courier reports (http://on.jconline.com/2qPZJ5j ) the trustees of the small private college voted in early February voted to suspend operations, possibly forever.

The trustees said the 126-year-old Catholic college had run out of money and options and there would no students on campus in the fall.

Alumni tried to keep the college from closing by launching a seven-week campaign to raise $20 million. But they ended those efforts after learning that the college had decided to surrender its accreditation.

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Information from: Journal and Courier, http://www.jconline.com