Lincoln College – a 157-year-old Illinois school designated as a Predominantly Black Institution by the U.S. Department of Education – is set to close this month, partially due to a cyberattack.
According to a statement from the college, it was hit with the attack in December. It impacted admissions activities and hindered access to all institutional data.
“All systems required for recruitment, retention, and fundraising efforts were inoperable,” said the school statement. “Fortunately, no personal identifying information was exposed.”
David Gerlach, president of Lincoln College, said the ransomware attack originated in Iran, according to a Chicago Tribune report. He said the school has to pay a figure under $100,000 to regain access and that it took months to restore the system.
“Once fully restored in March 2022, the projections displayed significant enrollment shortfalls, requiring a transformational donation or partnership to sustain Lincoln College beyond the current semester,” the school statement explained.
As of last month the school, which is named after President Abraham Lincoln needed $50 million in order to continue operations, Gerlach said. A GoFundMe page set up for the school with a goal of $20 million generated just over $2,000 by Wednesday.
A little more than two years ago, in fall 2019, things were looking up for Lincoln College. There was record-breaking enrollment that semester and residence halls were at full capacity. However, that school year the COVID-19 pandemic impacted everything from campus life to recruitment and fundraising efforts, putting the school under financial strain even before the attack.
“The economic burdens initiated by the pandemic required large investments in technology and campus safety measures, as well as a significant drop in enrollment with students choosing to postpone college or take a leave of absence, which impacted the institution’s financial position,” said the Lincoln College.
In addition to fundraising campaigns, the college based in Lincoln, Ill., also tried to improve its financial position by selling assets, consolidating employee positions, and exploring alternatives to a building it leases in Normal, Ill. These efforts did not provide enough funding and the school’s Board of Trustees voted to cease all academic programming at the end of the spring semester on May 13.
While it is not on the list of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Lincoln College’s student body is 45% Black and it is identified as a Predominantly Black Institution by the U.S. Department of Education.
Predominantly Black Institutions were first recognized by Congress in 2007, according to a research brief from Brandy Jones of the University of Pennsylvania. Under the Strengthening Predominantly Black Institutions Program managed by the Department of Education eligible institutions can apply for federal funding.
Lincoln College was not on a list of schools that received Predominantly Black Institution grant funds in 2021. Grant awards last year ranged from $250,000 to more than $1 million and around $14.2 million in funding was granted to schools through the program overall.
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