Limestone publishes transition information
Limestone University publishes information for students and faculty following its closure
By BEN LEDBETTER
Down Ballot Staff Writer
Limestone University had been the only four-year school in Cherokee County since it started in 1845.
That ended on April 29 when the school's board of trustees voted to close the school. It discontinued both in-person and online operations.
“Despite exhaustive efforts to secure the funding necessary to continue our operations, we have come to the difficult conclusion that Limestone University has not been able to secure the necessary funding to sustain its operations,” said Randall Richardson, Chair of Limestone’s Board of Trustees, in the April 29 statement. “We want to thank the almost 200 recent supporters in the last two weeks who committed a collective $2.143 million. We had hoped that would be enough to sustain our institution. But in the final analysis, we could not continue operations on-campus or online without a greater amount of funding.”
The school has information on its homepage for both students and faculty and staff.
Included in the freqeuntly asked questions page, there is information about student loans and a link for more information regarding the closed school discharge.
The information for faculty and staff states there will be assistance from the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce during the transition following the school's closure. There is also information for faculty and staff that are interested in purchasing their school issued phone, computers and monitor. The school is aware that FSA and HSA transactions are not going through and personnel are currently working with the provider.
Limestone University appeared on the latest Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notication list that ended on April 18, 2025.
It stated the Gaffney school plans to close on April 30 and that 478 employees would be effected.
Despite the possible closure or transition to online-only classes, Limestone is still seeking solutions.
According to a news release from the school, its board of trustees announced a possible funding source that would allow the school to stay open with online and in-person classes.
“This possible funding solution has us all cautiously optimistic about the future of Limestone as both an in-person and online educator," said Randall Richardson, Chair of the Limestone University Board of Trustees, in a written statement. “Last week, we were at the brink of a possible closure or transition to online-only classes. Now, we are pausing that discussion so we can wait on more information about a potential financial lifeline. We want to emphasize, this is just a possibility at the current time.”
Limestone's Board of Trustees will meet to discuss the possible funding source no later than April 29.
Full closure of the school is still an option, but the board is also considering an option that would discontinue all in-person academic operations and other activities, including athletics.
The Saints currently play in the NCAA's Division II and the South Atlantic Conference. Other Palmetto State schools in the league are Anderson University, Coker University and Newberry College.
In 1990, Limestone fielded the first men's lacrosse team in South Carolina. The Saints won the South Atlantic Conference title on Wednesday, April 23.
“The Board’s priority is to preserve the Limestone mission of education and service on our campus in addition to online. But without this financial lifeline, we will have no choice but to move all operations online, which means closing our physical campus,” said Richardson. The179-year-old institution aims to maintain online degree programs. The online portion of the institution has seen strong growth and could support long-term stability."
Founded in 1845, Limestone University currently serves 1,600 students, including student athletes and those seeking online degrees. Last week, the Limestone Board of Trustees announced that, absent the school obtaining immediate financial support in the amount of $6 million, the institution would need to move to a fully online model or possibly close.
Limestone is the only four-year college or university in Cherokee County, which borders North Carolina. However, the Cherokee County university is close to others. In Cleveland County, N.C. is Gardner-Webb University and in Spartanburg County is the University of South Carolina Upstate and Wofford College.
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