To some students, Hillsdale’s financial independence seems like little more than an Admissions Office catchphrase, but it’s grounded in the school’s original charter .
“[T]o furnish all persons who wish, irrespective of nation, color, or sex, a literary and scientific education.” These are the familiar words that have shaped the College’s history as it struggles to adhere to that original purpose.
“The original Articles of Association in 1853 —this is like their charter, and it’s the first college charter that included these provisions,” Hillsdale historian Arlan Gilbert said. “The whole philosophy of the school is fierce independence. And I would say it is rare indeed to find a school like Hillsdale.”
Gilbert said the college has stood for independence since its first days when founders gathered support from the frontiersmen settling Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois, instead of requesting funds from state and federal government.
What Hillsdale’s founders may not have anticipated was that this ideal would eventually cost the school real dollars in the form of federal financial aid directly to the institution and also to its individual students.
“The first formal act by the board of trustees was in 1959,” Gilbert said. “In that year the trustees decided that Hillsdale College would not participate in the National Defense Student Loan Funds under Eisenhower.”
“The GI Bill was not offensive to us because these were veterans who had fought for the country’s freedom,” Gilbert said.
“I think that because Hillsdale has made the stand, it’s unfortunate that Hillsdale kids can’t take advantage of these [GI Bill] benefits,” junior Rachel Somogie, an Air Force Reservist said. “But on the other side they have a great financial aid program here.”
But the National Defense Student Loan Funds provided a much broader category of students than just veterans with federal loans for college education, and it was the requirements for affirmative action admissions and hiring policies attached to federal aid that caused the board of trustees to draw the line, Gilbert said.
“The courage that it took to turn down this aid and to say we’re going to do it on our own – there were times when this college was very close to closing it’s doors,” Gilbert said.
The board of trustees passed additional resolutions in 1962 and 1972 reaffirming the original decision to maintain independence.
“In 1983 we announced that we were ready to carry our eight year battle for educational freedom all the way to the Supreme Court,” Gilbert said.
The battle culminated with a Supreme Court ruling that essentially recognized Hillsdale College and Grove City’s independence, as long as they accepted no forms of federal financial aid.
To replace the lost funds, Hillsdale has launched three major fundraising campaigns since 1976, and is currently in the midst of the Founder’s Campaign to raise $400 million.
For students this independence may be a mixed blessing.
Somogie, who does receive aid from the Air Force through their Tuition Assistance Program, supports Hillsdale’s independence.
“I agree with them [the school administration] on the fact that they’re willing to stand for a principle,” junior Rachel Somogie said. “I like their stance. I like that they’re able to teach what they want to [teach].”
Freshman Josh Grabner disagrees.
“I do highly respect the institution for taking the stance that we don’t need government rules, regulations, but I’m not sure if that stance is backed up by a lot of real issues or if it’s just something that the Hillsdale high and mighty would like to pin on their blazer suit jacket at the next ball,” he said. “I’m just not sure if it’s a bunch of words and a reason to charge us more money.”
For many students, it is a sacrifice to attend Hillsdale.
Grabner said that he had full tuition scholarships to several state schools in Indiana, but chose to attend Hillsdale because he thought it would give him a better education.
Today Hillsdale is well known for its financial independence and the administration continues to pursue the fiscal responsibility honed by its years of hard fought legal battles and fundraising efforts.
“As an institution, people are commited to trying to be efficient, to do things right, to have high standards, to not wasting any dollars, Rich Pewe, Vice President of Administration said.
More than 160 years since its birth, the story of Hillsdale continues to unfold as the college remains steadfast.