Within recent weeks, Spring Hill College has decided to sell three of the five Jesuit homes to St. Paul’s Episcopal School for nearly three million dollars. This decision has been made in order to combat the thirteen million dollars of debt the school currently faces. While many members of the student body worry about this idea, faculty members reason that this is a great decision.

Father Phil Steele, the school’s rector of Jesuit community, recounted the process that led to the decision to sell the homes. “A little more than a year ago, our provincial father, Tom Green, really urged and asked to consolidate the Jesuits into two houses,” Father Phil remembers. “When that happened, then the school felt like we could look at this property in a different way now.”

The decision to sell the homes has worried many students, not only about losing an important part of the school’s rich history, but also about the broader financial implications of this sale.

Libby Talbot, a sophomore at Spring Hill College, is afraid the sale will have an impact on the campus’s culture. “I think it’s a bit sad that they’re selling the Jesuit houses, because we are a Jesuit college, so it brings such a significance to the campus, and also they add some peace and beauty to the campus as well.”

Sophomore Evelyn Herrera felt as though the school was making a rash decision. Herrera said, “I am left a little confused about the financial state of the school. I cannot help but to feel like we’re pulling straws without fully considering the future impact.” Her worries also lie in the lack of communication from the administration. “I wish the school was a little more clear about their actions and motives; the less I know, the more concerned I get.”

In response to the worries held by students, Father Phil pointed out that this decision is a necessary one. He also finds humor in the situation, saying, “I always thought it was kind of strange that we almost each had our own house,” as he laughs to himself.

While the decision by the school is going to spark change within the campus community, it also raises many questions about the direction this historic institution is heading in, as well as Spring Hill College’s ongoing battle to preserve traditions whilst ensuring healthy finances.