College says goodbye to its staff - Karen Nugent TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

The delay of a planned merger this fall between Atlantic Union College and Maryland-based Washington Adventist University will result in all of AUC’s faculty and staff being laid off on July 31. College President Norman L. Wendth said yesterday that because the state Department of Higher Education has not approved Atlantic Union Campus operating as a satellite of Washington Adventist University, a sister Seventh-day Adventist school, it is unclear when — or if — the plan will take effect. Mr. Wendth said initially that much of the AUC staff was to be offered jobs with Washington Adventist at the satellite campus. About 12 layoffs were predicted. Meanwhile, Mr. Wendth said all but one of the approximately 450 currently enrolled students have found other colleges for the fall semester. All of the nursing students, he said, will either graduate this summer or transfer to Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner. Other students have been given special assistance to get into Adventist colleges.