To prepare for it’s closure, Wells College staff “cut corners,” resulting in damage to its prized Minerva Statue – a gift to the college from Charles Wells in 1868 – The Wells Legacy Society alleged late last week.

The nonprofit organization was formed on May 15, 2024, by a group of Wells College alumnae responding to the aftermath of the college’s April decision to close at the end of it’s Spring 2024 semester.

In a Tuesday interview, vice president of the legacy society, Karen Hindenlang, said it was “heartbreaking” to see how the administration handled the statue of Minerva – which many Wells alumni revere as a symbol of their own determination to survive and thrive in chaos, just as the statue survived a fire at the Colleges Old Main building in 1888.

The statue was originally a gift to the college from Charles Wells in 1868. The head of the Roman goddess of wisdom and justice was broken from the statue’s body during an attempt to move it in order to “protect Minerva from theft and ensure her safety,” the college alleged in a June 12 post.

“In an effort to cut corners, the administration ordered the statue moved without professional assistance and without any protective materials using a backhoe, a dolly, and chains. It is devastating to see this priceless symbol of our college handled so poorly.” said society president Rachel Snyder in a Monday statement from the organization. “It is also indicative of how the administration has handled the closing to date, and how they will handle the priceless artifacts at Wells College as they continue to close.”

The college is now seeking outside experts to move and repair the statue, and assured the Wells community of updates and photos to come to update them on that progress over the coming weeks.

WLS sought more information, help from Aurora community

In a posting made on its website June 14, the Wells Legacy Society lists its immediate and long-term goals, stating that it aims to “challenge & block the designation of Manhattanville U as the Wells legacy partners,” and “keep Wells’ institutional funds in and near Aurora, so the endowment and designated funds can best support the original, place-specific goals of the donors.”

In the long term, it wants to preserve parts of the campus for educational and nonprofit organizations to display and promote Wells’ legacy, Aurora’s history and long-term health, and the continuation of the Wells College Alumni (WCA) community.

An attorney acting on behalf of the recently formed society sent a letter on May 28 to the Wells College Board of Trustees, which raised questions about the future of the college’s historic artifacts, archives, and assets in the wake of the school’s closure announcement.

It also challenged the designation of Manhattanville University, located 250 miles away, as the school’s preferred legacy partner, asking the question ‘how did geographic location factor into the decision-making process for selecting a legacy partner?’”

WLS claims that student transfer numbers obtained unofficially at a recent Wells college reunion also bring the choice into question, with a leading 74 students attempting to transfer to the nearby Hobart and William Smith Colleges in the Finger Lakes as opposed to three reportedly transferring to Manhattanville.

According to Wells officials, “Manhattanville expressed interest in developing a legacy agreement that would integrate the Wells College name and history into the Manhattanville community.”

The society has reportedly not received a response to its letter, according to Hindenlang.

“There have been other agencies, other groups reaching out to the college about some of the historic assets it has to offer help or ever storage use, and I heard last week that the college has not responded to their very kind offer for help from Albany,” she said.

The village of Aurora however has been reaching out to state and county sources in an attempt to transfer ownership of the water supply underneath its campus to the village.

WLS is also seeking letters in support of allocating the Community Medical Center – which used to Wells on-campus infirmary – to Dr. Heather MacAdam, who has a patient base of nearly 2,000 and preforms exams for local first responders and students out of her own practice at the center.

The future of Peachtown Cottage on Wells campus, which now houses Peachtown Elementary School is, also uncertain, but WLS aims to secure the building and ensure the school’s operation.

The college updated its website June 11 to include Human resources and business office information for final employees and students departing from the college at the end of the month.

This article originally appeared on Ithaca Journal: Minerva beheaded at wells college 2024