Select articles

Finger Lakes Times, “Wells College Board of Trustees plans to auction art works, books, other valuables,” 4 February 2026

Rome Sentinel, “College's plans to auction rare items draws ire of alumni group,” 5 February 2026

WXXI - NPR News, “Region's first Indigenous university could open next year on the former Wells College campus,” 27 January 2026

Syracuse Post-Standard, “Wells College agrees to sell campus to nonprofit group that promotes Native American history,” 12 January 2026

Tribal Business News, “Indigenous education nonprofit buys Wells College campus for $12.5 million,” 10 January 2026.

The Citizen (Auburn, NY) purchase offer accepted to buy Wells campus, 8 January 2026

New York Times article leads with WLS president on “What’s Lost When Liberal Arts Schools Close,” 22 October 2025

Rochester City Magazine featured the Wells Legacy Society in its July 2025 issue

Docomomo NY/Tri-state newsletter supports protecting Barler & Campell, the companion buildings to Netsch’s Long Library on the Wells campus, 1 February 2025

The Chronicle of Higher Educationfeatures Aurora in a story about the impact of college closures on small communities, 13 Dec. 2024

MasContext in-depth essay on the uncertain future of Netsch’s Long Library at Wells College, 18 Nov. 2024

The Architect’s Newspaper feature: Library by Walter Netsch, and other buildings, are under threat in Aurora, NY, after Wells College’s recent closure, 6 Nov. 2024

Rome Sentinel article on the risk to historic campus buildings left unheated all winter, 18 Oct. 2024

Finger Lakes Daily News reports on the nomination of the Wells campus to the “Seven to Save” program of the Preservation League of NYS, 14 Oct. 2024

Ithaca Journal on faculty complaint to the National Labor Relations Board, 20 August 2024

NPR - 1A program about Wells’ closure, 2 July 2024.

Ithaca Journal followed local developments in wake of closure, 21 June 2024.

Finger Lakes Times reported on concerns after Minerva’s beheading, 19 June 2024.

The Hechinger Report featured Wells’ abrupt closure, 18 May 2024.

Ongoing coverage of Wells’ closure in local paper includes 50+ articles

Editorials: “Plan for Wells Campus could be a winner,” expresses cautious optimism in The Citizen,15 January 2026; “Timing of Wells College closure announcement was inexcusable,” according a The Citizen,10 July 2025; The Auburn Citizen chastises Wells leadership, 29 August 2024; The Citizen asks for communication about Wells’ future from NYS, 25 July 2024; Aurora’s future without Wells, The Auburn Citizen, 16 May 2024

A few letters

Updates to Alums from Wells Board of Trustees and Hobart William Smith leadership, October 2024 - April 2026.

WLS wrote government officials warning against delay of campus sale, 16 March 2026.

WLS assisted in drafting important request to Office of the Attorney General by Village of Aurora, 18 Reb. 2026.

Letter to the Editor: Trustees of Wells College Failed the Community, 12 Feb. 2026

WLS protested auction of college’s art work and artifacts into private hands, 11 Feb. 2026

Letter to the AAG from WLS on Village interest in Wells Archives, 7 Jan. 2025

The State Historic Preservation Office determines that Long Library, Barler and Campbell are eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, 19 March 2025

Nominations by WLS petition for the Board of the Wells College Association of Alumnae & Alumni

Message from WLS President, April 29, 2025.

Letter to the Editor: WLS responds to WCA Meeting, 21 Nov. 2024

Template for writing historic preservation advocacy letter, 17 Oct. 2024

Supportfor PACNY’s nomination of Wells campus to “Seven to Save” program, 9 Oct. 2024

Letter from NYS Archivists on Wells’ archives, 28 Aug 2024

WLS offer to monitor Long Library, 12 July 2024

WLS Support for Med Center & Peachtown, 30 June 2024

Village Historian’s Letter re Wells archives, 26 June 2024

Aurora Village Board’s Letter re future of campus, 25 June 2024

WLS to Aurora BoT proposing campus zoning compromise, 5 June 2024