Robert B. Miller College

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The Robert B. Miller College was a private college in Battle Creek, Michigan. It was housed in the Mawby Center of Kellogg Community College and closed in 2016.

Contents

History

Founded in Battle Creek, Michigan in 2005, [1] the Robert B. Miller College was a private college named after Robert B. Miller Sr., former publisher of the Battle Creek Enquirer and philanthropist behind the Miller Foundation. [1] [2] As reported by MLive:

Miller, a private, nonprofit organization, was developed as a resource for working adult students, who are completing the last two years of their baccalaureate degrees. ... It is a collaboration between Kellogg Community College and Battle Creek-area foundation. [3] [4]

The college was described as aiming to train graduates to be skilled in their fields of study and to foster improvement in their local communities. [5]

Miller College offered Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in disciplines such as Business, Education, Nursing, and Liberal Arts. It had a student-to-faculty ratio of 16:1 and a modest student population of around 362. [3] [5]

Closure

In 2015, auditors uncovered serious issues with the college’s financial aid distribution, including improperly allocated funds totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars. [6]

In June 2016, the college announced closure after auditors discovered large amounts of financial aid were being improperly distributed to students. [3] [4] [6]

The Miller Foundation, which had invested approximately $10 million into the institution, deemed that an additional $5 to $7 million dollars was required to keep the college afloat—a sum deemed unsustainable. [6]

Paul Ohm, the former college president, described the situation as a "financial disaster". [6]

Aftermath

To ensure degree completion for students after the shutdown, the college partnered with Western Michigan University. Other students received transfer assistance to continue their education elsewhere. [3] [4]

References

  1. 1 2 "Robert B. Miller, Jr. Obituary". March 5, 2007. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Learn more about the founder of The Miller Foundation of Battle Creek, Michigan". The Miller Foundation, Battle Creek. Retrieved September 20, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "WMU announces plan to help Miller College students complete degrees". Kalamazoo: MLive. December 9, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 Sparks, Kyle (December 8, 2015). "WMU opens its doors to Robert Miller College students". WWMT . Retrieved September 21, 2025.
  5. 1 2 "The Robert B Miller College Degree Programs, Majors and Tuition Information". www.collegeatlas.org. Retrieved September 20, 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Merchant, Safiya. "Miller College to close amid 'financial disaster'". Battle Creek Enquirer . Retrieved September 20, 2025.(subscription required)

42°19′59″N85°10′44″W / 42.333°N 85.179°W / 42.333; -85.179

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