Who We Are

The Wells Legacy Society is a non-profit organization formed on May 15, 2024, by a group of concerned Wells College alumnae in response to the college’s abrupt and poorly planned decision to close, announced on April 29.

Our supporters are Wells Alumnae/i and friends of the college spanning generations across the country. Working together, we aim to protect and preserve the artifacts, archives, and assets of Wells College on the Aurora campus and in the Finger Lakes region for generations to come. 

Please click here for some of our activities to date.

Currently, we are raising money to pay for legal assistance in:

  • promoting the designation of an appropriate “legacy partner” for Wells College in the Finger Lakes region,

  • representing alumnae concerns before the NYS Attorney General in response to the Trustees’ plans to dispose of the college’s artifacts, archives and assets, and

  • preserving the future integrity of the National Historic Register campus in the dissolution process.

We will continue to raise and reserve funds to:

  • preserve, catalogue and safely store the college’s artifacts and archives in area institutions or on campus,

  • support efforts to create a shared facility in Aurora for Wells’ archives and those of the Village,

  • obtain location(s) on campus and/or nearby to house and share elements of the Wells Legacy, and 

  • endow an ongoing presence of the Wells Legacy in Aurora and the Finger Lakes region.

Officers

Rachel Snyder ’11, President
Karen A. Hindenlang ’77, VP

Maggie Mahr ‘11, Secretary
Karin Gregory ’80, Esq, Treasurer

If you support our vision, please donate and spread the word about our work.

Some Background

A week after the college’s closure announcement, the founders of the Wells Legacy Society retained the highly regarded law firm of Harter, Secrest & Emery and began working with two attorneys to produce a letter addressed to the college’s Board of Trustees, which was delivered on May 28, 2024.

This letter, copied the Village of Aurora Board of Trustees and the office of the New York State Attorney General, asked for clarification about the board decision to close and its disposition of assets. It also offered ideas and assistance in moving forward to protect the legacy of Wells College and preserve it in the Finger Lakes.

Subsequently, the WLS has engaged in correspondence with numerous state agencies, elected representatives and government officials, with this letter attached as an introduction to the issues at hand.

This letter can be found here and covers these topics:

  • How and why Manhattanville was chosen as a legacy partner

  • What is the plan for the disposition of institutional and donor restricted funds (i.e., the endowment)

  • A proposal for historic assets and archives to remain in Aurora and the Finger Lakes region