Limestone University’s campus in Gaffney, South Carolia. Limestone University

An Upstate college will have to close its doors if it doesn’t find the necessary money to keep going, and fast.

Limestone University, a private, Christian college in Gaffney, is facing a “critical turning point” in its 179 years, the college announced in a news release on Wednesday. The board of trustees announced that if it does not immediately find $6 million in financial support, it will have to transition to purely online instruction. Or worse, cease operations completely.

According to a news release, Limestone’s financial challenges stem from rising costs, declining enrollment and “long-standing structural pressures facing small, private institutions.”

The badly-needed $6 million would stabilize operations and “give the university the opportunity to pursue long-term solutions that preserve its on-campus identity.”

“Limestone remains committed to our students and we will work directly with current students to help them identify the best path to successfully complete their educational journey,” Limestone board chair Randall Richardson said in a news release. “We are reaching out separately to students with information regarding options to continue their education.”

The board is set to meet on April 22 in light of the “serious financial outlook,” to discuss next steps.

While closure remains a risk, Limestone is considering a scenario that would discontinue in-person academic operations, activities and athletics in Gaffney, according to a press release. The college currently offers both in-person and online classes to its approximately 1,500 students.

“The Board’s priority is to preserve the Limestone mission of education and service on our campus in addition to online. But without this financial lifeline, we will have no choice but to move all operations online, which means closing our physical campus,” Richardson said in a news release.

This story was originally published April 16, 2025 at 3:27 PM.