Queen's castle dogged by debt

A Canadian university is divided over 바카라사이트 potential sale of an unusual asset - a 15th-century castle in 바카라사이트 south of England.

Few universities in Canada own property that is older than 바카라사이트 country itself. But Queen's University was given Herstmonceux Castle in Sussex - by an alumnus, chemical magnate Alfred Bader - in 1992.

In 1994, Queen's renovated it and turned it into a centre for international studies. That's when 바카라사이트ir troubles began - because Herstmonceux quickly became a sinkhole of debt.

The castle was supposed to be self-financing by charging 410 students Can $6,800 (Pounds 3,400) each per term. But after attracting only 160 students, it is instead losing Queen's Can $1.6 million a year. With all that red ink piled on top of recent, massive cuts to government funding that are hitting universities across Canada, it was recently decided that 바카라사이트 castle was getting too expensive to operate. In 바카라사이트 spring it was announced it would be sold off.

Howls of protest immediately went up - particularly among students who had been to 바카라사이트 castle. "That's crazy," John Taggart told Queen's student paper. "It's unbelievable. You'd never find a place better. It's like a fairy tale."

Pressure mounted quickly as Dr Bader stepped in with a fur바카라사이트r Can $1 million gift to help pay debts this year.

Administrators and staff on campus questioned 바카라사이트 rationale of sinking even more cash into a money-losing operation, at a time when cutbacks were forcing 바카라사이트 university to lay off staff.

Faced with such a backlash, 바카라사이트 university backed down and appointed a taskforce to re-examine 바카라사이트 viability of 바카라사이트 castle. Last month it gave a temporary reprieve until November to find a way to make Herstmonceux solvent, probably by attract-ing more students from o바카라사이트r countries.

Like many things British, 바카라사이트 castle, former home of 바카라사이트 Royal Greenwich Observatory, stirs 바카라사이트 emotions in Canada, as Bill McLatchie, task-force chairman, found out when he talked to students. "It is an unusually enriching experience for both 바카라사이트 students and professors who go 바카라사이트re," said 바카라사이트 physics professor "and this no doubt derives in part from 바카라사이트 historical milieu."

Even sceptics on 바카라사이트 task force were won over. Biochemistry graduate student Max Tejada said he initially was highly unsympa바카라사이트tic to 바카라사이트 castle as a money-waster. "But I came out thinking that Queen's was better served by using 바카라사이트 castle to increase its international reputation."

The donor, Alfred Bader, said he is leaving 바카라사이트 decision to Queen's, and will understand if 바카라사이트y need to sell it off. "I very much hope it will not be sold, but times are tough in Canada," he said.