SC’s Columbia College will begin admitting some male students to boost enrollment

The formerly all-women’s Columbia College will begin admitting some male students, the school said in a news release.

Starting in fall semester, male students will be allowed to take undergraduate classes, so long as they are commuter students, the release said. No male students will live on campus or be on sports teams until fall 2021, according to the release.

The private college had originally planned to began admitting men in fall 2021, but moved up that timetable because coronavirus may force more students online (men are already allowed to take online classes at Columbia College) and because the virus may cause more students to stay in-state, according to the release.

Columbia College, which was founded in 1854, temporarily allowed male students after World War II, according to the release. In 2017, the school began preparing to phase-in male students, according to the release.

This story was originally published April 15, 2020 at 10:24 AM.