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www.wbjournal.com • Worcester Business Journal • 2 022 Economic Forecast 27 ROCG is the business value growth expert. We'll help you plan where you want to be... and help you get there. Our "end in mind" proprietary business roadmap helps owners take control of their business by proactively recommending changes to improve profitability and productivity. The result? We'll help you build greater business value. Our team has over two decades of proven experience advising small and medium sized businesses. We offer customized solutions, not cookie cutter plans. Call us at (617) 412-4640 or email to set up a no obligation consultation. 617-412-4640 • americas.rocg.com Ready to Focus on Growing Business Value? Our Experts Can Help! ROCG - Shepherd & Goldstein Consulting Group, LLC Terry Shepherd Terence.Shepherd@rocg.com Matthew Allison Matt.Allison@rocg.com We Help Business Owners: • Re-energize their Business Model • Develop a Stategic Plan to Meet Long-Term Goals • Execute the Plan Successfully Top higher education stories in 2021 Becker College officially closes at end of spring semester Becker College permanently closed at the end of the spring semester, the Worcester school announced March 29, bringing a growing crisis in higher educa- tion to the city. Becker held a graduation ceremony on May 8 and provided academic, support and other services to students through the end of August. e college said it has made arrangements with a number of area colleges to provide admission to Becker students, including Assumption University in Worcester, Dean College in Franklin, Fitchburg State University, Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner, Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Worcester State University. "is was a deeply painful decision for the Board to make — one that the College administration made every possible effort to stave off, but one we came to realize in recent weeks was unavoidable," Chris- tine Cassidy, Becker's board of trustees chair and an alumna, said in a statement. "Our commitment going forward is to do everything we can to ensure our stu- dents finish this year strongly positioned to continue their education, and that they and all our faculty and staff get access to the best education and employment opportunities available." Becker, one of nine colleges in Worcester, said it spent months trying to find a path to viability but was unable to do so. e school, which has roughly 1,700 students, said in early March it was considering options for its future, including a potential closure. e New England Commission of Higher Educa- tion, an accreditation agency, said in a joint state- ment with the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education in early March that Becker was unlikely to continue operations through the next academic year. Lawrence Schall, the president of the accreditation commission, said Becker has been in regular contact with the group over the past three months and will report to the agency at its April meeting on its plans and agreements. "It has been our belief that the financial stresses The former Becker College, in Worcester Continued on next page PHOTO/GRANT WELKER