Minerva Files Motion in Wells Campus Sale

New filings submitted in Cayuga County Supreme Court show that the Minerva Institute at Aurora has formally moved to intervene in the proposed sale of the Wells College campus.

In court papers filed February 13, 2026, the Institute seeks permission to take part in the legal review of the pending sale of the Aurora campus to the Hiawatha Institute for Indigenous Knowledge Notice of Motion Feb 13 2026.

An accompanying affidavit from Harriet Higgins, founder of the Minerva Institute, states that the organization previously submitted a competing proposal to purchase the campus Affidavit HPH to Motion. The filing asserts that the Institute’s offer was financially substantial and supported by pledged funding intended to redevelop the property through a phased educational model.

The affidavit further contends that the sale process did not provide equal opportunity for consideration of competing bids and argues that the transaction should be reviewed to ensure fairness and transparency for stakeholders.

The motion requests that the court consider the Institute’s position before issuing final approval of the proposed transfer.

The matter is now pending before the court.

Sources: Notice of Motion (Feb. 13, 2026); Notice of Appearance for Limited Purpose; Affidavit of Harriet Higgins in Support of Motion — filed with the New York State Supreme Court, Cayuga County.