This week’s show starts somewhere you wouldn’t expect a college viability conversation to begin… a softball field.

A routine game. A swarm of honeybees. And a moment that turned into one of those unforgettable college experiences that gets shared, liked, and remembered.

Here’s the clip from Lindenwood University softball—and at first glance, it’s everything families think college is supposed to be.
(https://x.com/lindenwoodsb/status/2050360836225482921?s=58&t=RRp3EfLfsCOV4T1DFy_2zw)

Fun. Memorable. A little unpredictable.

But as we move from that moment into the rest of this week’s stories, the tone shifts.

Because while everyone can see the honeybees on the field,  almost no one sees the financial pressures behind the scenes.

This week, we’re digging into:

• Saint Augustine’s University declaring bankruptcy—but insisting it won’t close 
• Hampshire College looking to sell land to cover a $25 million debt 
•  A looming 32% drop in high school graduates in Illinois—while lawmakers still push for more funding 
•  A “shot-in-the-dark” strategy unfolding at Naropa University
•  And a blunt critique from inside Hampshire: Cowardice and the Closing of Hampshire College

Show Notes and links:

UNT approves buyouts for professors, faculty as it tackles budget shortfalls

Saint Augustine’s Declares Bankruptcy but Won’t Close

Hampshire College to sell campus, land to pay $25 million debt

Illinois’ number of high school grads to plunge 32%. Lawmakers still want more college money.

Missouri S&T applications drop due to AI, international shifts

Confusing financial aid offers can leave families deeper in debt. Student groups say a new fix doesn’t go far enough

Deloitte just dropped its 2026 Higher Education Trends report

Boulder’s Naropa University to reduce tuition to attract enrollment growth

Cowardice and the Closing of Hampshire College

Wanna Bee Best Friends (X video)