This Week In College Viability (TWICV)

This week’s top stories and commentary:

+ Layoffs and cutbacks including cancellation of a December graduation event at an Ohio college

+ Bill would let Kentucky universities lay off tenured faculty during financial crisis

+ Missouri wants to subsidize public colleges based on their enrollment.  You can imagine the protests coming from colleges.

+ED Plans to ease merger pathways.  I have some notes on that.

Here are the show notes and links

College Majors Completion App

College Viability Transparency Tool - (Complimentary trial)

Syracuse University to axe nine majors as cost-cutting at the school continues

Walla Walla Community College eyes 43 layoffs, closing a branch campus

Baldwin Wallace University cancels December 2026 commencement amid financial concerns

Central Ohio (Old Dominican) university misses debt payment following years of financial, enrollment losses

Bill would let Kentucky universities lay off tenured faculty during financial crisis

Plan to defund some Missouri colleges and universities hits wall in Senate

ED Plans to Ease Merger Pathways

We are now well past 200 'This Week' episode.  Each week, there are hundreds of downloads across a variety of podcast distribution sites we use.  I continue to get feedback to 'keep doing what you are doing  - it is needed'.

So this week: 

+ Layoffs and cutbacks continue across higher ed.

+ Iowa can’t decide on bachelors for CC’s

+ Of course, college faculty want the feds to give them more money

+ You can’t count enrollment growth twice.

+ Students & parents need a housing (college) inspector

Show notes:
Get the 2026 College Majors Completion App

University of North Texas Cuts 70+ Programs to Close $45 Million Deficit — Linguistics, Women's Studies and 25 Minors Among the Casualties

UMaine to lay off staff as it slashes $5.6M from budget

Plan for 4-year degrees from Iowa community colleges hits Senate snag

Hundreds of Colleges and Professors Implore Ed. Dept. to Reverse ‘Dangerous’ Changes for Grad Students

What’s Behind the 2025 College Enrollment Surge?

If you're a parent of a current or future college student, check out the tool we have prepared that will help you navigate the financial health and viability of colleges you are considering.  Click here for a courtesy spin of the College Viability Transparency Tool.

This week on 'This Week':

+ Lots of layoffs and cutbacks.  This is a pattern folks.  For those in denial or trying to cover up the financial challenges colleges face.  This is a pattern.

+ Swarthmore College wants to change accreditors.  The reasons are interesting.

+ If you can’t consistently generate positive cash from operation, sell something.  That’s what Rider University (NJ) did.

+ How about a new ‘no confidence vote’  This one at Old Dominion University.  Spoiler alert:  Their 4 YGR is only at 50% in 2024.

+ The HLC takes some poetic license with the social media post on recent enrollment increases.  I am here to fill in the details they left out in the post.

+ and more

Show notes:

Rutgers Says It May Lay Off 37 Faculty Members

With fewer students and higher costs, many Massachusetts districts weigh school closures and mergers

CT university (New Haven U) tells faculty contract non-renewals coming. Why academic programs also face ax

New Jersey City University–Kean Merger Triggers 151 Layoffs & Buyouts

University of Providence in Great Falls declares financial exigency

The New School Will Reduce Faculty and Staff by 15% Amid a Financial Reorganization

Swarthmore Applies to Switch its Accreditation Agency to New England Commission

Rider University Sells Part of Campus to County in $10M Deal

Old Dominion Faculty Vote No Confidence in Leaders Over Plan to Compress Online Courses

Make sure to stick with the podcast to the end.  I used one of my AI tools to help me write the wrap for this week.  It came up with a fascinating conclusion.

Hint:  higher education has become an industry of spin and hiding bad data.

This week’s top stories and commentary:

+ The uncomfortable question about direct admissions

+ Keystone College accreditation reaffirmed by Middle States Commission

+ In Illinois, they Punish the winners and subsidize the loser public colleges

+ There is a faculty protest at DePaul University.  Well faculty protests are not news, they are as common as the sun rising.  This one has some interesting spin.

Show Notes:

Major restructuring will merge two Boise State schools, and close a college

SEMO Spin -  University enrollment grows.  Officials report 167 more students for Spring 2026.

8 Education Trends That Are Changing College Admissions

Financial viability of women’s sports at heart of Women’s Collegiate Sports Protection Act

Illinois boosts universities losing students, punishes gainers

Keystone College accreditation reaffirmed by Middle States Commission

Members of DePaul faculty publish open letter opposing the closure of art museum

Direct Admissions- Cutting Out the Application

This week's top stories.

+ Without nationwide rules, South Carolina lawmakers move to keep college athlete payments secret

+ U.S. Plans to Stop Funding Low-Earning Degrees. Indiana May Just End Them.
 + Editorial: New England colleges urged to disclose financial risks

+ ‘A Gray Area’: Students Say Harvard’s ‘Typical Assets’ Rule Leaves Financial Aid Gaps

+ And much more . . . .

Show notes:
 
Eastern Illinois University on-campus enrollment drops 9.5% in spring

Wittenberg Offers Transfer Pathway for Lourdes University students

Without nationwide rules, South Carolina lawmakers move to keep college athlete payments secret

U.S. Plans to Stop Funding Low-Earning Degrees. Indiana May Just End Them

Editorial: New England colleges urged to disclose financial risks    (Behind paywall.)

Don't Rush Students Into Debt Before New Loan Limits Hit

‘A Gray Area’: Students Say Harvard’s ‘Typical Assets’ Rule Leaves Financial Aid Gaps

Additional links:

Purchase the 2026 Majors Completion App (Academic leaders version.

Purchase the 2026 Majors Completion App (Student & Family version

More Links: 

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Other College Viability Shows

Beyond the College Brochure

The College Financial Health Show with Matt Hendricks and Gary Stocker

Kitchen Table College Chats with Gary Stocker and Marc Deboer

This week:

+ After mass resignation, Lourdes appointed new trustees who voted to close school

+ How California’s capital is getting FBS football: Economics expert weighs in on Sac State's move to the MAC 

+ ASU plans to add tens of thousands to online student enrollment. Be careful of your Mom and Pop online enrollment programs.

+ UCLA CFO blows whistle on university finances

+ Education Department Moves to Eliminate "Regional Accreditor" Label in Major Higher Ed Shake-Up

+ Plus:  What is 'fit'?

Show notes and links:
Yale College has laid off some employees as it reduces staff, Lewis says

UNT faces $45 million budget shortfall amid state funding cuts and drop in international students

WSU to close Yakima College of Nursing, sending students to Tri-Cities and Spokane

Central State University lays off faculty as financial woes, SB 1 hit

After mass resignation, Lourdes appointed new trustees who voted to close school

How ASU plans to add tens of thousands to online student enrollment

Christian education: Multnomah gave up its campus in a failed takeover. Alums want it back

California’s capital is getting FBS football: Economics expert weighs in on Sac State's move to the MAC

UCLA CFO blows whistle on university finances

Education Department Moves to Eliminate "Regional Accreditor" Label in Major Higher Ed Shake-Up

Big week at College Viability News:   2026 College Majors Completion app for academic leaders and one for students and families.

Plus:  The College Viability Transparency Tool.  

News and commentary this week:

+ A Small University Bet Big on Enrolling Athletes. Now It Will Close.

+ Marshall University cuts women’s swimming team

+ (In the ‘I can’t believe it’s a story’ category and probably not a Pulitzer Journalism Award story:    University of Connecticut, looking to save $1.57M, removes trash cans from many of its offices (Not making this up.)

+ Report from New America: 41 Institutions Steered Low-Income Families to Loans

+ And some more doozy stories that I just didn’t put in today’s headline teaser.

Show notes and links:

A Small University Bet Big on Enrolling Athletes. Now It Will Close

Curry College acquires Labouré, which will shut its doors this summer

Pasadena’s Providence Christian College to Close, After Two Decades

Marshall Sports:  Herd swimming and diving on chopping block, per SI report   

SwimSwam.com story on Marshall swimming team

University of Denver braces for up to a $30 million budget shortfall next year

Students and faculty express concern about layoffs at The College of Wooster

University of New Haven loses thousands of international students due to visa restrictions

University of Connecticut, looking to save $1.57M, removes trash cans from many of its offices

Fitch report on Marshall University

Fitch report on Agnes Scott College

Report: 41 Institutions Steered Low-Income Families to Loans

State approval affirms Rider’s progress under March to Sustainability Plan

This week (February 6, 2026):

+ Southern Oregon University warns of financial crisis by early 2027.  Some interesting mea cuplas.

+ Buffalo State program cuts spark strong reactions from students

+ Oklahoma Governor Nixes Tenure At Most Of The State’s Public Colleges

+  Inside the collapse of California College of the Arts: School gambled on a major campus expansion and lost.  There may be more to it than that.

+ And much, much, more.

Show notes:

If you want to get the weekly College Financial Transparency update, click here.

Southern Oregon University warns of financial crisis, payroll risk by early 2027

5 layoffs as Idaho Statue U. axes College of Education, splits biology department in mass restructuring

Santa Monica College to eliminate more than 70 jobs despite pushback from staff, students

Buffalo State program cuts spark strong reactions from students

UA Little Rock Continues Enrollment Growth for Spring 2026

Niagara University Reports 73% Surge in Spring Transfer Enrollment

Fitch Downgrades Manhattan University (NY) to 'BBB-'; Outlook Negative

International Graduate Enrollment Is Falling Off a Cliff

More Colleges Are Using Direct Admissions. They’re Still Discovering What Makes It Successful

Inside the collapse of California College of the Arts: School gambled on a major campus expansion and lost

Oklahoma Governor Nixes Tenure At Most Of The State’s Public Colleges

The Campaign to Make Professors Teach More

This week's show includes stories and commentary on 
+ Iowa universities reviewing low-enrollment majors, could close or merge programs

+ Wintertime spin on enrollment number for an IL public college

+ Averett College (VA) Sells Athletic Facilities

+ Be careful letting your sons and daughters consider Naturopathic medicine

Show Notes and Links:

Iowa universities reviewing low-enrollment majors, could close or merge programs

Oregon State University faces uncertain financial future amid enrollment decline, budget cuts

SIUE plugs Spring Enrollment.  Ignores 4-year graduation rates

Men are opting out of college. New England’s campuses are missing them.

Averett Sells Athletic Facilities

Are Naturopathic medicine colleges in trouble.  Ryan Hofer Substack post.

A perspective on the enrollment cliff, or slope or downturn, or plummet

Interested in the weekly College Financial Health Report Newsletter?  Click here.

Here are the headlines stories from this week's podcast.

+ Taking a look at Acupuncture and Naturopathy colleges
+ Iowa joins the ‘cut low enrollment majors club

+ Iowa private colleges promise closures if community colleges start offering bachelor degrees

+ Whistleblower: OU dental school prioritizing high-tuition foreign students as some Oklahomans get squeezed out

Show notes and links.

Wichita State budget deficit now expected to be 7%.

Ryan Hofer at Substack:  “Debt by Natural Causes”

University of Iowa considers cutting low-enrollment majors

Governor Murphy Signs Law Advancing Kean–NJCU Merger, Transforming Higher Education in New Jersey

Morningside University, St. Luke’s College complete first stage of acquisition

Quarter of US colleges could close in the coming years, university president warns of major transformation

Iowa private colleges promise closures if community colleges start offering bachelor degrees

Whistleblower: OU dental school prioritizing high-tuition foreign students as some Oklahomans get squeezed out