This Week In College Viability (TWICV)

In this week's This Week in College Viability , I examine a troubling trend across American higher education: financial pressures are forcing colleges and universities of all sizes and financial conditions to reduce staffing, eliminate academic programs, and reconsider their operating models.   Even financially strong institutions are making significant cuts. Clemson University is offering volunta...

In this week's This Week in College Viability News and Commentary , I begin with some positive reflections on visits to the U.S. Air Force Academy, the Olympic and Paralympic Training Center, and the Olympic and Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs.  I then turn to the financial realities facing higher education, including nearly 1,200 layoffs at USC despite growing administrative expenses, Benni...

In this week's This Week in College Viability News and Commentary , I examine the growing disconnect between what colleges announce publicly and what their financial data actually reveal. I look at the closures and financial fallout at Wells, Limestone, and Hampshire colleges, accreditation concerns at American International College, and faculty and staff reductions at Stockton, Bowie State, and t...

In this episode of This Week in College Viability News and Commentary , Gary Stocker examines several signs of growing financial pressure across higher education. He discusses additional faculty cuts at Bowie State despite substantial unrestricted gifts, the University of Utah’s proposed “modernization” effort that could eliminate hundreds of staff positions, and Alverno College’s attempt to rebou...

In this week’s podcast, I challenge the value of college rankings and the way institutions use small movements in those rankings as marketing victories. I argue that families should pay far more attention to measurable indicators such as financial health, graduation rates, enrollment trends, student revenue, and endowment strength.  I also look at financial pressures across higher education, inclu...

In this week’s podcast, I focus on what I see as the larger problem facing higher education: we spend too much time trying to fix individual colleges—the trees—without paying enough attention to what the forest is telling us.  There may simply be too many colleges chasing too few students and too little net tuition revenue. Not every college can grow enrollment, launch the same new programs, or di...

In this episode, I focus on a growing disconnect in higher education: colleges are working harder to increase enrollment, but enrollment alone does not equal student success or financial strength.  I examine how colleges remove admissions barriers, promote short-term enrollment increases, and heavily discount tuition to fill seats—often without discussing graduation rates, long-term enrollment tre...

Colleges are very good at telling families what they want them to know. This week, I look at what they may not be telling you. Record enrollment doesn't necessarily mean financial strength if a college had to heavily discount tuition to fill its classrooms. A new affordability program isn't automatically good news if the institution is already losing money. And when a college doesn't announce its...

 This episode of This Week in College Viability examines a corner of higher education that may serve as a warning sign for broader problems across the industry: naturopathic medicine, acupuncture, and other alternative and allied-health professional programs. Gary Stocker is joined by Ryan Hofer and Bex Groebner to discuss how new federal graduate loan limits, credential inflation, weak graduate e...

In this episode of This Week in College Viability , I take on what I call college “spin season”—the annual flood of upbeat enrollment announcements, welcome-back videos, and optimistic press releases that arrive as a new academic year begins.  I don't object to colleges celebrating their students or their successes. What concerns me is what those announcements sometimes leave out.   While some ins...

In this week's episode of This Week in College Viability News and Commentary , I start with a personal observation—watching parents take their children to the first day of elementary school. It reminded me how much time families spend preparing children for college, but how little time we spend asking whether the college is ready for our children . That question frames this week's stories, includi...

In the August 10th  episode, I continue to examine the financial health of higher education and argue that the warning signs facing many colleges are becoming impossible to ignore. I discuss layoffs and budget cuts at institutions including Minnesota State Mankato, St. John's University, Illinois Institute of Technology, St. Louis University, Temple University, Harvard University, and others, poin...

This week we look at: + Summer ‘Spin’ Award Winner - so far + Howard University can’t catch a break + Perfect finances and a WASC Warning? + The market will dictate accreditation changes Show Notes: 2026 College Majors Completion App for Academic Leaders 2026 College Viability App for Research and Media Chatham University Prepares to Welcome Largest Undergraduate Class Ever 502 students lose spots...

In this podcast episode, I examine several important developments that illustrate the growing financial pressures facing higher education.  I begin by discussing three San Francisco Bay Area colleges that have received serious warnings from their accreditor to improve both their financial performance and student outcomes.  I also explore the story of Northland College in Wisconsin, where donor-res...

Michael Hromadka is deeply interested in the connections between work, education, opportunities, and options - and the systems that control those things.  He says: "At the end of the day, it'd be nice if those systems made our lives easier and better, instead of harder and worse." We explore his unique perspective on college with questions like:  What is the purpose of college?  How do you de-risk...

In this episode, I discuss the growing financial pressures facing colleges and universities across the country, highlighting another week filled with layoffs, hiring freezes, budget cuts, and program reductions. I examine institutions including LSU, UCLA, Rutgers, Temple, the University of Texas at Tyler, Albertus Magnus College, the University of Vermont, Defiance College, and Albright College, a...

As a tie-in to the World Cup, if you want to appeal anything in today’s podcast show, send me 2 red cards and a yellow card.   + Mary Baldwin University on probation for allegedly not meeting financial responsibility standards + Professional associations may be driving accreditation requirements too far. +  Finally,   Threats of more closings have colleges and students worrying about how to save t...

This episode of This Week in College Viability features a conversation between Gary Stocker and college admissions consultant Beth Wilner , founder of Rose Cliff College Consulting, about how families can make more informed college decisions in an increasingly uncertain higher education environment. Wilner explains that her consulting process centers on three questions: What matters to the student...

This week on ‘This week’.  + Johns Hopkins University laying off 110 workers + Massachusetts higher education is a mess.  Same story different year. + Someone new to the College Viability party:  Today’s college search requires a new kind of due diligence  James Birge pres at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts + Brooke Hauser at Boston Globe:  Back-to-back college closures prompt demand for str...

This Week: A small college all but closes What’s the matter with chemistry degrees? Wheeling U sends out board chair to spin Another college complains about its Forbes grade Show notes and links: College Viability Inspection Report Podcast:  Kitchen Table College Chat Podcast:  Beyond the College Brochure

This week:  + University of Denver to close departments, merge schools as part of academic restructuring.  (This is a good story.  I will tell you why.) + A Regional College Laid Off All Its Librarians in 2024. Now It Has to Hire Them Back. + A couple of colleges in today’s show are whining about their Forbes grades.  One sent two trustees out to respond.   + Mass. passed a law to stop abrupt coll...

In this episode of This Week in College Viability, He highlights a growing wave of layoffs, academic cuts, hiring freezes, and financial distress across higher education, arguing that these developments confirm the industry is in long-term decline. Gary cites recent budget reductions and workforce cuts at institutions including Kent State, Colorado State, Portland State, the University of Oregon,...

In this special episode of This Week in College Viability, Gary Stocker interviews NILnomics  founder Greg Chick about the rapidly changing financial landscape of college athletics. Greg explains how difficult it is to obtain transparent financial data from college athletic departments, despite many schools being public institutions. He argues that one of the biggest misconceptions about college s...

"We are #3. We are #3.  Feedspot has 'This Week in College Viability' as the #3 podcast for college students and families. College Viability, LLC continues to develop more and better content and apps for students, families, and other college stakeholders. This week we hit on college sports cutbacks and focus our attention on the need for private, independent sources to monitor and report on the fi...