forbes.com
Few College Closures in 2024 Indicate No Systemic Crisis
In 2024, 15 small, mostly private non-profit colleges closed, representing 1% of institutions and 0.1% of students; most closures were due to mismanagement, scandal, or religious affiliation, not a general decline in higher education.
- What factors contributed most significantly to the closures of the 15 private non-profit colleges in 2024?
- The closures disproportionately affected small, tuition-dependent institutions lacking significant endowments, often plagued by mismanagement or legal issues. Three were art schools, one was an Oriental Medicine school, and seven were religiously affiliated, indicating that these closures are not representative of the overall higher education sector.
- What is the actual scale of college closures in 2024, and do these closures reflect a systemic crisis in higher education?
- In 2024, 15 private non-profit colleges closed, representing a 1% loss of institutions and 0.1% of students. Most were small, with enrollments under 500 students, suggesting the closures are not indicative of a broader higher education crisis.
- How can the disproportionate closure of small, religiously-affiliated, and financially troubled institutions be explained, and what implications does this have for the future of higher education?
- The trend of closures among small, financially unstable, or scandal-ridden institutions, including a high proportion of religious schools, suggests a need to examine factors beyond the general health of higher education. Focusing on addressing mismanagement and financial irregularities within individual institutions may be a more effective approach than broadly addressing a perceived decline in higher education's value.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The headline and introduction immediately frame the narrative to downplay the significance of college closures. The author uses phrases like "greatly exaggerated" and "profoundly misunderstood" to preemptively shape the reader's interpretation. The focus on small enrollment numbers and specific problems of individual institutions reinforces this downplaying effect.
Language Bias
The author uses charged language to discredit the notion of a widespread crisis in higher education. Words like "misleading," "destructive," and "catastrophe" are used to create a sense of alarm about the narrative, not the reality. The repeated use of "tiny" to describe the closed schools is also a loaded term.
Bias by Omission
The article focuses heavily on the small size and specific issues of the closing schools, potentially omitting broader economic or systemic factors contributing to closures in higher education. It also does not address potential positive aspects of closures, such as resource reallocation or improved educational offerings in other institutions.
False Dichotomy
The article sets up a false dichotomy between the perception of a "wave of college closures" and the reality of a small number of closures, largely due to mismanagement or specific circumstances. It ignores the possibility of nuanced factors beyond this binary.
Sustainable Development Goals
The article discusses the closure of several colleges, mostly small and private institutions. While not a large-scale trend, these closures negatively impact access to quality education for the affected students. The closures highlight potential issues within the higher education system, such as financial mismanagement and lack of resources, which could hinder the provision of quality education more broadly. The closures disproportionately affect small, religious and art schools, potentially suggesting vulnerabilities within specific educational niches.