Colleges Face Widespread Closures. So Why Are They Still Resisting Change?
Preview:
Higher education is facing a perfect storm of declining enrollment, rising costs, federal disinvestment, and eroding public confidence, with projections that 20 to 25 percent of institutions will merge or close within the next several years. Despite the urgency, most colleges continue to add programs rather than cut weak ones, resisting the structural reinvention the moment demands. Institutions like Arizona State, Amarillo College, and Northeastern offer working models of transformation built on focused leadership, faculty buy-in, and a willingness to experiment.
Originally published: March 9, 2026
Author: Arthur Levine
Position: President
Institution: Brandeis University
Published by: The Chronicle of Higher Ed