Most
higher education institutions will adapt to change, but some won’t and may be
forced to close, in the view of two economics professors at the College of William
& Mary.
In an
interview with Inside Higher Ed, Robert B. Archibald and David H. Feldman
discussed how four-year colleges and universities are under pressure to provide
value to students at an affordable cost. Feldman and Archibald are the authors of
The Road Ahead for America’s Colleges
& Universities and Why Does
College Cost So Much?
Both
said they believe there will be enough students to fill classrooms, due to
greater enrollment by students who are older, lower-income, and from more diverse
populations than the traditional student. However, institutions with a high
percentage of low-income students may have a tough time finding the resources
to adapt.
Flagship
public schools and other selective institutions will be able to shift to a
tuition-driven model that depends less on state support, according to
Archibald. Highly selective private institutions with deep endowments will also
make the leap.
“The
ones that will fare worse are essentially the rest of the state institutions,
particularly those in states less willing to support higher education and in
states that are losing population,” Archibald said.
