This Week In College Viability (TWICV) for June 15, 2026

This Week In College Viability (TWICV) for June 22, 2026

This Week: A small college all but closes [https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/careersandeducation/mass-christian-college-to-end-degree-programs-after-accreditation-loss/ar-AA25NWZ3?ocid=BingNewsSerp] What’s the matter with chemistry degrees? [https://cen.acs.org/education/undergraduate-education/st-johns-chemistry-programs-proposed-elimination/104/web/2026/06] Wheeling U sends out board chair to spin [https://wvmetronews.com/2026/06/12/wheeling-university-reports-positive-financial-progress-to-higher-education-policy-commission/] Another college complains about its Forbes grade [https://felician.edu/about-felician-university/office-of-the-president/message-from-the-president/fs] Show notes and links: College Viability Inspection Report [https://www.mycollegeviability.com/] Podcast:  Kitchen Table College Chat [https://kitchentablecollegeconversations.transistor.fm/] Podcast:  Beyond the College Brochure [https://beyondthebrouchure.transistor.fm/]

This Week In College Viability (TWICV) for June 15, 2026

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 college closures. It’s not working. I will tell you what will work Show notes and links: Kitchen Table College Chats podcast [https://kitchentablecollegeconversations.transistor.fm/]Beyond the College Brochure podcast [https://beyondthebrouchure.transistor.fm/] University of Denver to close departments, merge schools as part of academic restructuring [https://www.denverpost.com/2026/06/09/university-denver-closing-departments-restructuring/?utm_email=D4373424A5435524946F64C366&active=yesD&lctg=D4373424A5435524946F64C366&utm_source=listrak&utm_medium=email&utm_term=https%3a%2f%2fwww.denverpost.com%2f2026%2f06%2f09%2funiversity-denver-closing-departments-restructuring%2f&utm_campaign=denv-denver_post-colorado_breaking_news_alerts-nl&utm_content=alert%20] (Syracuse) U chancellor: School won't meet enrollment target for next fiscal year [https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/education/2026/06/12/syracuse-university-enrollment-update%20%20] A Regional College Laid Off All Its Librarians in 2024. Now It Has to Hire Them Back. [https://www.chronicle.com/article/a-regional-college-laid-off-all-its-librarians-in-2024-now-it-has-to-hire-them-back?sra=true%20] Iowa colleges say Forbes report misses full story [https://www.kcrg.com/2026/06/09/iowa-colleges-say-forbes-report-misses-full-story/%20] Dr. Joe Pizzorno Outlines What’s Next for Bastyr University and Clinics [https://bastyr.edu/about/news/dr-joe-pizzorno-outlines-whats-next-bastyr-university-and-clinics] Faculty group lashes out at University of Denver’s major restructuring [https://www.denverpost.com/2026/06/11/university-of-denver-restructuring-faculty-response/] Columbia College’s finances raise red flags for higher education experts [https://www.newstribune.com/news/2026/jun/11/columbia-colleges-finances-raise-red-flags-for/%20] Voices: We’re the trustees of Westminster University. Here’s the real story of the school’s financial health. [https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2026/06/12/voices-heres-real-story/%20] Mass. passed a law to stop abrupt college closures. So why are two schools shutting down? [https://www.masslive.com/education/2026/06/mass-passed-a-law-to-stop-abrupt-college-closures-so-why-did-2-schools-just-shut-down.html%20]

This Week In College Viability (TWICV) for June 8, 2026

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, and the University of Maryland. He also chats about some colleges that publicly challenge poor financial ratings from the new Forbes college financial grades. Stocker focuses heavily on Westminster University and La Salle University, arguing that their public reassurances conflict with enrollment declines, shrinking revenues, and reduced endowment values shown in federal and audited financial data. Throughout the podcast, he stresses that graduation rates and accreditation alone are not reliable indicators of institutional stability, especially when colleges face persistent enrollment losses and financial strain. Stocker introduces his related podcasts, Kitchen Table College Chat and Beyond the College Brochure, both aimed at challenging traditional college marketing narratives and encouraging greater transparency. In the final segment, he discusses a Forbes article by Ryan Craig about “healthcare donut degrees,” criticizing colleges that offer healthcare-related majors without guaranteed clinical placements required for graduation and licensure. Using his own medical laboratory science background as an example, Stocker argues that too many institutions create revenue-generating degree programs without providing the full educational pathway students need to complete them successfully. He closes by urging families to seek independent financial and academic data rather than relying solely on college marketing materials or sponsored college-ranking websites. Show Notes: + College Viability Inspection Report [https://www.mycollegeviability.com/]+ 2026 College Majors Completion App [https://collegeviability.com/products/ols/products/2026-college-majors-completion-app-for-academic-leaders] +  Kitchen Table College Chat podcast [https://kitchentablecollegeconversations.transistor.fm/] +  Beyond the College Brochure podcast [https://beyondthebrouchure.transistor.fm/] Story links: ‘It’s Just Been Agony’: Facing a Big Deficit, the New School Begins Layoffs [https://www.chronicle.com/article/its-just-been-agony-facing-a-big-deficit-the-new-school-begins-layoffs?sra=true] Kent State, Colorado State and other universities turn to budget cuts [https://www.highereddive.com/news/kent-state-colorado-state-budget-cuts/821868/%20] Westminster University (UT) disputes Forbes' assessment after receiving failing financial grade [https://kutv.com/news/local/westminster-university-disputes-forbes-assessment-after-receiving-failing-financial-grade%20] Pa. college’s (Albright) touted $10M surplus was less than half that: audit [https://www.pennlive.com/education/2026/06/pa-colleges-touted-10m-surplus-was-less-than-half-that-audit.html%20] La Salle University’s accreditation reaffirmed by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education [https://www.lasalle.edu/news/la-salle-universitys-accreditation-reaffirmed-by-the-middle-states-commission-on-higher-education/] Despite Headwinds, College Enrollment Increases Nationwide Once Again [https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltnietzel/2026/06/04/despite-headwinds-college-enrollment-increases-nationwide-once-again/%20] Universities Are Selling Healthcare Donut Degrees [https://www.forbes.com/sites/ryancraig/2026/06/05/universities-are-selling-healthcare-donut-degrees/%20]   [https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltnietzel/2026/06/04/despite-headwinds-college-enrollment-increases-nationwide-once-again/%20]

This Week In College Viability (TWICV) Special with Greg Chick from NILnomics.com

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 sports finances is that paying athletes is causing financial instability, when in reality enormous portions of athletic budgets already go toward coaches, administrators, and support staff.  The conversation also explores the widening financial gap between major Power Four athletic programs and smaller colleges, the growing “pay-to-play” culture in youth and college sports, and the future of Olympic and non-revenue sports programs. Greg predicts that some sports cuts may occur but does not believe widespread elimination of Olympic sports is likely because athletics are deeply embedded in American culture and college enrollment strategies. The discussion also covers NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness), congressional efforts to reshape NCAA rules, collective bargaining for athletes, and how financially challenged colleges increasingly use athletics as an enrollment tool. Overall, the episode presents college athletics as a massive business ecosystem where financial transparency, institutional priorities, and athlete compensation are becoming impossible to ignore.

This Week In College Viability (TWICV) for June 1, 2026

"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 financial health and viability of colleges. Product links: College Viability Inspection Report [https://www.mycollegeviability.com/] PDS Private College Financial Compass [https://advcompass.perspectivedatascience.com/?ref=college_viability] Story links: + Loyola University Maryland eliminates 66 jobs amid $20 million deficit [https://www.thebanner.com/education/higher-education/loyola-university-maryland-deficit-HG4AZKIQERF7HGOV6NQR55WR3M/%20] + Santa Monica College’s College Board erupts over layoffs as financial crisis deepens [https://www.smdp.com/college-board-erupts-over-layoffs-as-financial-crisis-deepens/%20] + Forbes:  'Going to college' is worth it. [https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltnietzel/2026/05/17/going-to-college-yields-strong-financial-gains-finds-new-large-scale-study/%20] + Students surprised to see Simpson sports teams slashed [https://who13.com/news/students-surprised-to-see-simpson-sports-teams-slashed/] + 18 years ago, Coloradans started having fewer babies. Now it’s a higher education problem [https://www.denverpost.com/2026/05/31/colorado-higher-education-enrollment-cliff/%20] + New financial grades raise concerns about colleges' long-term stability [https://abc11.com/post/forbes-college-financial-grades-raise-stability-questions-families-highlight-gaps-among-triangle-schools/19202653/%20]