Learning From Closed Institutions: Indicators of Risk for Small Private Colleges and Universities

• In Event: Roundtable Session 30
  In Roundtable Session: How Organizational Finances Shape Higher Education Outcomes

Abstract

Many small, private institutions struggle with finding the proper balance between enrollments, tuition prices, and spending. This paper analyzes current trends, previous literature, and national datasets to provide practitioners and administrators with insight into strategies to employ to avoid financial ruin. We identify a number of at-risk indicators of institutional failure by comparing case studies and information on closed institutions in IPEDS to evaluate differences between institutions that survived the Great Recession and those who closed their doors. This paper serves as a policy tool to examine institutional practices, identify future best practices, and engaging a discussion around learning from failure.

Authors

• Dawn Elise Lyken-Segosebe, Vanderbilt University

• Justin Shepherd, Vanderbilt University