{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"This Week In College Viability (TWICV)","title":"This Week In College Viability (TWICV) for Aug 17, 2026","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1909,"description":"In this week's episode of This Week in College Viability News and Commentary, I start with a personal observation—watching parents take their children to the first day of elementary school. It reminded me how much time families spend preparing children for college, but how little time we spend asking whether the college is ready for our children.\nThat question frames this week's stories, including degree cuts at the University of Nebraska, reduced Washington State financial aid for students attending private colleges, budget reallocations at Clemson University, and William Jewell College's declaration that it has exited financial exigency. At William Jewell, I compare that optimistic announcement with independent financial data that continues to raise concerns. My message to families is straightforward: inspect before you invest, trust verified data, compare colleges, judge outcomes, ask informed questions, demand transparency, and evaluate today's college—not yesterday's reputation.\n\nI also examine the University of Tulsa's decision to cut its published tuition by more than half, Saint Michael's College receiving court approval to access restricted endowment funds, concerns about students arriving at college academically unprepared, and the federal government's growing emphasis on whether college programs actually produce adequate earnings for graduates.\nTogether, these stories point to the same fundamental pressure: colleges need revenue while families, governments, and employers are increasingly demanding evidence of value. I believe families should evaluate not only whether a degree will deliver an acceptable return, but whether the institution delivering that degree is financially viable enough to fulfill its promises. Higher education still offers tremendous value to millions of students, but the economics are changing. There are too many colleges competing for too few academically prepared and financially capable students, and that imbalance will continue...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/Y44uKI07PW5rI-Utwk_2d2xPoEZ__BovfyNuhcSMuKo/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzQ1MzUzLzE2OTU5/MjE2NDgtYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}