{"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 10, 2026","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1394,"description":"In the August 10th  episode, I continue to examine the financial health of higher education and argue that the warning signs facing many colleges are becoming impossible to ignore. I discuss layoffs and budget cuts at institutions including Minnesota State Mankato, St. John's University, Illinois Institute of Technology, St. Louis University, Temple University, Harvard University, and others, pointing out that these announcements all share a common theme: financial pressure. \nI challenge the way colleges and the media celebrate enrollment gains without discussing the far more important metric of net tuition revenue, arguing that enrollment alone does not pay the bills. \nI also note the continued use of generic institutional messaging and strategic plans that sound nearly identical from one campus to the next, reinforcing my belief that too many colleges have become commodities competing for a shrinking pool of students. \nI also explore several broader trends reshaping higher education. I compare direct admissions programs—where colleges admit students who never applied—to unsolicited credit card offers, arguing that they are primarily marketing tools designed to fill enrollment gaps.\nI revisit Howard University, defending its long-term financial strength despite recent enrollment management mistakes, and explain why its employee buyout program appears to be a proactive financial decision rather than a sign of institutional distress.\nFinally, I encourage students and families to use my upcoming My College Decision Lens to evaluate colleges based on independent financial data rather than marketing claims, because I believe better information leads to better college decisions. ","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}