Colleges of all stripes are facing a much-discussed "demographic cliff," with enrollment numbers already declining at many institutions. Multiple private colleges have seen downward outlook revisions from credit rating agencies due to declining enrollment and its attendant drop in tuition revenue combined with high debt levels. Yet public universities and community colleges in the Midwest face their own unique set of challenges: cuts in state appropriations for higher ed, tuition increases outpacing inflation and growing pension costs. Some states are merely pulling back funding, while others are linking financial support to ideological programming changes.
