In the last three decades, sweeping decisions made by The College of Saint Rose leaders to attract students backfired. The Board of Trustees tripled the size of the campus. Enrollment dropped while the college took on double-digit debt. The private institution cut expensive programs. Some faculty rebelled, saying the board was destroying the college. The college’s budget deficit — which the cuts were supposed to fix — continued to grow. Those decisions were similar to those made by many private colleges in the last two decades as they continue to compete for a dwindling number of 18-year-olds, said Marjorie Hass, president of the Council of Independent Colleges.
