The Rose-Colored Glasses Come Off: a Survey of Business Officers - Doug Lederman and Rick Seltzer, Inside Higher Ed

Chief business officers increasingly agree that higher education is in the midst of a financial crisis, according to the 2017 Inside Higher Ed Survey of College and University Business Officers. Some are also starting to lose faith in the idea that they can overcome revenue shortfalls using the often-cited strategy of increasing enrollment. Many respondents were open or supportive of the idea of consolidating programs or academic operations with other institutions. The emerging picture is decidedly less optimistic than that of previous years. This year, 71 percent of chief business officers agreed with the statement that media reports saying higher education is in the midst of a financial crisis are accurate. That is up from 63 percent in 2016 and 56 percent in 2015. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/survey/survey-finds-business-officers-increasingly-considering-more-painful-options