Notre Dame's tiny namesake shows plight of religious colleges

The brutal economics of higher ed — ever-rising costs, declining enrollment and stubborn questions about the real-world value of certain degrees — are being made worse by the dwindling number of young Americans who say organized faith is an important part of their lives.

Money is at stake, too. The College of Saint Rose in New York is among the Catholic schools that are closing. That means bondholders holding $48 million of debt are bracing for potential losses.

John Smetanka, interim president of Notre Dame College, characterizes the challenges facing small Christian colleges as “uniquely more difficult.”

“Quite honestly, it is a serious challenge to ask how we’re going operate and keep the balance sheet balanced with the landscape of fewer students,” Smetanka said. “Many of us go into it with optimism and, especially religious schools, we have faith.”

That’s putting things mildly. Cardinal Stritch University in Wisconsin and Holy Names University in California — both Roman Catholic colleges — closed last year. So did New York’s Alliance University, which was affiliated with the Christian and Missionary Alliance, and the Methodist Iowa Wesleyan University.

On Feb. 16, Notre Dame College posted on social media that it was still figuring out its options.

Tiny Lincoln Christian University in Illinois plans to close its doors this May. Its president, Silas McCormick, captured the challenges by pointing to two students – roommates, in fact – who recently left LCU at the same time.

One thought the 80-year-old former Bible college was too religious. The other felt it wasn’t religious enough.

Like a growing number of small secular colleges, LCU has been driven to the brink by dwindling enrollment. Its seminary is being acquired by Ozark Christian College – part of the running consolidation in US higher ed.

“For schools that are serious about being Christian schools, the divide among American Christians leaves them very challenged to stake out the appropriate position,” McCormick said.

...continued

swipe to next page