Dive Summary:
- Analysts predict that the University of Phoenix will survive the increasing competition, regulatory battles and bad press plaguing the for-profit education sector right now, and that the university may even be setting itself up as a better competitor in a changed marketplace by increasing its emphasis on career services and utilizing already strong relationships with employers.
- The University of Phoenix announced last week that it would be making $300 million in cuts that include shutting down half of its physical campuses and learning centers and 800 non-faculty positions, prompting speculation of an existential threat to the university and the entire for-profit sector.
- One new career services offering being touted by the school is the addition of skills-based assessments being administered at the beginning of degree programs in order to better help students plot their career paths.
From the article:
It's been a tough year for the University of Phoenix. But don't count out the big dog of for-profits just yet. Increasing competition from lower-priced nonprofit upstarts, regulatory battles and bad press have taken their toll on the for-profit industry, with most publicly traded chains now struggling with steep declines in enrollment and revenue. Phoenix hasn't been immune, and last week announced $300 million in cost cuts, including the shuttering of more than half of its physical campuses and learning centers. ...