Dive Brief:
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As enrollments continue to decline at theological schools and seminaries across the country, many of the institutions are increasingly considering mergers, consolidations and campus sales.
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Inside Higher Ed reports the number of theological schools and seminaries in the country has grown since 2011, while the number of students choosing to enroll has declined.
- According to the article, while seminary schools are faltering, most larger institutions with religious affiliations are thriving, thanks to healthy endowment funds.
Dive Insight:
Declining enrollment, coinciding with declining funding, is an issue plaguing many smaller institutions around the country. According to data from the Department of Education, 3,081 U.S. colleges have closed since 2011. And 2012 saw the highest number of closures in any one year since the department began tracking the data in 1984 — 981.
The high number of closures, particularly in 2012, suggest higher ed is still feeling the effects of the recession: state spending is down 17% since 2007, and endowment funds and private philanthropy also decreased during that time. Regional population shifts mean fewer overall students to draw from in many places, and a shift in available jobs means more people may be opting to go to work instead of furthering their educations.