Shocking Announcements: Two More Colleges Set to Close

In a stark reminder of the precarious financial state facing many small private institutions across the United States, Lourdes University in Sylvania, Ohio, and Providence Christian College in Pasadena, California, have both announced their closures at the end of the 2025-2026 academic year. These decisions, revealed just days apart in early February 2026, underscore the relentless pressures of declining enrollment and escalating operational costs that have plagued higher education for years. For students, faculty, and local communities, the news brings uncertainty, but both schools are pledging support through the transition period.

Lourdes University, a Catholic Franciscan institution with nearly seven decades of history, cited insurmountable financial challenges in its board's statement. Similarly, Providence Christian College, a Reformed liberal arts college founded just over two decades ago, pointed to a combination of low student numbers and rising expenses. As these closures unfold, they join a growing list of small colleges succumbing to what experts call the 'enrollment cliff'—a demographic downturn reducing the pool of traditional college-age students.

Lourdes University: Legacy of Faith and Education Comes to an End

Established in 1958 by the Sisters of St. Francis, Lourdes University began as Lourdes College, evolving into a university offering associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs. Nestled on a 127-acre campus in Sylvania, just outside Toledo, it emphasized Franciscan values alongside practical education in fields like nursing, business, education, and social work. At its peak around 2012, total enrollment hovered near 2,600 students, but by fall 2024, it had dwindled to 964—a decline of over 60 percent in little more than a decade.

The university's heavy reliance on athletics, with 72.3 percent of students being athletes in recent years, was a strategy to combat falling numbers. However, this approach failed to stem the tide, as national trends showed traditional students opting for larger publics or community colleges. Undergraduate enrollment stood at about 827 in fall 2023, with a student-faculty ratio of 13:1, but full-time equivalents continued to shrink.

Financial Strains Mounting at Lourdes

The Board of Trustees' announcement highlighted 'mounting financial pressures driven by declining enrollment, rising costs, and a funding model that is no longer sustainable.' For years, the Sisters of St. Francis subsidized operations generously, but they can no longer bridge the gap. Operational expenses have surged due to inflation, regulatory compliance, and maintenance of aging facilities, while tuition revenue plummeted.

In response, Sister Dr. Nancy Linenkugel was appointed as the final president to oversee the orderly closure. Classes, housing, and services will continue uninterrupted through spring 2026, allowing seniors to graduate on schedule. The university has secured the University of Toledo as a primary teach-out partner, facilitating seamless credit transfers and degree completion for remaining students.Read the full Lourdes announcement here.

Providence Christian College: A Brief History Interrupted

Founded in 2005, Providence Christian College aimed to provide a distinctly Reformed Christian education in Southern California, focusing on biblical worldview integration across liberal arts disciplines. With a small campus spanning 20 acres, it attracted around 147 undergraduates in fall 2023, predominantly Hispanic (35 percent), with a balanced gender split and a 12:1 student-faculty ratio. Total enrollment was approximately 168 for 2024-2025.

Despite efforts like programmatic tweaks and potential campus relocations, the board concluded on February 7, 2026, that long-term viability was impossible. Key factors included donor shifts, heightened accreditation demands from the WASC Senior College and University Commission, and loss of federal funding tied to enrollment thresholds.

Student Transitions and Support at Providence

Providence prioritizes its students, with over half of full-time enrollees on track to graduate in May 2026. Teach-out agreements ensure automatic admission and comparable tuition at partners like Biola University, Concordia University Irvine, The Master's University, Dordt University, Calvin University, and Covenant College. Counseling, financial aid advising, and transfer assistance are available via dedicated teams.

Transcripts will be digitized and accessible through the National Student Clearinghouse post-closure, with no repayment of scholarships required. International students receive SEVIS transfer support. Prospective deposits are refunded, and campus life continues normally.Providence's closure FAQ page details these measures.

Common Threads in These College Closures

Both institutions share hallmarks of vulnerable small privates: heavy dependence on tuition (often 80-90 percent of revenue), regional demographics hit by the birth dearth post-2008 recession, and competition from online programs and larger universities. Religious affiliations provided mission-driven appeal but limited donor bases amid shifting philanthropy. Unlike public counterparts buoyed by state funds, these schools lacked safety nets.

Yet differences emerge: Lourdes, older and more established, leaned on athletics; Providence, nimbler but smaller, grappled with California’s high costs and accreditation rigor.

The Enrollment Cliff Gripping US Higher Education

America's higher education sector faces a perfect storm. Total postsecondary enrollment rose 1 percent in fall 2025 to pre-pandemic levels, but private nonprofits saw declines while publics gained. The 'enrollment cliff'—projected 15 percent drop in high school graduates from 2025-2029—stems from fewer births since 2007. By 2026, 18-year-olds will fall 13 percent from peaks by 2041.

Small colleges (<2000 students) are hardest hit, with 21 percent of private two-years closing versus 3 percent publics. Fitch Ratings warns of deteriorating outlooks for 2026 due to uncertain federal aid and expenses.

A Wave of Closures: Not Isolated Incidents

2025 saw at least 16 nonprofit closures, matching 2024, with predictions of 80 over five years. Recent examples include Trinity Christian College (Illinois), Siena Heights University (Michigan), St. Andrews University (North Carolina), and Limestone University (South Carolina). Catholic schools like Lourdes reflect broader trends, with mergers like Gannon and Ursuline rising.

• Financial exigency declarations precede many shutdowns.
• Regional clusters in Midwest and Northeast amplify risks.
• Projections: Up to 370 privates at risk next decade.

Navigating Closure: Teach-Outs and Beyond

When a college closes, 'teach-out' plans—mandated by accreditors—ensure students finish degrees elsewhere. Credits transfer under agreements, but not always seamlessly. Alumni degrees remain valid via clearinghouses. Faculty contracts end honorably, though job hunts intensify.

Communities lose economic anchors: One closure erases 265 jobs, $21 million GDP. For transcripts, digital access persists years post-closure.

Faculty and Staff: Job Market Realities in Higher Ed

Closures displace hundreds annually. Faculty, often adjunct-heavy, face 'professional deaths' but rebuild via networks. Full-time roles scarce amid hiring slowdowns post-2023 rebound. Opportunities abound at surviving institutions; platforms like AcademicJobs.com higher ed jobs list faculty, admin, and research positions nationwide.

Advice: Update CVs early, leverage academic CV guides, network via conferences. Remote and adjunct gigs offer bridges.

Survival Strategies for Small Colleges

To dodge closure, leaders pivot:

• Target non-trads: Adults, transfers via dual enrollment with high schools.
• Workforce alignment: Stackable credentials in tech, healthcare.
• Digital expansion: Online programs cut costs.
• Mergers/partnerships: Shared services, federated models.
• Analytics-driven enrollment: Predictive tools for retention.

A 0.5 percent annual college-going rate hike offsets cliff impacts.

Guidance for Students and Future Educators

Prospective students: Vet financial health via dashboards, prefer accredited stables. Current ones: Engage advisors promptly. Faculty: Diversify skills for adjunct or tenure-track paths.

Rate professors at RateMyProfessor for insights; seek career advice.

Photo by Guy Thibeault on Unsplash

Outlook: Resilience Amid Change

While painful, closures spur innovation. Surviving colleges consolidate, publics expand. For jobs, visit higher-ed-jobs, university jobs, rate-my-professor, higher-ed-career-advice. Post a job at recruitment. Higher ed endures, evolving for tomorrow's learners.