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The document argues that colleges should stay mission-driven, streamline costs, review academics for enrollment and cost-effectiveness, and proactively consolidate where needed to improve student outcomes.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/","Research & Report",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/blueprint-for-reform-surviving-the-demographic-cliff/584996/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/blueprint-for-reform-surviving-the-demographic-cliff/584996.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Sophia Brooks","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-30","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",7,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What is the “demographic cliff,” and why does it matter for colleges?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"The “demographic cliff” is the steep drop in the college-age population. The document explains that demand is expected to worsen in the next two years as this effect fully arrives, increasing pressure on enrollment.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"How can universities respond while staying true to their missions?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Institutions should lean into what makes them unique and be willing to phase out programs or services that do not serve core missions. The document also emphasizes proactive, mission-aligned decision-making rather than waiting for a crisis.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"What recommendations does the Martin Center provide to adjust to diminishing demand?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"It recommends responsible consolidation of institutions, student services, and/or underperforming academic programs. It also lists actions such as centralizing administration, reviewing programs by enrollment and cost-effectiveness, controlling costs, and pausing unnecessary capital projects.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},584996,1792889814,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,96,101,106,110,114,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":93,"show_sort_weight":94,"slug":95},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":97,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":98,"show_sort_weight":99,"slug":100},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":102,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":103,"show_sort_weight":104,"slug":105},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":55,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":107,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},8,30,"research-report",{"id":115,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":131},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":111,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":33,"language":139,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":143,"read_time":123,"preview_page_count":4},962084925636,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_994ba38a5ba835b3df7d355c54d3ed8d","BLUEPRINT FOR REFORM  \nSurviving the Demographic Cliff  \n“The challenge for all small liberal arts schools is to be true to your mission and responsive to the marketplace. If your mission isn’t noble, honorable, and worthy, you probably won’t make it. If you just offer a generic product, you won’t survive. Small, personal liberal arts colleges must inspire, compel, draw people in.” —Bill Thierfelder, president of Belmont Abbey College  \n“When we put our students first, it brings everything into context. It crystallizes our priorities. And it shines a light on those things that may no longer be relevant.” —E. Gordon Gee, president of West Virginia University  \nHow Can Universities Stay True to Their Mission In the Face of Decreasing Demand?  \nMany colleges are suffering from dwindling enrollment.1 Although the pandemic contributed significantly to the drop in college attendance, enrollment has been steadily declining for over a decade. In their book Colleges on the Brink, authors Charles M. Ambrose and Michael T. Nietzel note that“Since 2010, overall college enrollment in the United States has decreased by approximately three million students.”2 They add that “As of 2021, 40.4 million Americans had attended college but dropped out before earning any degree or other official credential.”  \n1. To read more from the Martin Center about how to manage declining enrollment, visit: [https://](https://)[ ](https://)[www.jamesgmartin.center/tag/enrollment-decline/](www.jamesgmartin.center/tag/enrollment-decline/)  \n[2](2). Charles M. Ambrose and Michael T. Nietzel, Collegeson the Brink: The Case for Financial Exigency  \n(Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2023) p. vii.  \nThis drop in demand has led to many institutions merging, cutting programs, or completely shutting their doors. And these trends show no signs of slowing down. On the contrary, enrollments are expected to worsen in the next two years when the dreaded “demographic cliff”—the steep drop in the college-age population3—comes into full effect. Consequently, institutions are competing for a shrinking pool of students.  \nSuch uncontrollable pressures can come with unexpected benefits. They force institutions toreexamine their missions and take a hard look at which programs and services are truly essential. Letting go of unnecessary personnel and phasing out underperforming programs are actions that most institutions are reluctant to take, but are nevertheless crucial. College is already expensive and there is no room for wasting financial resources.  \n3. Nathan D. Grawe, Demographics and the Demand for Higher Education (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2018) pp. 18-19.  \n1 Blueprint for Reform  \n2 Blueprint for Reform  \nUniversity Systems  \nTo survive, colleges and universities should lean into their mission and embrace what makes them unique. Christian colleges, for example, should remain committed to the Christian values and educational vision that sets them apart from their secular peers. Religious institutions that are true to their missions are seeing record growth. In the 2023-2024 academic year, Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina welcomed its largest incoming class of 1,654 students.4  \nBenedictine College in Kansas experienced 121 percent growth over the last two decades. These successful schools are part of what has become known as the “Newman movement” due to their inclusion in the Cardinal Newman Society’s guide of faithful Catholic colleges.5  \nThe impacts ofthe demographic cliff will not be equally felt across the country. Some geographic regions such as New England will feel the decline more acutely. As such, weathering the drop in student demand will vary based on specific circumstances. In some cases, institutions within a shared geographic radius should consider joining forces to cut redundant administrative and faculty positions, academic programs, and student services.  \nInstitutions must not wait until they are in a dire situation to cut excessi","cbCaimwOdARAZecr","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaimwOdARAZecr","pdf",438945,"English","# How Can Universities Stay True to Their Mission In the Face of Decreasing Demand?\n# University Systems\n# Recommendations\n# Policymakers","[{\"question\":\"What is the “demographic cliff,” and why does it matter for colleges?\",\"answer\":\"The “demographic cliff” is the steep drop in the college-age population. 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