In autumn, most colleges' football fields are covered with a thick carpet of grass or artificial turf and are adorned with yard lines. But the football field at Paul Quinn College was carved up by plowing and planting. This past fall, portions of the college's gridiron were covered with sweet potatoes, watermelons, peppers, rosemary, and sugar…

Higher-education analysts have predicted it: The global financial shambles will cause the closing or merger of a growing number of colleges. At the top of the endangered list are rural colleges. Included in this group is the author's own college, Sterling College, in Craftsbury Common, Vermont. Despite this prediction, the author is counting on…

By just about every objective measure, the $88-million in debt that Wartburg College has carried since late 2005 poses a risk. The college's debt load--twice the amount that it takes in annually from tuition and other revenue--has raised red flags with its accreditor, alarmed some faculty members, and left Wartburg with a credit rating just one…

Describes how California's Bethany College survived four years of tough love from the accrediting Western Association of Schools and Colleges and emerged with a clean bill of health and a future. (EV)

Describes how Bennett College, an historically black women's institution, is trying to regroup after its latest president lasted only seven months. (EV)

By merging and sharing operations with other institutions, small colleges can cut a variety of administrative costs. Interest in mergers is especially strong at private liberal arts colleges but has included two-year and vocational schools. Such partnerships can extend the life of a college or even promote growth. (MSE)

Many small liberal arts colleges nationwide are facing unprecedented challenges in finances and demographics. Unless they have name recognition, a sizeable endowment, or especially strong academic offerings, most struggle to attract students from outside their regions. To survive, colleges have been urged to expand adult education and distance…

Nearly 11 years ago trustees of Wilson College (Pennsylvania) voted to close the institution. A group of alumnae brought a lawsuit to keep the college open, and since then the college's programs have been transformed to meet the changing interests and ages of its students. A division of continuing studies was created. (MLW)