This dissertation explores the complex dynamics and conflicts surrounding the privatization of public school services in New Jersey. Through detailed case studies of multiple New Jersey towns, this dissertation examines how local school districts, grappling with funding challenges, consider outsourcing educational support professional roles to cut…

Financial challenges are a major concern for school leaders, a concern that was particularly pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Increased academic expectations, insufficient funding, and rising mandated expenses in the face of declining enrollment constrain budgets and put pressure on student programming. In this environment, collaboration…

The increased competitive nature of higher education institutions has caused many small private liberal arts colleges/universities to struggle economically. The cost of keeping such institutions viable is high. Many institutions have had to raise tuitions rates, which resulted in decreased enrollment numbers. As a result, many institutions have…

Small mid-tier private schools tend to have modest endowments, and after decades of tuition hikes comparable to those of their elite peers, they are now at high risk of pricing themselves out of the market. The fiscal crisis of small private colleges will play out differently across the nation. States vary in their demographic projections and the…

In just the last 18 months, Massachusetts has seen the closure of small private liberal arts colleges Mount Ida and Newbury Colleges. The pressures on these types of institutions include technological disruption, changing student demands, and ever-escalating costs. To address this, the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education (BHE) and Department…

Scholarship in composition and rhetoric has certainly addressed issues of African American economic inequality (Gilyard) and institutional austerity (Welch and Scott), yet the field has failed to address how both are united in the site of the contemporary HBCU. In particular, composition scholars have not explored how the shifts of the new economy…

The word sequestration has been in the news lately when talking about the federal budget. Sequestration refers to across-the-board cuts, and depending on where one lives and the amount of federal aid one's community receives, those cuts could amount to as much as 17 percent. That spells bad news for schools unless parents, educators, and other…

When officials at tuition-driven Fisk University raised the veil of secrecy a few years ago surrounding the university's financial condition, the details they laid out were less than encouraging. The Nashville-based university, home of the historic Jubilee Singers, was losing several million dollars a year and had not received any major private…

Nationally, state funding to higher education has significantly decreased. Ironically, the trend of state divestment in higher education coincides with federal and state policies geared toward increasing degree completion rates. Through an analysis of qualitative data gathered at California higher education institutions, this paper highlights how…

In January 2007, the author wrote an article titled "Prevent a Disaster in Your Library: Advertise." In 2011, with the ongoing economic crisis that has caused so many school budget cuts, it is clear that advertising is no longer enough to save school librarians' positions. Librarians need to become even more aggressive as they market their…

States are finally arriving at the "funding cliff"--the point where about $100 billion in federal economic-stimulus aid for education runs out. The loss seems certain to compound severe budget woes and could mean thousands of school layoffs and the elimination of popular programs and services in districts across the country. The bulk of…

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…

During the summer of 2010, school districts across the country reported almost daily on their plans to lay off staff because of sharp declines in aid. Hundreds of thousands of teachers' jobs were on the line. If these losses materialized, class sizes would skyrocket and educational enrichment activities would be lost. Some districts shortened…

Magazine publishers weathered the difficult recession year of 2009 with admirable resilience. Although several magazines failed and many saw reductions in advertising revenue, a number of new publications have been launched as industry professionals continue to demonstrate their ability to adapt to new technologies and difficult business…

Many small institutions face difficulties, and the person who bears the brunt of dealing with those challenges is the college president. While each situation is unique, presidents can learn from the experiences of others, and at the very least, commiserate with each other regarding the challenges they face, especially when their institutions are…