At the close of 2008, more than a few private colleges and universities began to ask themselves the tough, yet all-important question: will the current economic downturn negatively impact our enrollments? Although this is not the most pleasant issue to deal with at the beginning of a new year, I strongly encourage my colleagues at private colleges to ask this very question of their own institutions. And if you are concerned about your enrollment situation, you are not alone: a recent survey conducted by the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NICU) revealed that 65% of the 371 participating institutions are greatly concerned about preventing a decline in their student enrollments. And the recent New York Times article entitled Private Colleges Worry About a Dip in Enrollment indicates that "getting exactly the right enrollment -- always a tricky proposition -- is especially crucial for small colleges with tuition-driven budgets."  Now for the tough questions: What are you doing to communicate and illustrate to families of both current and prospective students that your institution is, in fact, worth the cost of attendance--even in these challenging economic times? What specific steps are you taking to discourage current students from leaving your institution for a lower-priced alternative? I am generally an optimist, but in our current economic climate we have to ask ourselves the tough questions or we may find ourselves out in the cold.

Jeff Papa