Page 22 - BusinessWest May 11, 2026

went on. “Institutions that remain overly dependent on a single student
population or a static program portfolio will face increasing pressure.”
Return on Investment
Molly Miner, vice president of Enrollment Management and Marketing
at Elms College, told BusinessWest that most private colleges, especially
in New England, have experienced enrollment challenges, as the demo-
graphic cliff has already created increased competition among the shrink-
ing pool of traditional first-time students. Meanwhile, the majority of
Elms students come from the New England region, which is among the
hardest-hit regions due to these shifting demographics, and its leaders
have adjusted their recruitment strategy to broaden our applicant pool.
“The declining international student enrollment at schools nationwide,
coupled with the changing domestic demographics, has created chal-
lenges for all colleges, particularly small colleges,” Miner noted. “There
is a trickle-down effect when the most selective institutions, which have
traditionally had large international enrollment, shift their strategy and
expand their reach more broadly into the domestic pool, increasing com-
petition for other institutions.
“Another challenge is the broader national conversation around the
cost of higher education and student loan debt, which influences how stu-
dents and their families think about college,” she added. “More than 30%
of high school graduates do not enroll in college immediately after gradu-
ation, which further compounds the enrollment challenges.”
The cost factor should actually benefit community colleges, especially
in Massachusetts, where residents can attend for free, thanks to a two-
year-old program called MassEducate, which has resulted in enrollment
increases at those institutions across the state.
But four-year, private colleges have to attract a shrinking pool of poten-
tial enrollees in different ways. James Birge, who is retiring as president
of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, acknowledged
the current pressures, but is optimistic.
“The demographic enrollment cliff is here. It’s already hitting small,
private colleges hard. Sadly, more will close in the next five years as the
recruiting market contracts and institutions struggle to attract students,”
he told BusinessWest.
“But public institutions like MCLA are in a genuinely strong spot.
We’re affordable. And we’ve spent the last few years making deliberate
moves to become a college of choice,” he went on, noting, as examples,
that MCLA has added nursing, radiologic technology, and music industry
and production because that’s what students are looking for, as well as
adding athletic programs in lacrosse and ice hockey.
“We’ve built up endowed scholarship funding so more students can
afford to come here,” Birge went on. “We’ve strengthened academic
and personal support so students don’t just enroll — they stay and fin-
ish. We’ve put smarter investment strategies in place to keep operations
funded. And we’ve maintained our accreditation, meeting every standard,
including the financial ones.”
“We have strong partnerships with
employers, both nationally and regional-
ly, to ensure their current and future
employees have the education and train-
ing needed to succeed in a rapidly chang-
ing professional landscape, while also
informing program development.”
MOLLY MINER
Miner points to Elms Promise, an initiative at the Chicopee college
that aims to reduce cost as a barrier for students who demonstrate
strong academic performance and financial need. She also points to the
institution’s strong relationships with community colleges in Massachu-
setts and beyond, enrolling their graduates into its undergraduate pro-
grams through transfer and continuing education pathways.
“At Elms, we are able to leverage our small size to remain nimble and
responsive in the face of these
challenges,” she said, noting
that its undergraduate curricu-
lum combines a strong liberal
Colleges
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MAY 11, 2026
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