Cautionary Tales: Strategy Lessons from Struggling Colleges by Alice W. Brown and Contributors (review)

Alice Brown presents her research on colleges in crisis in 13 chapters, supplemented by the contributions of Susan Whealler Johnston, Michael G. Puglisis, Elizabeth R. Hayford, Richard Kneipper, Robert Zemsky, and Richard R. Johnson. Her goal for studying "fragile" colleges was to find illustrative stories to serve as guides for colleges struggling to address social and economic challenges, and to reflect on "decisions made and actions taken" (p. xviii).

Brown presents the history of small private colleges as integral to higher education in the United States. Many such colleges opened and closed throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. The addition of large public universities and their subsequent enrollment of historically underserved women and African American students, however, resulted in a dramatically decreased percentage of students attending private colleges—from 50% in the 1950s to 19% in 2008 (p. 8). Most colleges do not close for a single reason, although it may appear that way when the most recent problem to arise seems insurmountable, such as funding that does not materialize, a lack of accreditation, decreased enrollment, or new competition.

The first section of the book addresses the different stakeholders in "turning around" a small college. The next three sections give case studies of colleges that attempted reinvention on their own, merged with another college or university, or partnered with a for-profit institution. Brown provides insight into these interesting cases, showing the processes leading to their success or failure to continue as an institution with a unique identity.

What does it take to turn a failing college into a thriving college? While the roles of leadership, financial resources, and a culture of cooperation are important, each chapter in this section focuses on the contributions of stakeholders. Trustees need to be well informed about the finances and accreditation without micromanaging; presidents need to manage and lead trustees and staff. Brown provides examples of presidents who came into a position without asking the right questions, thus putting themselves and their institution at a disadvantage.

Faculty and staff are colleges' best assets, and they should not be the last to know about crises even though faculty governance may not provide the best process for crisis management. Faculty and staff can also be resistant to necessary changes in culture. Some deal with such resistance by excluding faculty and staff; however, Brown emphasizes the need to give personnel a voice along the way. Of course, financial resources may be the bottom line of a college in crisis. When colleges depend on tuition increases and outside loans, the problem of fiscal stability remains unsolved. Brown offers options such as building college consortia to pool buying power or hiring consultants to identify new funding.

Of the three cases Brown provides about "going it alone," two schools closed, and one truly reinvented itself. Sue Bennett School started in 1897 and converted into a two-year college in 1922. There was little transparency in the ongoing struggle of the college, but clearly, it had had long-term financial problems. Options for increasing enrollment included adding sports and proposing a four-year program. Merging with the state's community college system was considered and rejected; the loss of accreditation resulted in the final closure in 1997.

Mary Holms College, a two-year HBCU started in 1892, included a high school until 1959. Beyond the usual financial difficulties, the enrollment decreased when a new local community college opened, financial aid reporting became overwhelming, and recruitment from large cities became problematic. Ultimately, the college lost its unique niche to educate African American students and closed in 1997.

Lindenwood University, a two-year women's college started in 1827, became a four-year in 1918, and coed in 1969. Dennis Spellman, first as a consultant, then as the president, created a radical turnaround by focusing on what the college did best—educate. He reduced staff, eliminated tenure, and focused on teaching. Another cultural shift...