We've had multiple conversations about colleges going under. Concordia is the latest example. But now, schools are beginning to turn to the government for a bailout. They're all losing money right now and some of them can't survive unless the government decides to help them survive. I don't think that's going to happen. I don't think Trump cares enough and I'd bet he doesn't understand the complexity of the issue. But beyond that, if things continue to deteriorate, it's not clear that bailing out higher ed will be a real priority. Regardless of which side of the issue you support it seems clear that this issue will play out as all these "covid19 issues" show themselves. Healthcare, the general economy, the coming election, all these larger issues will eclipse the issue of a higher ed bailout. Schools are going to disappear. Maybe some mergers. Some acquisitions. I'll bet there are school that were operating up until 2 weeks ago that won't open in the Fall. Maybe a lot of them. And I don't think that DeVos and Trump are going to go out of their way to save them. https://www.foxnews.com/media/tucker-carlson-on-the-coronavirus-impact-on-higher-education-not-enough-federal-bailout-money-in-the-treasury-to-save-every-pointless-university
So is everyone else. I suppose the inevitable inflation will be good news in the long run for people with USD-denominated debt.
The healthcare and general economy will need to be a higher priority, people may not have jobs and be able to afford education and obviously need to be healthy. Good chance that the system will change and DL offerings will increase. Some schools will struggle and may shut down or be sold. Others will have to make decisions that will be about cutting the "fat", which programs that will be affected? The decrease in foreign students ($$$$$$) will be a big loss unless DL somehow will partially compensate thinking out of the box will be needed. I hope the industry rebounds fast.
Six reasons why some schools will fail this test https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardvedder/2020/03/24/a-new-great-depression-for-higher-education/#71d044de5b44
Pennsylvania state universities anticipate having to refund 100 million dollars to students. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/pa-state-universities-anticipate-up-to-24100m-loss-from-providing-students-refunds-for-room-and-board/ar-BB11R1HP
enrollment declines https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/covid-19-universities-prepare-for-dramatic-drop-in-enrolments/ar-BB11SpI4?li=BBSVtLJ
10 million dollar loss at New Haven https://chargerbulletin.com/university-to-cut-employee-pay-rates-and-refund-students-estimates-10-million-in-losses/
Anticipating and Managing Precipitous College Closures https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/03/31/being-honest-students-can-help-prevent-abrupt-college-closures-report-says
Notre Dame de Namur on the verge of closure https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/03/30/‘it-would-take-something-major’-keep-doors-open-notre-dame-de-namur
https://www.wgbh.org/news/education/2020/04/07/struggling-colleges-face-financial-nightmare-with-students-and-classes-off-campus