Researchers Examine Changes in Small Private Colleges over the past 45 Years

Inside Higher Ed published an interesting post by Rick Seltzer, "Tracking 'Invisible Colleges'" on January 11, 2018.  The post highlights recently published research by Melissa Tarrant and others examining changes at 491 nonselective colleges that were included in the well-known report, The Invisible Colleges: A Profile of Small, Private Colleges with Limited Resources, authored by Alexander Astin and Calvin Lee for the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education in 1972.  Seltzer notes that Astin and Lee recommended that the institutions "...increase in size.  It also said the smallest institutions might be redundant or might need to close."

Tarrant's research found that "...84 percent of the original invisible colleges still had their doors open as stand-alone or merged institutions."  They have also largely been able to adapt and survive.  The institutions have grown enrollments of the 45 years since the initial study.  They have also tended to increase the quality of students enrolled, to enroll more part-time students, and have almost entirely opted for coeducation.  Seltzer concludes his post by stating that the "...picture is one of small private colleges forced to evolve and change..."