Addressing the Crisis in Catholic Higher Ed

On Monday, May 6, the final classes of the spring semester will be held at Cabrini University. These will also mark the last classes ever at the institution, signaling the end of an era.

I served as a Dean of Arts and Sciences at a Catholic university not far from Cabrini. I know several members of Cabrini’s faculty and staff personally. The announcement of its imminent closure is more than a headline to me. It’s a painful echo of my own experience with downsizing. I understand all too well the uncertainty and upheaval that will follow—plans derailed, lives uprooted. Yet, the deeply personal impact of this closure on individuals who worked at Cabrini and on their families has been largely overlooked in public discussions.

Philadelphia should prepare itself. The influx of job seekers from Cabrini into Philadelphia's already crowded educational employment market will complicate the situation further. This region, although rich with higher education institutions, will soon find itself oversaturated with qualified candidates who are struggling to find suitable roles.

Cabrini is not an isolated case. As articles in Inside Higher Ed and The Chronicle of Higher Education indicate, this worrying trend has emerged across the country as numerous Catholic institutions shutter, sparking debate about the sustainability and mission of Catholic higher education. It’s tempting to dismiss these closures as mere market corrections, a response to having too many institutions in a confined space, all competing for the same dwindling pool of students. But such a view is dangerously simplistic and, worse, callously ignores the real human costs.

At the heart of Catholic teaching is the recognition of the dignity of the human person. We are created as a reflection of God’s divine image. Given this central value, Catholic higher education institutions are not just academic venues like public institutions are, but spaces where individuals are meant to flourish spiritually and morally. The closures and mass downsizings occurring around the country strip away these nurturing environments, impacting everyone involved—not just the students, but the dedicated faculty and staff who have sacrificed much of their lives in the service of those students and of the institutions' missions.

These job losses and the destabilization of families challenge the Church’s assertion that the family is the fundamental unit of society, mirroring the divine love of the Holy Trinity. If leaders of Catholic colleges and universities make decisions that fundamentally threaten this foundation, how aligned are they really with the values espoused by the Church?

Social justice, another cornerstone of Catholic doctrine, calls for action against inequity and support for the vulnerable. When a Catholic institution closes, especially one embedded in a disadvantaged community, it leaves a void that exacerbates existing social inequalities.

Articles that cover Cabrini's closure are quick to point out that Cabrini is surrounded by multiple other institutions. What those articles ignore are the disheartening statistics regarding student transfers post-closure. Less than half of the students affected by closures manage to transfer to another institution, and among those who do, fewer than half are likely to graduate. Many of these transferring students face the additional burden of non-transferrable credits, which necessitates taking more courses and, consequently, incurring more student loan debt. Those who do not graduate often end up in menial jobs, burdened with debt they incurred from an education they could not complete. As someone who studied social justice through The Catholic University of America , I have difficulty reckoning these data with the social justice mission of the Church.

And so, I feel compelled to turn to the role of stewardship in Catholic higher ed. Stewardship calls for leaders to manage resources wisely and ensure the longevity of their institutions. However, the steady decline in enrollment at Cabrini over the past decade points to deeper, unaddressed issues predating the current administration. To me, this raises significant concerns about the foresight and capability of the people once served at the helm.

The term 'apostasy' might seem severe for describing the closures and mass downsizings currently occurring at Catholic institutions nationwide. However, if these actions result from leaders who have deliberately moved their institutions away from fundamental values espoused by the Catholic Church, what else but a form of apostasy are we witnessing? No one would argue that a Catholic university or college president has formally renounced the faith in so many words. But they have failed the very communities these institutions vow to serve on fundamental levels. And it seems that no one is calling them to account for it.

Pope St. John Paul II's Ex Corde Ecclesiae emphasized the need for Catholic institutions to remain true to their identity. Unfortunately, it seems we’ve circled back to the problems of his time—many institutions being "Catholic in name only." Financial pressures often dictate decisions with the mantra "No money, no mission." However, true leadership must prioritize the mission to guide financial decisions, not vice versa.

I propose that bishops take a more assertive role in ensuring that Catholic higher education remains faithful to its mission. Bishops should undertake thorough reviews of Catholic institutions, assessing their fidelity to Ex Corde Ecclesiae. Regional accreditors currently assess the extent to which institutions adhere to their stated missions and values by requiring detailed reports and intrusive, on-site reviews. A diocese should do likewise, not rely on a handshake or simple assurance from the president and the board. Conducting an independent review would serve as a crucial check against complacency and/or misalignment with Catholic values in the various units of the institution.

Bishops should also take a much more active role in preparing future leaders in Catholic higher education. Establishing local leadership programs will help institutions establish viable succession systems. It could also help institutions avoid the candidacies of those who espouse servant leadership "in name only."

The closure of Cabrini University and similar institutions across the country signals that we stand at a critical juncture for Catholic higher education. As members of the Catholic community and advocates for higher education, we must challenge the status quo and advocate for change that aligns with our fundamental teachings. Only then will we be able to move Ad Fidem Accendendam Ex Corde Ecclesiae—toward a rekindling of faith from the heart of the Church.

c. 2024, Alfred G. Mueller II