Folks with an interest in higher education among the Christian churches and churches of Christ will find the latest data helpfully summarized by the good folks at the Christian Standard.
SWNID is happy to report from that data that Campbellite IHEs are doing rather nicely overall. Enrollment and finances are generally robust by historic standards. To the data of the chart we add the report that in February the Association of Biblical Higher Education gave three of its four annual growth awards to "our schools," namely St. Louis Christian College, William Jessup University, and Lincoln Christian College and Seminary. Add to that the nice fact that our own place of employment, Cincinnati Christian University (ABHE growth award recipient in 2006), now has an FTE consistently over 1000, making it "our" largest IHE, and it's a nice picture for a lot of us.
We hasten to add, however, that with maybe one notable exception, CC/CoC IHEs operate with little or no long-term endowment (one of "our schools" has more assets than all others combined, a challenge to the many not to covet what belongs to the few) and little opportunity to tap in to the big money from big foundations and rich alumni that funds most non-religious IHEs. They also charge low tuition that doesn't cover the cost of attendance.
In other words, it remains a hand-to-mouth existence. But there seems to be enough manna on the ground for today.
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