I’ll take this one: federal relief that functionally excludes any segment of #highered, especially private religious non profit colleges and universities is v short sighted. Here’s why.../1 https://twitter.com/michaelrwear/status/1249768713043181571

Religious non profit colleges and universities provide essential capacity in over crowded state systems. They provide faster and fuller graduation rates, enroll =/> %’s of first gen and minority student populations.../2

All while providing an education that (a) students opt in to and (b) prepares the next gen of teachers, social workers, nurses, lawyers, journalists, film makers and musicians (etc., etc.) to be conscientious members of their communities.../3

The federal ROI on increased tax dollars from higher wages and the social ROI on ethically aware graduates pencils out without much controversy.../4

What I suppose is more complicated than aide to students is direct aide to religious schools, but even that comes with established provisions preventing a school from turning around using the money for explicitly religious purposes.../5

And, to be fair, many private religious colleges and universities have made out quite well (comparatively) re: CARES act funding bc of the formulas used to allocate the . It’s certainly not “enough” to weather an unending storm, but better than many of us assumed.../6

The looming crisis for private religious institutions is going to come at the state level as governors + legislators face immense budget pressure. Cuts are coming.../7 https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/04/13/public-colleges-face-looming-financial-blow-state-budget-cuts

And while public schools will face a bigger reduction in % terms (just by definition) the margin at small to midsized private schools—which is basically every religious school—is MUCH smaller.../8

So *any* reduction in funds, primarily in the form of student grant aide, that is disproportionate by segment will be a game changer for many institutions.../9

If, for example, a state were to reduce or eliminate direct grant aide to a student if they take that aide to a private school (which is a catch-all for religious schools) instead of a public you’ll see closures.../10

While a reduction in direct grant aide for students at state schools (universities or community colleges) will result in negative student outcomes, it won’t board them up.../11

...coming back this thread. If Federal Pell Grants or Perkins loans somehow became exclusively for public colleges and universities that too would be a death blow to many religious institutions, but I suspect this #SCOTUS in particular wouldn’t allow such a disparity.../12

So what we’re really talking about are whatever “free” college projects exist, which are mostly being tested at 2 yr colleges as we speak with *very* mixed results.../13