Colleges in Crunch #1: Barnard College - the Columbia Affiliate About to Go Broke?
In light of recent federal funding cuts and public antagonism towards Columbia University by the Trump Administration, no surprise, but people are looking with suspicion at the fluctuating donations, shrinking federal funding and suspicious endowments as staff get kicked out of the college. However, even before the Trump Administration began in January, Columbia University’s affiliated women’s college, Barnard College, received a Negative outlook on the S&P Global’s Third Quarter 2024, the division of the S&P 500 index that actually scores universities and institutions on their financial status. Like Columbia, Barnard has also laid off 70 members of staff, and is facing debt of $252 million dollars (RIP).
Unlike Columbia University, which - despite significant losses in endowment and federal funding - still has a $15 billion endowment and strong graduate studies, research facilities, and high property value, Barnard College is wayyyyy smaller than Columbia, providing exclusive education to women and nonbinary individuals, and is known for its liberal student body. Seen as one of the centers of the protests against current conflict in Israel, it has also gotten an unfavourable reputation from those who don’t share the college’s beliefs. Supporting various students unable to pay full tuition costs and relying on Columbia University’s undergraduate facilities, it is no surprise that Barnard might become a sinking ship in the near future.
So where does that leave students considering women’s colleges? Well, for all our Barnard girlies out there, while we don’t have a guarantee that Barnard will be collapsing in the next four years, if the financial health of a college and subsequent factors like college longevity, undergraduate opportunities, the alumni network and prestige of the university, and potential financial aid particularly concern you, then it’s worth giving Barnard a closer look if she’s on your college list, because right now she’s giving…broke.
Thinking about college choice? Make a choice that aligns with your future career: https://readmomentum.co/episode-12-how-do-i-know-what-the-right-job-for-me-is/