<p>There’s a lot of “institutional research” going on behind the scenes at all schools. It’s where the colleges research and evaluate themselves, their goals and their students in respect to a number of factors. In light of the economy, most are trying to understand what will ensure their viability- whatever that means to them (eg in terms of financial strength and reputation.) It’s not necessarily a matter of declining enrollment or some specific problem. It can simply be a proactive attempt to ensure a good draw over the next 10 years. Eg, if prices drop a bit, more of the squeezed upper middle classes might feel comfortable paying their portions and keep yield high. It’s a complexity of considerations. Not much different than a manufacturer allowing some discount period to build market share.</p>