The Silence of the Strategists: How Higher Ed Elites Withhold the Truth While Others Step Up

In an era when transparency should be the bedrock of ethical journalism and consulting, author and higher education commentator Jeff Selingo—alongside consultancy powerhouse EY Parthenon—are knowingly keeping critical information from the public. Despite having access to privileged data that identifies several hundred U.S. colleges and universities in serious financial trouble, they have refused to disclose the names of these institutions. This silence is not just unhelpful—it is immoral.

For years, EY Parthenon has conducted private studies and analyses for higher ed clients, tracking key indicators like declining enrollment, shrinking endowments, deteriorating debt ratios, and unsustainable tuition discounting. Jeff Selingo, through his writing and speaking engagements, has amplified some of these findings, warning of a looming wave of closures and consolidations. But while they hint at a coming crisis, they deliberately avoid naming names.

This concealment does a disservice to students, families, faculty, and communities. Stakeholders deserve to make informed decisions, especially when their financial futures and professional lives are on the line. Prospective students and their parents may unwittingly enroll in institutions that are likely to shutter or slash services. Faculty and staff remain in the dark about the viability of their jobs. And entire towns—especially those reliant on small, tuition-driven colleges—are left exposed to economic collapse.

Their rationale is predictable: naming struggling colleges could cause panic, accelerate closures, or lead to lawsuits. But this argument places institutional reputation over human consequences. It protects endowments and administrators while sacrificing those least able to weather the fallout—first-generation students, underpaid adjuncts, and vulnerable staff.

Jeff Selingo brands himself as a guide for navigating the college admissions maze, and EY Parthenon markets itself as a strategic advisor. But what good is strategy or guidance without accountability? What ethical framework justifies withholding the truth from the very people their work claims to serve?

This isn’t merely about transparency—it’s about power. When Selingo and EY Parthenon hoard vital information, they are reinforcing a system in which the elite manage decline behind closed doors, while the public bears the brunt of their silence.

Fortunately, there are others working in good faith to inform the public. Gary Stocker’s College Viability App offers accessible financial data and tools to evaluate the long-term sustainability of U.S. colleges, helping families, students, and educators make smarter decisions. Similarly, Mark Salisbury’s TuitionFit project democratizes college pricing information, giving prospective students real access to the true cost of college—information institutions often obscure. These efforts stand in sharp contrast to the guarded secrecy of the higher ed elite, and they deserve recognition and support.

It’s time for the higher ed establishment—including those profiting from its slow-motion collapse—to face the moral consequences of their choices. Either name the schools or admit that your silence is complicity.

The Higher Education Inquirer calls on Jeff Selingo, EY Parthenon, and others with access to this critical data to do what is right: tell the truth, in full. Anything less is a betrayal of the public trust.