Catholic Colleges Predict Less Oversight From Their Religious Sponsors in Future

U.S. Catholic colleges are predicting the religious organizations that sponsor them will have significantly less influence over their operations in years to come. That’s a major finding from a new Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges report published Wednesday. It found nearly half of surveyed Catholic presidents are forecasting that in less than 20 years, sponsors won’t be able to exercise powers over their operations in a meaningful way. The AGB report also indicates fewer church officials, such as priests, are taking on Catholic college presidencies. Fewer than 40 religious figures headed Catholic colleges in 2023, down from about 110 in 1999 when the last survey was conducted.