Kenneth C. Zirkel, Wikimedia Commons

The Rise and Fall of Johnson & Wales University

Trends at the Charlotte and Providence institution signal an uncertain future.

Thinking about earning a bachelor of science in food and beverage entrepreneurship, with a minor in gender studies? Johnson & Wales University might be just the place for you. This degree can be yours for only $43,872 per academic year. What a deal!

Johnson & Wales University recently made headlines—but not because of its “premier” and “affordable” programs in food-service management, adventure tourism, or event leadership. The coverage instead stemmed from news of faculty and staff layoffs.

“We simply cannot afford to be the size that we once were,” wrote Chancellor Mim Runey in an official statement. This May, Johnson & Wales University announced plans to lay off 91 faculty and staff members—about five percent of its workforce. The cuts will impact both its campuses, in Providence, Rhode Island, and Charlotte, North Carolina.

The decision follows years of campus closures, declining enrollments, and an operating deficit of $34 million. With these layoffs, JWU’s leaders hope to quickly reform the school’s operating model.

Through recent layoffs, university leaders hope to quickly reform the school’s operating model. “We simply cannot afford to be the size that we once were,” wrote Chancellor Mim Runey in an official statement. Along with the staff cuts, the university is also postponing salary increases until later this year, as its cash reserves are nearly depleted.

Once a well-regarded culinary institution, Johnson & Wales now faces an uncertain future.

From Culinary Powerhouse to Campus Closures 

Johnson & Wales University was founded in September 1914 in Providence, Rhode Island. In its early days, JWU operated as a business school, offering courses in bookkeeping, typing, shorthand, and other clerical skills.

The hospitality program was introduced in 1972 by Morris Gaebe, longtime president of JWU, despite strong skepticism from the college’s board. The move proved to be a success—enrollment grew from 141 students in 1973 to 3,000 by 1983. This transformation helped Johnson & Wales become a culinary powerhouse, earning a strong reputation in the field and forming key partnerships with the service industry.

The success of its culinary and hospitality programs fueled JWU’s rapid expansion. At its height, the university operated six campuses across the country: Providence, RI; Charleston, SC; Norfolk, VA; North Miami, FL; Denver, CO; and Charlotte, NC. Eventually, the Charleston and Norfolk campuses were consolidated into the Charlotte location.

The expansion into multiple campuses was accompanied by a surge in hyper-specialized, niche programs and impractical degrees. This strategy set the stage for the crisis Johnson & Wales has faced over the past 15 years.

Since 2011, Johnson & Wales University has lost over half of its student population. The Covid-19 pandemic dealt an additional blow to enrollment. As a result, the North Miami and Denver campuses were shut down at the end of the 2020-21 academic year.

Between 2019 and 2021, Johnson & Wales University lost roughly $99 million, according to tax records. Today, the university is grappling with a $34-million operating deficit, prompting budget cuts and, most recently, faculty and staff layoffs.

Quirky Programs, Questionable Value 

Over the years, Johnson & Wales University gradually drifted from its status as a culinary and hospitality powerhouse. Instead, it became known for offering an array of hyper-specialized programs.

The list of quirky majors and minors is extensive. While most programs center around culinary arts, hospitality, and the service industry, the university’s website also promotes promising careers for graduates in fields such as equine studies, fashion merchandising and retailing, and entertainment management.

JWU may be the only college offering a degree in food and beverage entrepreneurship with the option to minor in cannabis management. Johnson & Wales University may be the only four-year accredited college offering a degree in food and beverage entrepreneurship with the option to minor in cannabis management. Beyond that, the university offers a colorful array of minors, including adventure tourism, beverage service management, and craft brewing, among others.

In the spirit of DEI, JWU also offers minors in community justice, gender studies, and race and ethnicity studies. After all, what would society do without restaurant managers and hospitality workers well-versed in gender theory and the key principles of social and racial justice?

The lineup of hyper-specialized majors and impractical minors gives JWU a distinct University of Phoenix vibe. The lineup of hyper-specialized majors and impractical minors gives Johnson & Wales a distinct University of Phoenix vibe. It also raises serious questions about whether these programs align with actual market demands.

It’s clear that JWU lacks academic seriousness. Its emphasis on vocational training over a foundation in the liberal arts is troubling—and in the long run, this lack of intellectual rigor could undermine graduates’ prospects.

The university’s quirky programs come with questionable value. Attending JWU costs over $40,000 per year, yet, according to College Factual, the average starting salary for JWU graduates is just $33,000. That’s hardly a strong return on investment. Taking on significant student debt for hyper-specialized, uncertain career paths doesn’t seem worth it.

Russell Kirk saw this trend coming. He warned of the rise of costly new academic programs such as gender studies, racial studies, and environmental studies. In his well-known National Review column, “From the Academy,” he took aim at Michigan State University for offering “academic courses” in fly casting, packaging, hotel management, and similar subjects.

One can only imagine what Kirk would have to say about JWU’s quirky and costly programs.

Is Johnson & Wales Worth Saving? 

In post-pandemic America, news of college closures has become increasingly common. This has sparked a broader debate: Should we try to save these struggling institutions of higher learning or simply let them go out of business?

Given the current state of Johnson & Wales University, it’s only natural to ask: “Is JWU worth saving?”

Specialized vocational education still holds value, which works in JWU’s favor. Its founding campus in Providence, RI, carries economic, cultural, and historical significance for the local community. Closing JWU would disrupt the academic and professional paths of thousands of students and negatively impact the economies of both Providence and Charlotte.

However, JWU is a textbook example of the broader crisis in higher education—a mix of everything that’s gone wrong: administrative bloat, impractical degrees, and sky-high tuition.

JWU lacks both a sustainable financial model and rigorous academic programs that align with market demands. Instead, it’s burdened with a $34-million operating deficit and a lineup of largely useless majors.

Why should taxpayers subsidize an institution like this through federal grants? And can we really trust JWU’s leadership to implement meaningful reforms when they’re the ones who led the university into its current mess?

Can we really trust JWU’s leadership to implement meaningful reforms when they’re the ones who led the university into its current mess? What’s Next for Johnson & Wales? 

Declining enrollment, staff layoffs, and operating deficits aren’t unique to JWU. Many private colleges and universities are facing the threat of extinction—with closures now happening at a rate of nearly one per week.

Johnson & Wales’ leadership should view this crisis as a chance to reform the institution. If the university hopes to survive, trimming unnecessary administrative and faculty positions is only the first step. The leadership must also eliminate weak degree programs, consider closing its satellite campus in Charlotte, and refocus on the school’s core strengths. Lowering the cost of attendance would not only be a relief to current students—it could also help attract new ones.

If the university hopes to survive, trimming unnecessary administrative and faculty positions is only the first step. In their effort to keep the university afloat, leadership should explore innovative academic offerings—such as a three-year undergraduate program—alongside solid financial planning and strategic partnerships, potentially even a merger with another institution.

The crisis at Johnson & Wales offers a revealing glimpse into the future of small and mid-size private colleges. It serves as a cautionary tale of what can happen when institutions stray from their original mission, roll out impractical degree programs, and overextend themselves.

Johnson & Wales University also stands as a real-time case study, offering insight into whether colleges like it can successfully reform, restructure, and reinvent themselves—or end up shutting their doors for good.

Jovan Tripkovic is communications manager at the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal.