Colleges face two converging cost pressures: rising institutional operating expenses and growing student need for basic supports. Commonfund’s Higher Education Price Index recorded 3.6% inflation for 2025, above prior-decade averages, pressuring utilities, wages and technology costs. Fitch and consulting firms warn that elevated operating expenses compound enrollment and revenue challenges. At the student level, campus food pantries and programs are seeing heavier demand as an estimated two in five students face food insecurity. With academic calendars and breaks approaching, institutions ramp up emergency food distribution and support services for students heading into winter break. Why it matters: sustained cost inflation will force colleges to reprioritize budgets, scale student basic-needs programs, and consider structural reforms—affecting tuition decisions, financial-aid strategy and retention efforts.