Recently, the Association learned that smaller private colleges start making alliances or strategic partnership or even merger in order to survive three mounting pressures: imminent federal higher ed budget cuts, financial woes and students enrollment drop.  This morning we learned that these institutions start pulling their resources together to overcome such challenges.  Had they take advantages of our earlier research result reports, may be their story will be different.  Unfortunately, most institutions do not have the capability to oversee what is coming their ways.  The BAU concepts have blinded them or perhaps, these colleges do not have such leadership team who has the will and capability to do so until it is too late.  Our studies have been published and share to the public about five years ago.  Surely, if institutions take actions based on these scientific research findings and the applications of IRI, then they are now will perhaps be in a better shape.  Asset fixity and operational inefficiency have taken their precious resources away, and nothing can replace them in a very short-time.  These financial issues are even more difficult now to deal with for two important reasons: (1). federal education budget cut is apparent under the new administration (2) Tuition (price) war is imminent.